Tupelo nurse practitioner adds up COVID’s cost in lives and job security

Janice Driskell photo courtesy of Janice Driskell.

Janice Driskell is a nurse practitioner, who works at a clinic in Tupelo.

Where do you work and what kind of patients do you see? 

I work in an ambulatory clinic setting (specialty of rheumatology). I see patients (ages 18 years and up) with autoimmune and/or connective tissue diseases. The majority of these patients are immunocompromised.
 

When you became a nurse practitioner, how did you envision your career?

I have been a registered nurse for 23 years. I graduated with a master’s degree in 2018. I never in my career ever thought I would have to be worried about holding a job. I was partially furloughed in April 2020 until the end of July 2020 due to a drop in numbers of patients not coming into the clinic.

When the pandemic hit, what were your concerns personally and professionally?

Personally: I feared for my own health, as well as that of my immediate family’s health.

Professionally: I feared for my patients’ wellbeing and health (the majority of my patients are immunocompromised). I also worried about the future of my career (would my position be available, etc.)

While you aren’t working in an emergency department, how has COVID-19 had a spillover effect on you, whether it’s been access to patients, the added precautions you have had to take in treating them, the availability of personal protective equipment or any other way?

Initially PPE was scarce, and it was very stressful not knowing if we would have the proper PPE in order to evaluate and treat patients. As previously stated, patients opted to not come in the clinic for fear of contracting the virus. We accommodated some of these patients by completed provider phone visits or telehealth visits. Lastly, our clinic had to implement measures to monitor every patient that presented (checking temps and symptoms prior to entry).
 

Has the pandemic altered your view of your career or the medical profession in general?

It has definitely altered my sense of job security. I have also seen that when things get hard and stressful, some people (co-workers) are warriors and others not so much. It has been interesting to observe how team members have coped with day-to-day stresses.

If you were to give the public advice regarding the pandemic, what would it be?

Utilize credible resources (not WebMd or Facebook) such as your health care providers. Do not base your information on hearsay but that of factual evidence.

From the Frontlines is an ongoing series from the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting which interviews health care professionals on the frontlines of the pandemic.

If you would like to continue receiving these stories, please sign up for our newsletter.