Health is a mindset for Thorold nurse Gina Andrulis.
She believes in taking care of herself so she, in return, can take better care of others - a job she has had for 33 years.
That is why, in between her occasional week-long shifts she takes every chance she gets to work in the garden, bringing in fresh vegetables to can or make salsa.
The regular yoga classes have been thwarted by the pandemic, but she still makes time to exercise to blow off stress from the recovery room at the St Catharines hospital.
One favorite pastime is tennis - a hobby she shares with her 81-year-old mother Rita.
Gina is known as ‘The Old Girl’ among her fellow nurses.
“Yeah, not the ‘old lady!’ she exclaims in an enthusiastic manner.
“I started working in recovery in my 20’s, and back then, that was unheard of for a young nurse. You kind of needed some seniority to get there. But I was so happy to get in there and get to work closely with surgery,” she continues, recounting her long career.
“So I love that nickname, it comes with some respect!”
But these days, she admits, she is quite tired.
The rigorous routines to keep COVID-19 out of the ward where patients come to recover after surgery are tedious.
For Gina it starts with a health assessment each morning at the back entrance as she gets screened for possible symptoms.
The pandemic put all elective surgeries on hold, so most patients have come through with urgent procedures done, leaving them extra vulnerable to the virus, and the hospital can’t afford to take risks.
“We have to be careful and always err on the side of caution for things like a fever. It is challenging, but worth it at the end of the day. I think we are all mentally tired because of the unknown. We are just waiting for new directives all the time while doing shift work,” Gina says.
Some patients coming through have also had more extensive problems after waiting longer than normal to come in, due to fear of the virus being present in the health-care system.
But those who do, says Gina, are relieved.
"People in recovery are very grateful. They say they feel very cared for and that everything is organized. Many are just happy to get their surgeries done.”
She credits the positive patient feedback to the entire team at the hospital.
“Everyone, from doctors to nurses, housekeepers and secretaries. Everybody is so valuable within our team. Without each member it just does not work. A strong value for me in nursing is to respect everyone i work with. If you are bringing me laundry or delivering something, you are important. I love that!”
