In a time when the world went on lockdown for everyone’s safety, frontline healthcare workers courageously sacrificed themselves to care for Covid-19 patients.
Written by Livia Soh
Photos by Jay Jia Xin
Jay Jia Xin, 23, is a full-time nurse at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. She started her nursing career back in 2021 in the neurological department, but was soon transferred to the National Disease Infection Control Centre (NCID) when the second outbreak of Covid-19 cases happened last year.
The first nurse in her family, Jay was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare hoping to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to take care of her ill mother. While studying nursing at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Jay took up the hospital sponsorship offered by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and entered the healthcare sector right after her graduation.
Working in the Covid-19 ward
When working in the Covid-19 ward, wearing of the personal protective equipment (PPE) was made mandatory. Jay recalled, “In the Covid-19 ward, the moment you enter, you must be in full PPE from head to toe.”
She also shared the challenges she encountered due to the strict infection control regulations in place. When moving from ward to ward, Jay had to repeat the gowning and degowning process as part of safety procedures.
“You must do your planning well for what you want to do in every ward,” Jay emphasises. “You want to take blood pressure, you want to give medicine, you want to do certain things. You have to plan and make sure you do it at once.” Planning well ensured that Jay was able to attend to all the patients under her care efficiently.
During her time working on the frontline, MOH made it obligatory for healthcare workers to work six days a week with her daily shifts spanning between eight and twelve hours. Working overtime was a common occurrence for Jay as well.
“I put their needs first, and my needs last. So sometimes, I do not go for breaks. It is very normal,” she shares. The outbreak period saw new protocols, information and instructions almost daily, that Jay was required to be updated on and adapt to constantly even on her off days.
Choosing to Sacrifice
Jay’s time was not the only thing she sacrificed as a nurse. “To be honest, I feel like I’ve become a lot weaker,” Jay said. The frequent night shifts that she covered ruined her body clock. Even when she has the opportunity to recuperate, she is unable to get quality sleep causing lingering exhaustion. “I'm only in my twenties, but my body feels very old.” She laughed bittersweetly. Other physical impacts also included joint aches, body fatigue and falling ill a lot more frequently.
With the majority of her time allocated to work, Jay also lost time with her family and friends during the outbreak. She found herself turning down plans all the time due to night shifts or call backs from the hospital. Staying vigilant for the safety of her loved ones, Jay chose to minimise contact with them.
Unsurprisingly, the loneliness from Jay’s job eventually took a toll on her mental health. At work, Jay was also required to spend most of her hours alone, even during breaks for social distancing. “There were designated eating corners facing the wall, and we had to eat like that. We cannot talk,” Jay recalled. Despite so, Jay pointed out that her colleagues was her biggest source of support throughout the stressful period. “We are all going through the same thing. We understood each other.”
All these stress factors combined, resulted in Jay experiencing mental breakdowns from the immense pressure she felt. Yet, her duty as a frontliner waits for her. “After a cry and the emotion goes by, I just get back to work,” Jay said. She realigns her focus to the meaningful things that made her choose nursing. While there are difficult patients, Jay also encounters patients that are very appreciative and kind towards her. Her colleagues also often take care of her and her wellbeing. “This job is very complicated, but at the same time, it depends on how you see it. It's kind of meaningful.”
Returning to Normalcy
Now that the local Covid-19 situation has stabilised, Jay has been transferred back to her neurological department. Despite her tough experience on the frontline during the outbreak, Jay is thankful for her time there. “I'm a yellow person. I always believe it's my nature. When I see people struggle or anything, my first instinct is I want to help.”
Jay expressed that she is thankful for all those who believe in her and the healthcare industry, for trusting their loved ones in her safe hands. However, Jay also raised a point to those that still have hostile biases against healthcare workers, to think twice before making negative remarks.
“Behind a superhero mask, we all are human,” Jay highlighted. She sends her strength to all the people working in the frontline, to continue staying strong and vigilant.