had posted . Then I went to work cutting fabric . The following day , television news programs were talking about people all over the country sewing homemade masks . There were more posts on social media about hospitals and clinics requesting these . A Project Runway winner posted on his social media that he and his team are sewing them for healthcare staff in New York .
This further fueled my determination to finish cutting , ironing , pinning , and sewing ; however , learning this new skill was not graceful . I burned myself a couple times with the iron and lost count of how many times I poked myself with pins . It took me eleven hours over two days ( with a lot of help from my friend and YouTube ) to complete eleven masks . I mailed these to my friend , but had some fabric left over and reached out to the community healthcare clinic in my college town to ask if they were accepting donations of homemade masks . I made ten more and mailed them .
Sewing masks started out as a way to serve others , but along the way I found that it was also helping me . Learning this new skill provided an outlet for stress relief and was a positive way to stay busy , social distance , and take a break from the stressors of school , the news , and social media . Since mailing the first set of masks in March , I have made over 50 more to donate . This process created a shift in my attitude and for the first time since spring break , I felt hopeful .
As I reflect on the art of nursing and the aspect of serving others in this profession as I prepare to start my career as a nurse , I recognize that being a nurse is not just about administering medications and preparing patients for procedures or surgery . Nurses are equipped with countless ways to use their creativity and skill outside acute care facilities . In 1918 , during the Spanish flu pandemic , nurses played a vital role in providing care for those who fell ill and often times it was done within the patient ’ s home . This pandemic , like the one that occurred over one hundred years ago , has shined a light on how nurses can be leaders and educators about infection control and hygiene within close communities and from their own homes – even if it means sewing masks with YouTube to help control the rate of the COVID-19 pandemic . n
New Store Item ! NSNA reusable face mask Now available in the NSNA Online Store 41