Before his death, he warned of pandemic's toll on nurses

Critical care nurses say it isn't just the magnitude of death that has worn them down the past two years, but what those deaths became. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

Sponsored by     'I fear the long-term effects': Before his death, a nurse warned of the pandemic's toll on health care workers By Andrew Joseph Michael Odell while traveling in Iceland in 2019. (Photo illustration from handout) In early 2020, travel nurse Michael Odell sensed that Covid-19 would hit hard. “I feel for them as deep as human empathy can allow,” Odell wrote about his struggling Covid patients in April, “but I fear the long-term effects this may have on every clinical worker navigating this pandemic and in these situations.” That month, Odell attempted to kill himself. And in January of this year, amid another Covid-19 wave, Odell walked out of his shift early one morning. He died in an apparent suicide. He was 27.  The country is approaching 1 million documented Covid deaths, a once unimaginable milestone that invites us to take stock of the manifold harms inflicted by the pandemic. This includes the mental health battering that nurses, in particular, have endured. Read More Sponsor content by THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER How the James P. Allison Institute will shape the future of immunotherapy MD Anderson recognizes that achieving the remarkable requires groundbreaking and bold science. To realize this goal, MD Anderson launched the James P. Allison Institute, a visionary research and innovation hub focused on rapidly advancing immunotherapy discoveries into novel and synergetic treatments that enable cures. The Allison Institute is among the most ambitious efforts undertaken by MD Anderson — a testament to the institution’s commitment to contribute to lasting impacts in science and medicine. Learn more about the Allison Institute and its drive to deliver breakthroughs. More great reads from STAT this week NIH’s identity crisis: The pandemic and the search for a new leader leave the agency at a crossroads By Lev Facher The internet’s funniest doctor is in on the joke By Damian Garde The Covid-19 vaccine market is getting crowded — as demand begins to wane By Helen Branswell Humility over hype: An AI leader at Google lays out a vision to transform medical care By Casey Ross An ALS therapy sets up a crucial test of the FDA’s independence By Nicholas Florko With new ‘brain-reading’ research, a once-tarnished scientist seeks redemption By Meghana Keshavan Opinion: How we got herd immunity wrong By David Robertson Listen: Medicine lost the trust of many Black Americans. How can it be restored? By Nicholas St. Fleur When AI takes a human touch: How a team effort to improve patient care in hospitals paid off By Casey Ross Saturday, March 26, 2022       1 Exchange Pl, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109 ©2022, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Email Preferences | Contact Us | View In Browser