Although our lives are slowly changing back to some level of normalcy, for nurses travelling interstate specific isolation and self-quarantine requirements are still in place. As part of the Affinity experience we ensure all nurses isolating are checked on during the 14-day period (thank you to our new COVID coordinator Thomas)! During these check-ups we asked a few of our Affinity nurses about how they are spending their time in isolation for a glimpse of what to expect if you are required to quarantine for your next Affinity contract.
RN – Renae (Western Australia)
“When I found out I had to go into self-isolation for two weeks prior to commencing my first ever placement with Affinity, my initial thought was “Oh dear!”. Much to my surprise the two weeks have been a lovely way to reflect on my current situation and work through the anticipation of commencing a new job in remote WA. I have been forced to explore ways to keep mentally sane and healthy, as my usual outlet of socialising and having human face to face contact has been eradicated. I found practicing daily meditation (1 Giant Mind App), learning new yoga flows (Down Dog App) and journaling to be extremely helpful.
Usually I also have the luxury of going for a run or attending fitness classes, so I explored different avenues including workouts from the HIIT App and at home workouts mainly sourced from Instagram profiles. A skipping rope and a fitness band have also come in handy. I brought with me some beautiful face masks, hair treatments and nice body lotion to ensure I felt revitalised and nourished whilst living in isolation.
Having a reliable internet connection has enabled me to stay in contact with family and friends. Scheduling virtual catch ups is a must as this is essential in ensuring you feel connected to the outside world on a social level. Another great way to not only pass the time but also get your CPD hours up is registering for an online course. I, like many other Nurses, are currently working through the free online Medcast HDU/Critical Care Course.
I’d recommend reading some books, listening to Podcasts, watching Netflix and utilising Spotify to find new music to fill in a few hours of the day. I’ve also planned my first day out of isolation, including a nice long walk to explore the new town in which I reside and a little online shopping to reward myself. You’d be surprised how quickly the two weeks will pass, I think the key is to remain positive, it’s only temporary and remember it’s actually okay to do nothing. Enjoy the break from normal life!”
RN – Haisel (Tasmania)
How are a lot of Affinity Nurses spending time in isolation? Baking!
Like many others around Australia, Haisel has found herself joining the Iso-baking trend. These look delicious Haisel. Don’t mind if we do!
RN – Justine (Tasmania)
“I have tried to keep occupied – I picked up a free HDU course on medcast about a fortnight ago – they are doing free webinars and courses at the moment. Also I’ve been listening to podcasts (to be honest it’s usually just ‘Conversations‘). Down Dog App is free to use/ download up until…I think July if people are into that. For me personally as well- as a nurse I feel pretty grateful knowing I still have some freedom of movement around the country with work despite the isolation rules, so I tend to call my friends that are literally stuck where they are; and catchup and just have a good chat to see how they are going.”
RN – Stuart (Western Australia)
How else are Affinity Nurses spending their time in isolation? See these amazing pictures for what RN Stuart has got up to. What a great way to spend isolation!
RN – Dianne (Northern Territory)
“Isolation 101
My key survival tactic was structure. It’s funny thinking that sometimes in our world all we ever want is a break from routine and structure but for me it was what I found worked well. Especially to kick start each day.
I had a weekly planner that I filled in and added to so that I could check things off as I’d done them and see the countdown to the first day of freedom.
I found 30 days of Yoga with Adriene on YouTube – I loved it. They’re not lengthy sessions and you can easily do an extra one if you’re feeling like it. I also have an app that is a daily exercise routine, so I’d do this first and follow it with the yoga.
Meal planning wavered between excitement and a chore knowing that I needed to plan so I could order the appropriate groceries. It is a good time to look up some new recipes and try a few things out. I underestimated how many “treats” I ordered but that was probably a good thing.
Netflix filled in some time, but I found I either binge watched or didn’t watch at all. The Stranger was a good choice for binge watching.
I had a stash of books with me but surprisingly only finished one. I think i spent most of my ‘reading’ time practicing my Spanish on Duolingo.
Video calls with family and friends helped a lot but I limited my time online or watching the news unless it was the stories of good things coming out of this crazy COVID environment.
I was lucky to have both hot weather and a hammock to relax in so after getting through the essentials like exercise, washing and meals I allowed myself to just relax and imagine I was on a tropical holiday (a quick dip in the shower followed by time on the veranda or hammock felt almost as good as a swim).
Look after yourself and make the most of the time to wind down, recharge and relax before you hit the floor as a nurse again.”
RN – Steph (Tasmania)
“I have taken up learning and playing online chess via a chess app. I sometimes find myself up until the early hours of the morning playing against people around the world. Three times a week I make myself do body weight exercises so that I can gleefully scoff homemade chocolate self-saucing pudding.”
We are so proud of how positive the Affinity crew have been and how many nurses have put their hands up to help the hospitals in need. We can very confidently say that the hard-working Affinity team have gone above and beyond to help out in this health crisis!
If you would like to learn more, register now here and one of our consultants will be in contact.
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