Scarborough nurse creates support group for other nurses during ‘incredibly difficult’ third wave

A Scarborough nurse is putting together a support group for nurses to help one another deal with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Eram Chhogala, a nurse at the Scarborough Health Network, says it’s been “incredibly difficult” for her and her colleagues working on the frontlines. 

She says hospital volumes are high with COVID-19 variants and that watching people struggle to breathe is “the hardest thing.” 

“A lot of people have this moral residue where they think that they could’ve, would’ve should’ve – even though they had done their very best,” said Chhogala.

This is leaving health care professionals with a sense of helplessness and multiple causes of stress – from empathy for patients’ family members who can’t see hospitalized loved ones, to feeling like their messages about health practices aren’t getting through to anti-vaxxers.  

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Throughout the pandemic, Chhogala has seen and continues to see high rates of burnout and turnover among nurses, with some even thinking of leaving the profession. 

She worries that health care professionals may experience stress disorders after the pandemic and that those with pre-existing mental health conditions like depression and anxiety will have it even worse.   

“A lot of people, they don’t verbalize things and they may feel a deep sadness inside,” said Chhogala.  

With personal coping strategies likely no longer enough, Chhogala wants to let nurses know that they’re not alone and create a space that’s safe for them to vent to colleagues.  

For nurses who don’t want to talk, Chhogala hopes they’ll listen and experience a feeling of, “Oh wow, I felt that way too, but I just can’t express that, so I guess it wasn’t just me that was feeling that way.” 

Her support group, Covid Fighters Stand United, will be open to all nurses and Chhogala is hoping it can bring together nurses from all over the world.  

She plans on virtual meetings for now during the pandemic.  

Nurses interested in joining the group can contact her at eramchhogala@gmail.com.