The recent COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us in a national and global scale. As nurses and advance practice nurses we don't only save lives and care for the ill, we also sacrifice our health.

During wars, during environmental disasters, during terrorist attacks and now during a pandemic. We have always given without taking back,  we work in silence without asking for anything in return. It's now time for us to ask for something in return.

We ask that the student loans we have amassed, to achieve the training and knowledge to keep our country safe amidst this pandemic be forgiven in its totality.

The average nurse and advance practice nurse has taken out student loans not only due to the high cost of education, but the financial need it takes to complete these extensive educational programs.

Everyday, during this pandemic, we have woken up with fear in our hearts, but compassion in our eyes. We march to work knowing we will work 13-24 hour shifts without a break or barely anything to eat/drink. We then go home exhausted to a worried partner, a worried child, or worse a worried mirror reflection of our face that we can barely recognize. With a smile we press on even though we want to crumble.

We receive endless check up calls/text messages from our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters or friends only to lie to them. Yes.. I'm ok.

In silence we deal with the mental trauma of watching death in the eyes everyday with a smile, hoping no one sees us cry. We have to stay strong, and guess what, we are strong.