Nurse Gabrielle Spencer is our Frontline Worker of the week

May 31, 2020 News

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By Kiana Wilburg

No matter how difficult her days may get the fire that fuels Gabrielle Marisa Spencer, a young medical professional, never dims or flickers. For this 27-year-old, being a Registered Nurse is a distinguished honour. Even in these unprecedented times, her unwavering belief that the collective efforts of her country’s exemplary cadre of medical officers will succeed in fighting COVID-19, is what inspires her daily to play her role in keeping her Guyanese brothers and sisters safe.

For the past four years, Spencer has been working as a Registered Nurse at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital where COVID-19 testing can be done. Since commencing the journey into the medical profession, the West Coast Demerara resident said that it has been one of numerous trials but it only served to make her a stronger and more focused young woman. Today, Mercy Hospital has become a home away from home, she said, noting that everything that has happened along the way only proves that she was destined for this career path.
But who would have thought; nursing was never really Spencer’s first career choice. During an interview the former student of St. Joseph’s High School revealed that her dream was to become a Veterinarian. It was her mom, the delightful Rosanna Spencer, who actually encouraged her to give it a try when plans for her dream job did not turn out as planned.
Expounding further Spencer said, “I did not always want to be a nurse. When I finished High School, I wanted to be a Veterinarian but the only place that was offering the training was the Guyana School of Agriculture. I was told that you have to stay at their dormitory, and I was not comfortable with that arrangement and related same to my mom. I was not comfortable with the fact that I had to be away for a long period of time from my family and that is when my mom put the idea to me to try nursing.”
Fresh out of High School and eager to make a difference, Spencer wasted no time in finding all the information she needed about nursing programmes in Guyana. In this vein, she contacted a relative working at the Mercy Hospital on how to apply for their programme. At the time (2010), Spencer was awaiting her CXC results but still handed in her application. Much to her satisfaction, she was successful. During that time, however, Spencer, unfortunately got into an accident and injured her ankle. She was scheduled for two surgeries and was concerned about the impact this would have on her new journey.

But fear of the unknown or the pain of her injury was not enough to stand in her way. When she was called for her first interview, Gabrielle turned up in her crutches, excited and ready, wrote her entrance exam, and was subsequently given the good news of her advancement to a second interview. By that time, however, she was scheduled for one of her surgeries. Her interview was therefore pushed back to the following year. When she recovered, the Mercy Hospital quickly accepted her as one of its 20 nursing students.
JOINING THE PROGRAMME
After recovering from her surgeries, it was time for Spencer to embark on a three- year nursing programme. It was no bed of roses for her. The Guyanese belle intimated that during her freshman year, her mother fell ill and was hospitalized at her place of study.
In fact, Spencer shared that one of the toughest moments for her was being a Student Nurse in an ambulance for the first time, but with her mother as the patient. Even when her mom was hospitalized, a heartbroken Spencer was not allowed to work on the same floor where her mom was but her thoughtful batch mates at the time did the best they could to comfort her and provide updates when it was possible.

These dreadful days of worrying about her mom being hospitalized were over by the time Spencer was ready to hit the second year of her programme. Spencer said that thanks to the power and mercy of the Creator as well as the care provided by doctors, her mother began the road to recovery and was soon able to return home. It was truly a period of great for relief for her.
During her junior year, Spencer told this newspaper that she was assigned to mostly clinical rotations and attachments. She shared that Student Nurses were assigned to different facilities such as daycare centres, the Palms, etc. She explained that this was done to give them a feel of how to deal with different patients, from children to older folk.
THE FINISH LINE
In her final year, Spencer shared that she and her colleagues were stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where they observed the treatment of serious cases. After this period, she intimated that her final exam was completed in 2015 and the following year, it was time to officially cross the finish line with her graduation. At that point, Spencer said that she was overjoyed and proud to have her mom at her side. “It was such a moment of relief and I was happy because everyone doesn’t make it to the finish line. We started with 20 and only 11 graduated and I was proud to have made it. I have no regret. I am completely happy, fulfilled with this career choice. At this point of my life, making others feel better, for me my life is filled with purpose,” Spencer stated.
The Registered Nurse told Kaieteur News that the course was one which undoubtedly widened her view on life while reinforcing the

importance of being the embodiment of professionalism, care and compassion.
THE DREADED COVID-19
Working at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital since her graduation in 2016 has been a most gratifying experience thus far for Spencer. But the COVID-19 pandemic has surly brought its fair share of difficulties for Spencer especially as it relates to her parents.
“I am terrified about it (COVID-19). Just thinking of my parents going out there is stressful for me because there are over 100 confirmed cases and there are people who are walking around thinking this is just a political gimmick and are not protecting themselves. So when I think of the people who are being reckless it just bothers me,” the concerned Nurse shared.
She also shared her experience of having to self-quarantine when the virus first hit Guyana and the impact that had on her. In this regard, Spencer noted that she had been in Washington for some time and returned to Guyana on March 13, last. The following day, she was contacted by officials who said that she had to self-isolate for two weeks. The nurse said, “I called my job and informed them that I had to stay home. For those two weeks, it was full paranoia. I had two panic attacks because of all the information that was on the internet about how rapidly the virus was spreading.”
Nurse Spencer added, “I worried about if I coughed or sneezed, what does it mean…Luckily, I was in the comfort of my home for that. I don’t think anyone wants to experience what it would feel like in a hospital facility where you have no contact with your loved ones.”
Taking this into consideration, Spencer said she is urging her Guyanese brothers and sisters to not take the pandemic lightly and to wear masks, wash their hands properly and practice social distancing.

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