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It’s probably safe to say that everyone’s life is more stressful because of the pandemic. For Seth Charlton, his daily routine became complicated, and not just because he’s a health care worker.

Charlton is the administrative nurse manager at OhioHealth Pickerington Emergency Care Center and his wife, Deanna, is also a nurse for OhioHealth. Apart from their busy work schedules, the couple also had to homeschool their two sons in the spring. He’s also enrolled in Ashford University to gain a master’s in health care administration.

“It’s a lot of different gears right now,” Charlton says, chuckling. “It’s interesting.”

As an emergency room nurse, Charlton is used to the unexpected and he’s staying grounded – he even found time to give insights on COVID-19.

On the Front Lines

With previous experience in oral health and hygiene, Charlton says he’s always enjoyed working with people. When his father got sick though, it opened his eyes to a new world. In order to understand his dad’s ailments, Charlton learned a lot about medicine, and that solidified his interest in nursing.

“I thought, ‘Yeah, I could do this,’” Charlton says. “I find it edifying.”

For the past 15 years, Charlton has studied and practiced nursing. In that time, he says he’s never seen anything like COVID-19. He notes how the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak was intense but still not comparable.

“I’ve never seen anything to this magnitude,” he says.

During a health crisis, many people would think the emergency room would be overwhelmed, but Charlton says, as of mid-April, the overall patient volume has gone down. Other states such as Michigan and Colorado also report fewer patients.

“We want to take care of people and get it done,” Charlton says about treating COVID-19 patients. “We’re very prepared and we’re very much ready.”

If you thought Seth Charlton wasn’t busy enough, he’s also finding time to enjoy his hobby: drawing caricatures.

His interest in drawing stems from his grandfather, who worked in Pennsylvania coal mines and used his artistic skills to describe his workday in letters since he wasn’t fully literate. Charlton cherished those pictures and realized he also had a talent for drawing.

During nursing school, Charlton decided to supplement his income by being a caricature artist at carnivals and festivals. Today, the side job is no longer necessary, but sometimes he cheers up patients with fun drawings. His young children also love his artistic talent, and the goofy drawings helped keep them entertained during the quarantine.

“It’s, ‘Papa, draw me this,’ and I say, ‘Why don’t you draw it and then we’ll draw it together,’” Charlton says, chuckling. “It’s all the time.”

Charlton understands why people are hesitant to go to the ER right now but reassures it’s still open for medical emergencies. He says people who have symptoms can also work with their primary care doctor to get tested.

Pickerington community members are stepping up to show their appreciation to health care workers. Charlton says local restaurants have donated food, residents have provided unopened personal protective equipment and local students have delivered uplifting letters.

“To have the community reach out to us in various ways of gratitude to just say thanks is very encouraging,” he says. “We’ve really never experienced this before.”

For years, there’s been an ongoing discussion of nurses being underpaid and underappreciated. Charlton notes that whenever there’s a health crisis, people seem to think twice about the importance of those on the front lines. He hopes this attitude sticks around even after COVID-19.

“I think it will stick a little bit longer since COVID is staying around longer than we expected,” he says.

As for what’s to come, it’s hard to say since news about the virus changes day to day. Regardless, Charlton says his team is ready for anything. “It’s a lot of unknown right now, which is OK and we’re fine with it. ER folks deal with unknown every single day,” Charlton says. “We’re prepared for whatever change happens.”

Lydia Freudenberg is an editor. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemedigroup.com.