Emotional NHS nurse: We're exhausted and broken, please stay at home
7 April 2020, 11:50 | Updated: 7 April 2020, 12:32
Emotional NHS nurse: We're exhausted and broken, stay at home
This senior NHS nurse got very emotional as she told LBC how exhausted intensive care workers are as they battle coronavirus.
Boris Johnson spent the night in an intensive care ward as he battles coronavirus. Michael Gove told LBC he had been given oxygen, but was not on a ventilator.
As James was discussing what life was like for staff in an intensive care ward, Senior Nurse Nicola called in at the end of an 89-hour run of shifts.
And with her voice cracking with emotion, she told James that the NHS was struggling to cope with the influx of Covid-19 patients and urged people to stay at home to help save the service.
She said: "My jaw is hurting from trying to smile and carry lots of staff on my shoulders.
"May I say thanks to lots of students who are in the second year of their degree - physios, nurses etc - who have volunteered to help. And I feel so sorry for them because they are seeing a level of nursing that they should never ever have to see.
"I got up at 7am and saw numerous gangs of people and families walking about. I want to say to people please don't do that.
"We are broken. People that normally we could save, maybe we won't be able to save because there are so many.
"I've heard people saying 'What's the big fuss, there's only been 500 people dying of it today'. Trust me, if you saw the way these people were dying despite our best efforts, you wouldn't want to be one of those 500.
"Stay at home. We're making massive sacrifices. We don't have PPE. We are all broken, we are all exhausted.
"Not going out for a walk won't kill you. Not going to a park and sitting in the sun won't kill you."
It's a truly powerful call that everyone should listen to. Hear it at the top of the page - and then stay at home.
