Humans, as social beings, need affection as a driving force for the proper functioning of our bodies.
This premise guided two nurses in the city of São Carlos, in the state of São Paulo, when they faced the difficult situation the hospital staff was experiencing with the outbreak of COVID-19. Patients in intensive care, deprived of visits from family and friends, were left alone due to the recent and strict health regulations brought about by the pandemic. Added to this was the inability of the medical team to constantly accompany them, at a time when the healthcare system was overwhelmed. Faced with this scenario and given the scarcity of material resources that characterized those months, they devised a simple but profoundly meaningful way to provide support, lending them a hand, literally.
The method was simple, but very effective. It consisted of filling latex gloves with hot water and placing them on the patients' hands, interlacing the fingers of the glove with their own. This gesture not only helped improve blood circulation, something that would have been impossible with cold hands, as they would have altered oxygen level readings, but also provided emotional support in a context of great stress and isolation.
The technique quickly spread to other hospitals in the area and was dubbed “Hands of Love.” This example highlights how ingenuity and adaptability are essential in the hospital setting, integrating medical effectiveness and empathy in patient care.
Image by: Ella Cinjarevic
