NUMEROUS appeals have been issued for people to donate baby monitors to hospitals as a way for nurses to communicate with Covid-19 patients.
Healthcare workers are looking for old, but working, monitors they can use to communicate with patients without completing interacting with them.
The use of the monitors means doctors and nurses do not have to don vital scrubs every time they need to speak with a patient.
Nurse Emma Curran, who has worked on one of the Covid-19 wards at the Ulster Hospital in Belfast for the past three weeks, posted an "urgent appeal" for baby monitors.
"I have cared for patients who have recovered as well as caring for those who lost their fight to this terrible virus," she said.
"Our team is dedicated to providing the best care possible, however, to do so we must protect ourselves so that we can stay healthy and continue to work.
"We need to limit our exposure to our patients. We are privileged in the Ulster Hospital to have a brand-new inpatient ward block containing all single rooms, however this creates challenges for our staff.
"The glass is double glazed and extremely thick, accompanied by heavy fire doors.
"Thus we are unable to communicate effectively with our patients without entering the room.
"So I ask you, the public for help. I have purchased a two-way baby monitor and have already tested it on the ward with great success.
"Please, if anyone has any two-way baby monitors at home or willing to even purchase one please get in contact with me.
"We need them. Our patients are isolated with no visitors and are understandably anxious and frightened.
"Being able to communicate with them and provide guidance without continually entering the room will not only provide needed comfort for patients but will also protect us and reduce our use of our precious PPE."
In another appeal, a healthcare worker asked for donations to Craigavon Area Hospital in a bid to "as a way for nurses to communicate with Covid patients from outside the room".
"If any one has any monitors that are in perfect working order, please put in a bag with all leads/ plugs and label Ward 2 North," she wrote.
"If possible, get a nurse or someone working in Craigavon Hospital to leave them at reception so they can be sterilised before going to ward for use.
"Unfortunately you will not get these back but please be reassured you have helped in combating this awful virus."
