By: Maria Blong

The long hospital shifts are a blur of images. Pale complexions and ventilator tubes. Quick decisions are made while rushing from room to room. Checking vitals and treating symptoms. Watching a patient’s health from bad to worse, and on good days, from bad to better.

Over the past two years, Krucial’s Reservists have seen it all – from the frontlines of a pandemic to the coast of hurricane disasters – enduring some of the toughest trials of their medical careers. Our healthcare professionals answered the call to action with brave hearts and selfless spirits, traveling miles to treat patients across the United States.

“Our mission statement of ‘Helping people during their greatest time of need’ resonated with our Reservists,” Maria, Krucial Social Media Lead, said. “For them to go – ‘I’m going to leave my home, friends, and family for a minimum of four weeks’ – is absolutely insane to me. So much of life happens in four weeks, so for them to miss that voluntarily is everything to me.” 

They all volunteered eagerly. Like a dam bursting forth, they flooded our phone lines and social media accounts to let us know they were ready to deploy.

With their courageous dedication to our mission and their patients’ health, our Reservists brought chivalry into the modern age – trading helmets for masks and face shields; clunky ole armor for scrubs and protective gowns; battles against dragons for fights against COVID-19.

While their decision to deploy was a noble act, it did not come without its hardships. Traveling to support depleted hospital staff in hot spot areas also meant leaving behind the comfort and support of their loved ones. This greatly affected their mental health.

Medical staff everywhere, not just Krucial Reservists, suffered from the accelerated workload and hectic environment due to the virus outbreak and natural disasters.

In 2020, during the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, a heartbreaking 93% of nurses stated feeling an increased amount of stress with 86% experiencing anxiety and 76% reporting a heightened feeling of exhaustion and burnout. (Mental Health America)

On top of the pandemic, the United States endured 23 natural disasters in 2020, second place to Indonesia. (Statista) Drawing already fatigued medical staff to areas like Texas and Louisiana for Hurricane Laura.

While the world is slowly transitioning back into pre-pandemic routines, the hospitals have not, and the healthcare system is taking a toll. Our Reservists continue to work 12-hour shifts, six days a week in understaffed facilities with limited supplies, performing their daily tasks under a fog of exhaustion that never seems to lift. The new surge of cases due to the onslaught of the Delta variant has settled healthcare workers into a steady rhythm of chaos, inching hospital staff closer and closer to burnout – if they’re not at that point already.

At Krucial, we have witnessed our Reservists’ resilience despite difficult circumstances, as they continue to give what little they have left. In return, we have been going the extra mile to boost their morale – any little or big gesture we can do to show our appreciation. We also understand how lonely a deployment can be for some. So, we continue to make the effort to connect and ask our Reservists how they are doing, trying to focus the spotlight on something besides work.

Despite their difficult and isolating conditions, our Reservists have stayed strong. Remaining for all of us here at Krucial Rapid Response, a source of light and inspiration.

“I don’t know too many people, other than these Reservists, that have that type of thought process and drive to [want to] serve people in that fashion,” Stacy, Krucial HR Shift Manager, said.

Interested in contributing to the Krucial Kollective? Send us an e-mail at marketing@krucialrr.org and let us know what you would like to write!