Voices from the Front Lines: How the first pregnant woman with Covid-19 at KKH hit us like a lightning bolt

As the fight against Covid-19 will be a long-drawn one, TODAY’s Voices section hopes to shine a light on the triumphs and struggles of Singapore’s front-line workers by publishing their first-hand accounts.

In this instalment of Voices from the Front Lines, midwife Julie Tay of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital writes about how she and her team in the delivery suite cared for the hospital’s first pregnant patient with Covid-19. 

When an outbreak of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was identified in China late last year, it brought a feeling of deja vu. 

I had been a part of the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s (KKH) dedicated isolation team for pregnant women and the hospital’s severe acute respiratory syndrome disease outbreak task force in 2003. This, and other experiences of dealing with infectious diseases, contributed greatly to the preparedness of the nursing team in rolling out Covid-19 response measures in KKH’s delivery suite.

Our hospital took early steps to communicate new workflows, infection precautions as well as the appropriate use of personal protective equipment to protect our healthcare and front-line workers.

It was all hands on deck as we created a dedicated unit and team in the delivery suite to look after pregnant women who were suspected to have Covid-19. 

The good outcomes that we have had can be attributed to the raft of measures that were rolled out. These included clear assessment and screening criteria, a designated isolation team comprising doctors, nurses and an infectious disease physician, separate isolation wards for suspected and confirmed patients, and standardised protocols for the care of infected pregnant women.

It was initially nerve-racking to work in this environment, knowing full well that it might house infected patients. There was a constant feeling of being under siege as we tried to keep the “enemy” out every minute of every hour of every day, knowing that any slight slip-up could allow the virus in. 

I took comfort in the knowledge that our team works well together and stays on top of everything despite the challenges.

In January, we met to discuss the possibility of what was coming, even though not a single case had arisen anywhere near Singapore. 

But on March 21, the delivery suite received its first case of a pregnant woman with Covid-19. It hit us like a lightning bolt.

I will never forget that day, but I saw no fear in the care team. I witnessed only compassion and determination as we cared for her. 

Team members made it a point to consider the patient’s feelings and fears, and tried where we could to make things a little easier. Despite the hot and sweaty layers of personal protective equipment, we constantly took the time to check on and reassure her. The team also devoted much time to answering her questions, soothing her worries, and discussing her wishes and expectations. 

Even though her family could not be with her, we answered their questions and provided counsel by phone. 

The patient, who later made a recovery and was discharged, said that she never felt lonely throughout her stay.

She sent us a beautifully written email, detailing the acts of care that she received from every doctor and nurse she met. 

I remember feeling a lump in my throat and tears stinging my eyes as I read her message over and over.

To me, there is no greater calling than tending to the sick and suffering. 

ABOUT THE WRITER: 

Ms Julie Tay, 46, is a midwife and an assistant director in the division of nursing at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She works in the delivery suite, playing a key role in rolling out Covid-19 response measures for the management of pregnant women.

If you are on the front lines of the Covid-19 outbreak or know someone who wishes to contribute to this series, write to voices [at] mediacorp.com.sg with your full name, address and phone number.