Reflections of COVID-19 on Dermatology Practice #MMPMID34191968
Richardson VL; Garcia-Albea VR; Bort NL; Mayne SL; Nolen ME; Bobonich MA
J Dermatol Nurses Assoc 2021[Jan]; 13 (1): 49-53 PMID34191968show ga
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the United States in early 2020, few healthcare workers were prepared for what lay ahead. Dermatology nurses, medical assistants, and nurse practitioners experienced rapid changes in the way they conducted their daily practice. This article discusses many of those changes and explores the challenges these healthcare workers faced and continue to face. Almost every aspect of how dermatologic care was delivered prepandemic was affected. Some dermatology nurses, medical assistants, and nurse practitioners were redeployed to COVID-19 testing tents and inpatient hospital units or were asked to perform tasks to help support other healthcare workers. This article explores how clinical practice, dermatology staff, patient care, and education were affected. These changes forced dermatology healthcare workers to be brave, accept risks, and ultimately grow from these experiences.