New year, fresh start, same pandemic.
The new normal is here to stay regardless if we overcome the coronavirus situation or not. All the rules and regulations, tips and reminders for our health and safety are not enough to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 if the Filipino public is not following.
We should commence action in order to make a change. We can follow the COVID-19 prevention guidelines enforced by government authorities, avail services from businesses that give protection from hazardous health threats, undergo COVID testing which can eventually #FlattenTheCurve, and provide moral support to those working in the front line.
His calling
Mark Kobe Sison Cabalza was a healthcare executive at a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company before becoming a nurse at the International Sanitization and Protection Suppliers (ISPS). According to him, his job at the BPO industry had to temporarily stop due to strict quarantine restrictions following the onset of the global pandemic.
The Department of Health had an emergency hiring for healthcare workers and after giving it some careful thought, he decided it was time to go back to the hospital setting to help his fellow Filipinos fight this “new” type of virus.
“At first, it was really a terrifying idea to face the situation [on the] novel coronavirus, especially knowing the morbidity and mortality rate of the disease,” he said. However, being a nurse is “a responsibility” for Mark.
“I believe that being a nurse is more than just a profession; it's a calling.”
Working in the hospital frontline is like going to war unprepared because you’re in charge of the situation without really knowing the specifics of what you’re fighting against. There are a lot of difficulties that come with it: from the discomfort of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and stressful long hours of duty that leads to exhaustion to not being able to eat or drink water on time and being highly susceptible to contracting the virus. In addition to those, public discrimination made Nurse Mark prefer wearing civilians instead of white uniforms to avoid the community stigma on frontliners especially those on the medical field.
But despite the multiple hardships, he counts on prayers and good health to handle the pressures of his job.
“I always utter a prayer before my duty starts asking [Him] for protection and guidance. I always make sure that I am wearing my PPE properly. I also take my vitamins daily, eat a lot but in a healthier way, and [get] enough sleep.”
Other than putting his game face on---a friendly smile---to channel that fighting spirit daily, Mark also gets motivation from his family and colleagues. His complete faith to the Lord and passionate love for his profession keeps him inspired to go to work everyday as well.
Be positive
The coronavirus, now with its new variant, is more dangerous as it continues to threaten our health, but for Nurse Mark, helping patients recover by implementing proper safety protocols and procedures when treating them can be a huge fulfillment.
“The most satisfying thing about being a nurse is when your patient smiles at you and says, ‘thanks for doing this for our country,’” Mark recalls.
Maintaining a positive outlook amidst the harsh reality is very important to give assurance and positivity to COVID-19 patients. Nurse Mark also advises this to those who are having a hard time right now.
“Let us feed our soul with positive thoughts and emotions [to] help strengthen our immune system and increase our chance to overcome the virus. Keep your faith to the Lord. Just believe and always be grateful.”
It’s already 2021 and everyone is anticipating the new year to come with more positivity and we are, in Nurse Mark’s words, “in high hopes [that] everything will return back to normal.”
No one was ready when COVID struck the world. Now that we are living in constant fear and uncertainty, no one is more eager than our medical frontliners to beat this virus. Their willingness to serve the community deserve equal recognition for all their hard efforts.
ISPS wants to celebrate the bravery and dedication of our frontline team through this Behind the Mask series. We want to help them fight the stigma and discrimination by boosting their confidence in what they do for we support the same cause altogether.
In the Philippines, we are the top choice of various companies that are part of different industries and multiple well-known clients that consist of influential people and famous personalities when it comes to COVID-19 testing services. Other than that, we are also the go-to service provider for disinfection operations and custom-built solutions.
Contact us today or visit our Facebook for more information:
Phone: 0917 305 8961
Email: info@internationalsps.com