LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- If you’re finding it hard to stay home right now, imagine how it would feel to be a doctor or nurse.

Health care workers don’t have the luxury of holing up in their homes to shield themselves from the coronavirus. 

An Acadiana nurse shares the challenges of healthcare workers overcoming the spread of COVID-19. 
The hustle and bustle of medical centers has intensified as the coronavirus spreads across Acadiana. 
“Sometimes it’s scary. Sometimes it can be overwhelming,” said L.P.N., Shauna Sias.

She described  how many suffer from the anxiety of caring for sick patients-  while tons of health care facilities lack dire personal protective equipment and the transition of rapidly changing hospital protocol affect the process. 

“We are not 100% certain of anything. So, it’s very difficult to get them to understand the importance of something so simple as hand-washing,” said Sias. 

Staff hours have doubled in most hospitals because rooms are becoming overcrowded. She was offered an opportunity to work remotely, but decided to stay on the front lines. 

“I will not. Patient education at a time like this is imperative. It’s important. It’s what we nurses do. I know it’s what this nurse does,” she added. 

Universal precautions are used. She said the facilities spend extra time sanitizing in between patient visits and are trained  to treat every patient as though they are carrying the virus, 
It’s a sacrifice many of them take of their own health to help others.

“Seeing people on social media or out in the public, just not following the basic directions. It’s frightening because we might be nurses but we have children too. We would like to go home to our families too,” she added. 
Aside from being Nurse Sias, she leads the “Bully Box Initiative,” that has now even inspired the youth to help slow the spread of the virus. 

“This time is more  time for you to love each other, say kind things to one another, help someone safely when you can and remember it can be any one of us,” Sias added. 

When she isn’t on the frontlines helping patients, she’s in St. Landry Parish delivering hot school lunches from NuNu’s Creole Traditions to students in need.