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HEALTH
Do You Really Want To Disobey Voice Over's
'Nurse Ratched'*? 10 Ways To Stay Virus-Free
March 31, 2020

By Rosie Goodman
Voice Actor & Former ICU Nurse

With all the information out there on this now famous coronavirus, I thought it would be a good time to share some medical knowledge in a simple way.

I have spent more time on this earth as a Registered Nurse than a voice talent, but medical narration has allowed me to combine both professions.      

During my many years as a Critical Care and Operating Room nurse, I found that if my patients could understand the seriousness of what they were dealing with in simple everyday terms, then they would understand why we did the things we had to do.

Today, because there are so many different reports and rumors out there, I want to pass along a few tips about things that you may already be doing, and also some rationale behind it all. Because this virus travels "rapidly, attaches, and attacks!"  

NURSE RATCHED* INSISTS ...
  1. If we are all out and about in crowded areas, we only increase chances of the virus being out and about as well.
  2. If you are around a person who coughs, think of the transmission as an aerosol can spraying numerous droplets. The person coughing may be carrying the virus, but be in the incubation period and not know he or she is carrying the virus.
  3. If Mr. Virus lands on you because you are not at the suggested distance of 6 feet, you get some on your hands, which soon go to your face. This virus likes to seek out the nasal passages and therefore can travel to the respiratory system
  4. Currently, medicine can only treat the symptoms of the ventilator patients. (The type of patient that I always cared for.) The virus is still there!        
  5. Remember that "Cocky Corona" is a "virus" - not a bacteria, which can be treated with antibiotics. He also likes to adhere to plastic, cardboard, copper, metal and stainless steel.
  6. You do have to get a certain level of virus to become infected, but the fewer particles on a surface the better. So "Let's all WIPE"!
  7. As VO people, we love our keyboards and equipment. Wipe it off with anti-microbial wipes. Or dampen a paper towel with vinegar water. Also do this for your doorknobs, faucet handles, steering wheels and other hard surfaces.
  8. Don't squeeze the Charmin or the tomatoes. Eye it and grab it. It has already gone through many hands. Then sanitize or wash all produce ASAP. Fruit as well. Anything that has gone thru many hands.
  9. Do not horde the disposable gloves. If you are lucky to have found some, sanitize them before removing, and reuse them. Slip your other hand inside the glove to remove. Do not turn it inside out this time or wipe the fingers after removing them
  10. Most important, I think, is to NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE! Think about it. We do it all the time.
KEEP IT CLEAN!

Sterile technique is part of my DNA, as I have practiced it for so many years. In your home you need not be sterile, of course, but CLEAN.

Think of it as this scenario: If you robbed a bank, say, you don't want to leave a trace of your DNA, so sanitize it clean with a wipe! 

Here's a quick recipe for sanitizer, if your store is out of it:
  • 50-55 oz. of alcohol (drug store type, haha)
  • 9 oz. of aloe vera and 4-6 drops of essential oil          
The more understanding we have, the better. Eighteen years alone in ICU, and I'm still learning.

So if there is anything at all that you have a question about, I would be happy to answer it. If I don't know the answer, Nurse Ratched will find it!

I have attempted to add a bit of humor here and there because this is a good time to have some. Negative thinking affects your immune system as well, and we all need a good immune system.              

Probably most important, Nurse Ratched warns: KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE!
* Nurse Ratched (also known as "Big Nurse") is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Ken Kesey's 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as well as the 1975 film of the same name. A cold, heartless, and passive-aggressive tyrant, Nurse Ratched became the stereotype of the nurse as a battleaxe. - Wikipedia
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ABOUT ROSIE
"A love for 'the theater' has always been with me, however I knew that it would never pay the bills. So I chose Nursing as a profession. Fortunately,, it turned out that I have loved the study of medicine - but acting never left my genes. After several years in the nursing profession I found I was able to do both on a part-time basis - including commercial voice overs. But 18 years strictly in the ICU is not the norm! So I decided to retire and take a "mental break," you might say, which included combining my medical knowledge with bilingual (English and Spanish) narration. I love helping people, and thank VoiceOverXtra for the opportunity to pass along a few tips during these most difficult times of venturing into the unknown. Tips that you probably heard before, but from a different perspective. May they help you to stay healthy!" 

                
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Comments (2)
j. valentino
3/31/2020 at 10:41 PM
Nice article. No 10, though: Most important, I think, is to NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE!
That's like saying "don't think of a blue elephant." or "don't yawn." lol
Paul
3/31/2020 at 8:57 AM
Another product to pick up from the pharmacy is Hibiclens. It comes in 4oz bottles. Surgeons advise their patients to shower with it the day before surgery. As a home brewer, I always have Star San in the house. To sanitize my brewing equipment. 1oz treats 5 gallons of water. You can purchase it at any home brew store.
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