A Patient Relations Representative tells stories of helping patients and families with their emotional needs during the pandemic.

I want to share this story because it's important to let others know that our fears and worries right now are all the same and acceptable. This is a very real situation with a lot of unknowns, and every single emotion we feel is allowed.

I am a Patient Relations Representative. If someone would've told me that I would be working in a hospital during a pandemic, I would've argued with that individual and called them crazy. 

My job requires me to visit patients face to face and assess service. I also help set up all the tele-visitations for patients to see their loved ones. Our hospital wants to reduce the number of people up on the floors to reduce or avoid possible exposure, but my department is one of the few that still needs to meet with patients. 

It has been an insane roller coaster of emotions, stress and fears. When this all started, our ICU was full and all patients were completely alone with no family around. The nurses have been working to the maximum of their capacity, and are all quite busy. So patients try to keep me with them in the room as long as they can. 

They want the company and reassurance that they are safe. A lot of them mention that they've lost friends or loved ones to COVID. A lot of them cry and tell me they are scared. It’s been a heartbreaking situation all around, for everyone.

The things that make me afraid are contracting the virus and bringing it home, and/or ending up in the hospital. I am also worried about my mental and physical health because every day I feel my moods are all over the place. I am constantly exhausted and I feel it's hard to relax or sleep at times.

I've really tried to find the silver lining in the midst of this and have a lot of faith in God. A patient once thanked me just for taking the time to listen to them and for saying a prayer with them when they asked. I didn't feel that I did much, but it touched my heart that in the midst of their worry they were able to feel some comfort.

A few of my coworkers have gotten sick, and it’s been hard to know that they were struggling to get better. 

On one occasion, having to do a Facetime for an ICU patient and overhearing how devastated their family was broke my heart to pieces. I cried for the rest of the day.

My parents have been the most influential people in my life during this time. Both of my parents are faith-filled believers. My mom is the person I think about every day. 

She's such a strong woman. She always tells me that she prays for me each day and to not be afraid, that everything will be okay. Her encouragement to be strong and my own faith allows me to be strong for others.

I wish the world would understand how real this is, and that not everyone has been fortunate to survive this. Young or old, we are not immune to this virus. If we are not cautious and safe, it could be us. 

If people don't care to be safe for themselves, I hope they care to do it for someone else.

• Cynthia Leyva,  Patient Relations Representative, Los Angeles