sam rocker He chose an unusual outfit to run this year’s Boston Marathon: his robe. The registered nurse at an ear, nose, and throat clinic hopes to break the Guinness World Record for “fastest marathon run in a nurse’s uniform” (yes, that’s a thing), all so she can raise money for The American Nurses Foundation and bring awareness to the present mental health crisis among health workers.
Over the past two years, Roecker has witnessed and experienced firsthand how the The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of health workers. One story that moved her to action was that of her close friend of hers, who was a medical assistant. Before the pandemic, her friend worked at a pediatric hospital, but in early 2020, her floor was converted to an adult COVID unit to accommodate the overflow. “This change was completely weird and scary. She’s so brave,” says Roecker. “She risked her life for months to take care of her patients. She now suffers immensely from PTSD, anxiety and depression.”
Her friend has access to good medical care, Roecker says, but can’t find the help she deserves. “She’s exhausted her options. Psychiatrists don’t have openings because they’re overwhelmed with patients. Insurance copays are outrageous or treatments aren’t fully covered. We’re frustrated and defeated,” shares Roecker.
Although Roecker is fortunate to work as an outpatient and is not on the “front lines” in COVID ICUs, he says the pandemic has still taken a toll on his mental health. There have been shortages of staff and resources, leading to late appointments and frustrated, scared patients unable to see their doctors or having to receive bad news without family members present, all of which affect her. “There have been a lot of challenges that we’ve had to overcome,” says Roecker.
Knowing that her and her friend’s stories weren’t unique, Roecker decided to do something to help keep the nurses mentally healthy. She’s been a competitive runner since seventh grade and a marathon runner since she graduated from college (this year will be her third time running in Boston), and she first heard about this particular Guinness World Record in an runner world article from a few years ago. So when she created her fundraiser, she decided to combine her love of running and nursing and try to break the record. Roecker has a shot: His personal best time in a marathon is 2 hours, 29 minutes, 59 seconds, and the current Guinness World Record is 3 hours, 8 minutes and 22 seconds. But, he admits, he currently works full time and is in nursing school, which has taken his training away. (She says that she has done at least a few races in her Moxie Scrubs.)
Even if Roecker doesn’t achieve her goal, though, she says she’s “very proud of the audiences she’s reached and how much money and awareness she’s raised” — more than $28,000 so far. She hopes this money will help support the American Nurse’s Foundation wellness initiative, which includes free therapy resources, expressive writing programs, financial consulting, podcasts and mobile apps dedicated to mental health and wellness, as well as dedicated content. a pain and duel.
“I am very grateful for all the support I have received,” says Roecker. “I’ve had so many kind messages from nurses and runners across the country and the world, and it’s emotional and incredible.” She’s excited that this has already created so much awareness, but breaking the record “would be the icing on the cake.”
Image Source: Emily Maye
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