By Alesha Capone
Truganina resident Michelle Edwards is urging the community to show support and understanding for healthcare workers, as COVID-19 puts increasing pressure on all those employed in the field.
Mrs Edwards, a patient services assistant at a large Melbourne hospital, said that there are many “forgotten healthcare workers” in Victoria who are doing it tough.
Mrs Edwards said that due to COVID, most hospitals were understaffed at the moment, despite increasing workloads.
“For healthcare workers, there are no replacements,” she said.
“So many people are burnt out.
“So many healthcare workers are working so many days and long shifts.”
Mrs Edwards said hospital workers had to remain professional and calm “even if you have just been abused in the emergency department or seen someone die”.
“People need to understand the pressure everyone is under,” she said.
Mrs Edwards, who is on stress leave, said many in her position felt they were letting their colleagues down if they did take time off work.
While she is on leave, Mrs Edwards said she wanted to show appreciation for other workers in healthcare.
She is a member of the Adopt a Healthcare Worker Victoria (AHWV) Facebook group, which has more than 23,500 members.
The group was established in 2020 to help the state’s healthcare workers, with anything they need – such as food, childcare and cleaning.
Members of the group can volunteer to help healthcare employees, while workers can also ask for assistance.
Mrs Edwards and her five children – Lilly, Klayton, Ella, Alex and Jacob, who are aged between three and 14 years old – have been putting together 250 pamper packs for healthcare workers, containing items such as soap, candles and slippers.
Two other AHVW members are helping Mrs Edwards to drop the packs off to midwives, mental health nurses, community workers, social workers, paramedics and other healthcare employees across Wyndham, Bacchus Marsh and St Albans.
Mrs Edwards said the Point Cook Buy Nothing Facebook group “came to the rescue” and donated items for the pamper packs when she ran out.
“I know people are over the pandemic, but we just need people to be kind to healthcare workers and to each other too,” she said.
Details: www.facebook.com/groups/adoptaHCWVictoria
