From anxious to excited: Health care workers have mixed feelings about restrictions ending

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - As restrictions ease across the state, healthcare workers have mixed feelings about the changes.

Daniel Ross, president of the Hawaii Nurses Association, said that hospitals are still busy dealing with delayed care because of the pandemic.

He said the busy hospitals are making some healthcare workers nervous as the state relaxes its rules.

“Certainly if another surge came, we would be in big trouble,” Ross said.

He said his members are not overwhelmingly for or against easing the rules, but many are concerned about the outcome.

“In general, we’re really cautious,” he said. “I’m actually more concerned about the travel restrictions being cut back on than anything else.”

Ross said he’s worried there will be less protection around travel, which could bring new variants to Hawaii.

But at Wilcox Medical Center, Emergency Department Dr. Spencer Smith said the relaxed rules are definitely welcomed.

“It’s exciting to see,” Smith said. “I think we’re ready for the change. None of us are nervous about it, we’re ready to see this happen. And we feel prepared.”

At Maui Memorial, ICU physician and chief medical officer Dr. Michael Shea said most workers are looking forward to the easing of restrictions.

But understandably, those who have treated COVID patients directly still have some hesitation.

“Remember that a lot of the health care workers have spent the last two years really slogging through very difficult times,” Shea said. “And we don’t want to do this prematurely. We want to make sure that this is safe. I think of all the time so far, this is the safest time we’ve had. But COVID is not gone yet.”

Workers said that regardless of the rules that are in place, they hope people continue to take the basic precautions to protect themselves.

Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.