“I feel good when paying a visit to patients I see them smiling”

Nina Antoyan, a nurse at Surb Astvatsamayr Medical Center, was one of the first to consciously go to fight the infection, confident that she would support the doctors with this step; they will spare no effort to save the life of each patient.

At first Nina’s family members were against the decision, but after a while those moods changed. Nina says that one of the first difficulties was that being  tired after the shift she used to spend the night in a hotel. There was no family member or relative who would give her warmth. Nina Antoyan told WomenNet.am about this.

It was difficult for me to isolate us. Communicating with a coronavirus-infected patient, we had no right to go anywhere. This weakened us somewhere, but we overcame it. One of the difficulties was that you realized that you were responsible for each patient, that if something suddenly happened, it would be your fault. There have been times when you have felt inside that the situation is difficult, but you have done the impossible to get the patient out of it. I have gained a lot of experience, which gave me the opportunity to succeed in this field. I learned to understand each patient’s gaze, which I think is possible for every healthcare professional. ”…

According to Antonyan, during this time she gained new partners. “I have got very good friends, maybe I would have to work for 10 years to be able to make friends like that. I am sure that with those people who are by my side now, we will be together in the future, we will be a big and strong team.

She says she knew in the beginning that it would be difficult, but he did not imagine that the fight against the coronavirus would take so long. “You know, when I learned that the virus is in China, I did not imagine that it would appear in Armenia, because I thought that the virus would break on the roads, weaken and would not reach our country. When the first case occurred in Armenia in March, citizens infected with the coronavirus were isolated. I thought the infection would not spread, but it did. “Unfortunately, we are one of the few countries where the disease has spread very quickly. I hope the second wave of the infection will not be big, we will feel the retreat little by little.”

She says that before admitting patients infected with the coronavirus, they had organized work so that they could receive the patients properly. “It seemed to me to be a matter of honor, to work in such a way that I deserved the patient’s smile, positive attitude, as I understood, it worked out for me. If a person wants something very much, it becomes a reality, if of course that power and desire is great in you. ”

Nina thinks that everyone can think what they want about the epidemic, but when you see that the other person, your acquaintance or your fiancée, does not go home for days, fights against the infection, you cannot believe the existence of the infection, thus someone else endanger life.

“There is a section of people who, even after being infected, do not believe what a virus is, it is a common flu or pneumonia, which was simply called COVID 19. But there is the opposite – people who are really afraid… I think we should be too afraid or not to believe, just be careful. Each of us must be able to inspire ourselves to get out of any difficult situation. “Being able to overcome despair; tension, stress and anxiety are bad helpers in the fight against infection.”

The medics also faced this problem. The number of infected people was increasing day by day, but they were trying to be strong inside and not to be depressed.

“Each of us realized why she came, there was no one who wanted to resign in this difficult situation. Thanks to that readiness and quick orientation, we are able to get out of difficult situations with honor. I feel good when paying a visit to patients I see them smiling,  their warm attitude towards me, it gives me strength. ”

She says, you can give your inner energy, your love to everyone, because it comes back to you later through the warm attitude of a patient…

During this time of epidemic, when health professionals are trying to save the lives of others at the cost of their own lives, you realize that no matter how much the pay is, it’s not enough. In response to my observation, Nurse Nina notices that she does not think about remuneration. “Frankly, when I came to work with Covid 19 credited patients, I did not think about pay. The amount of money does not matter to me, I work to succeed in my career. Many people say that no matter how much they pay us for the work we do, it is not enough, but there has been no problem with the salary during this period. Besides, if we take into account the situation in the country, what trials people go through, until they can enter their house with even a piece of bread, I cannot say anything »…

Full text in Armenian