‘It’s been kind of rough’: A nurse at the pandemic’s epicenter

NURSE STEPHANIE BANDYK AT SWEDISH HOSPITAL IN SEATTLE. (COURTESY STEPHANIE BANDYK)

Stephanie Bandyk, a registered nurse working in the ICU of Seattle’s Swedish Hospital, has helped treat some of the first U.S. patients infected with Covid-19. STAT asked her what that’s like.

• On being prepared: “When Ebola happened, we went through practice drills. This has been very different. Things are changing almost daily.”
• On Covid-19 testing in Seattle: “It was terrible at first. The turnaround time had previously improved, but now it’s back to taking days.”
• On patients: “Mostly older people, but we’ve even had some 20-year-olds in critical care. People think kids don’t get sick — but some of them do.”
• On advice: “You can talk about your symptoms with a nurse over the phone. Don’t bombard the ER. And don’t panic.”