Nurses prepare to come out of retirement to aid hospitals as COVID-19 cases surge
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ST. LOUIS (KMOV) — As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge in the St. Louis region, there is mounting concern that hospitals could be stretched to the limit with equipment and staff.
Many retired nurses, like Cynthia Buatte, are eager to help however they can.
Buatte worked in the ICU, NICU and maternity wards at St. Mary’s for 30 years and retired just two years ago. Now she’s feeling the call to come back to the front lines.
“I guess it was just a calling from God for me. I’ve always been a caregiver,” she said. “It’s a pull to want to help, because there are people out there who need help and they’re not getting help.”
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge in the St. Louis region, there is mounting concern that hospitals could be stretched to the limit with equipment and staff.
Many retired nurses, like Cynthia Buatte, are eager to help however they can.
Buatte worked in the ICU, NICU and maternity wards at St. Mary’s for 30 years and retired just two years ago. Now she’s feeling the call to come back to the front lines.
“I guess it was just a calling from God for me. I’ve always been a caregiver,” she said. “It’s a pull to want to help, because there are people out there who need help and they’re not getting help.”
“We can’t wait until we’re in a crisis mode, we need to prepare now,” Langan said. “Honestly, I think we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop in our area. I think we’re waiting for a surge of patients and I think we’re going to need these nurses again.”
As Buatte waits for her call, eager to help, she’s relying on the skills she’s honed for 30 years.
“You have to be prepared as it gets. It’s a matter of life and death,” she said.
Right now, there is a push to try to get the nursing refresher course held virtually. With a shortage of nurses, News 4 reached out to SLU and Washington University to see if their soon-to-be nursing graduates could join the workforce right away. So far, they tell us there are no plans to do that.
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