Humans of UNAC/UHCP: Pam Loera, RN

For Nurses’ Week, we honor the resiliency and dedication of nurses. We are sharing a story from Pamela Loera, BSN, RN, PHN, CWOCN.

Kaiser Permanente Certified Specialty Professionals (KPCSP)

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“I had returned from maternity leave and entered straight into pandemic chaos. We were reusing N95s. We were wiping down gowns. I was experiencing things that I thought I would only see in movies.

“As a wound ostomy care nurse, I was being consulted for patients who had developed, what they called at the time, COVID lesions, eruptions on the surface of the skin. Everything was new and unknown. At the end of the day, we took ‘alcohol showers,’ spraying each other from head to toe with alcohol, which we heard about from an infectious disease doctor.

“I worried constantly of passing something to my family. My kids were six months and two years old at the time. My mom was asthmatic. On top of that, it was heartbreaking to see the families who could only see their loved ones through a glass door. In the ICU, we regularly heard cries down the hallway of a parent saying bye to their child.

“I nearly left nursing around that time. How much was I putting my family at risk and what would be the long-term effects of COVID? All kinds of things were running through my mind, but looking back, I recall the extraordinary unity I felt with other nurses, just trying to be there for each other. During COVID, patients were still dealing with cancer. They still had life-changing illnesses and wounds that needed care. Patients needed us, and that kept me going.

“It was really hard. I don’t ever want to go through it again. Fortunately, I had the support of my family who understood why I couldn’t come home. At the end of the day, the few patients who survived or made progress were worth our sacrifice.

“Now, I’m back at the bargaining table. I hope Kaiser understands that we’re working hard, often pouring from an empty cup. We are the frontline workers. I hope they don’t just hear us; I hope they show us they’re listening. Words are not enough—it’s time for their actions to speak louder.”

— Pamela Loera is a member of the 2025 bargaining team for Kaiser Permanente Certified Specialty Professionals (KPCSP).