Nurses sacrificed their lives in SARS outbreak

Dying and caring on the edge: Taiwan's surviving nurses' reflections on taking care of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome

“…This will help call attention to the issues of nurses' heavy workload and their need for support and appreciation in times when fighting for public health in critical situations. As stated by the president of Taiwan and the president of the International Council of Nursing, Christine Hancock, the SARS epidemic has highlighted the value and critical importance of nurses and their work everyday and everywhere (International Council of Nurses, 2003;Lo, 2004;Parish, 2003). The challenges from the SARS epidemic outbreak have not only empowered nurses' crisis management competence but also improved or challenged their appreciation of their self-identity.…”

“…The various critical situations contributing to this worldwide threat have been discussed mainly from the perspectives of public health and infection control teams rather than from the experiences of nurse clinicians (Chan, 2003;Gottlieb, 2004;Hall et al, 2003;Lee, Liao, & Lu, 2003;Lee, Chan, Chau, Kwok, & Kleinman, 2005;Lee & Lin, 2003;Maunder et al, 2003;Ministry of Education, 2003;Nickell et al, 2004;Parish, 2003;Singer et al, 2003;WHO, 2003b).…”

“…Moreover, many frontline nurses were the last person to learn of a patient's SARS-related diagnosis and the actual as well as potential dangers inherent in the practice setting; neither were they warned or provided with adequate protection to ensure their safety at an early stage (Mok et al, 2005). Finally, feelings of being devalued and sacrificed as well as other related complaints came out and were discussed by nurse clinicians and leaders from nursing associations, legislators, and schools of nursing (Hall et al, 2003;Lee & Lin, 2003;Lu, 2003;Nickell et al, 2004;Parish, 2003).…”