This is an open letter to the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, asking for the appropriate monetary covid payment for Victorian Nurses. If nurses are not rewarded for their tireless work in dangerous and unrelenting work conditions, there will be no nurses left to care for our states most vulnerable. 

Hello Mr. Andrews, 

I write to you completely deflated and empty, not sure where else to go. I've been trying to think of a way to have my voice heard and this is what I've come up with. I'm a Critical Care Registered Nurse from one of Melbourne's busiest emergency departments. As you are aware, we are in a terrifying health crisis, the most terrifying aspect of which is the nursing shortage. This week, as I entered my 6th night shift in a row, I walked into work and burst into tears, I took myself to the toilet, hoping no one would hear me. I have always been resilient, but this pandemic has broken me and most of my colleagues. I'm not here to criticise. I have always been a supporter of yours. But things have reached breaking point for our department as I'm sure they have across all metro Melbourne ED's. 

We are now being asked to "Team Nurse", in short, our staffing situation is so dire that we are being asked to team lead a group of nurses and undergraduate nurses, delegating them tasks all while each patient (9 of them) is our sole responsibility. 
This week, I suffered my first ever migraine, because I have not got readily available access to water while on shift. I have to doff the PPE, leave the department and take water breaks, something I assure you is not easy when sicks patients rely on you. 

ED nurses are a very flexible group of people, we have continually adapted to the ever-changing environment. All while receiving the most abuse from the community we have ever had before. 
You must understand when I tell you this, that to be working in these conditions and then being told that our colleagues the Victorian Police are getting covid disaster pay, Ambulance Victoria paramedics are being paid to get the vaccine AND QLD nurses are being paid covid disaster pay, is utterly heart breaking. 
You know first-hand how essential nurses are to our community. Why can't you pay us accordingly?

Please, I implore you, pay us the covid disaster pay, increase our wages, please do something, otherwise there will be none of us left when all is said and done. 

You might not ever read this, but I truly hope it finds you. 

Kind regards, 
A burnt out nurse speaking for all burnt out nurses.