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For Nurses - How to Help Combat COVID-19 if Your Practice Is Not Clinic or Hospital-based

In the last week, I've done more nursing for non-family members than I have in several years. I left hospital practice twelve years ago to focus on research and teaching the next generation of nurses. I suspect there are many nurses out there like me who can contribute in non-traditional ways.

Here's some guiding principles for helping reduce public fear and panic and help people be proactive in their self and family care.

1. Evidence-based practice: The CDC is the best source for COVID-19 information as well as the World Health Organization. Neither has a political agenda to advance so you can trust what's reported there. This is critically important for dispelling disinformation about the disease and death rates.

2. Be consistent your information on social media: The more consistently you calmly respond to people's anxiety and fears on social media, they will calm down and make better decisions. We all know that people in crisis make poor decisions and lash out. Our job is to prevent and reduce that from happening.  Draw from those basic psych nursing skills.

3. Help people develop a plan to get through quarantine: Cover the basics like food and physical activity first.  Then help people think about activities they can do at home. It's a good time to point out that people can do a deep housecleaning and reorganizing during this time. Get rid of old stuff, do an old fashioned spring cleaning. Assess, plan, implement, evaluate. Bet you never thought you'd see that again, right?

4. Offer your expertise: Religious institutions, local authorities, business leaders, anyone who asks or may not think or know to ask you as the nurse. Physicians will likely have very busy practices and lack the time to respond. Keep recommendations practical and evidence-based.

5.  Be honest and find the silver linings: We know people like a straight answer in these times. Give it to them and help them plan according to their concerns. And people need to hear hope and hold on to that. There are silver linings to this pandemic. Help them find it.

Finally, be there for our colleagues on the front lines. We've got no time to bring each other down right now. It's time to come together and support each other.

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