From heatwaves to arduous rain, this summer season has introduced excessive climate to the steps of New York Metropolis’s subway system. Whereas commuters battle to remain cool or dry relying on the day, down on the trains and platforms, one other battle is underway.
Every evening, groups of nurses, social staff, and cops stroll the system looking for individuals in want of assist. Typically meaning providing a recent pair of socks, or a protected place to sleep, whereas different instances individuals want severe medical consideration, or a psychiatric analysis. This work is already troublesome, however when confronted with excessive climate like this summer season, the job turns into even more durable. But rain or shine, scorching or chilly, these groups are out each evening to assist their fellow New Yorkers.
I do know this firsthand.
My title is Lisa, and I’m a nurse — that’s how I start my medical assessments as part of certainly one of these groups. Created by Mayor Eric Adams final yr, this system is known as Partnership Help for Transit Homelessness, or PATH. As a part of a PATH workforce, we go into the subway system each evening to make sure that homeless New Yorkers obtain the care and providers they want, specializing in these with indicators of untreated psychological sickness.
As a nurse, my job is to ensure persons are not inflicting any hurt to themselves or others, together with displaying an lack of ability to satisfy their very own fundamental wants like meals, shelter, and clothes. This isn’t glamourous work. After we encounter somebody whose psychological sickness is inflicting hurt to themselves or others, psychiatric nurses like me can request an ambulance to move the particular person to the hospital for a psychiatric analysis, even when they don’t need to go. We depend on our coaching and schooling to evaluate every particular person and make a real-time judgement on whether or not they want additional consideration.
When there’s extreme climate, our work turns into much more vital. Through the five-day heatwave in June, PATH groups encountered 187 homeless individuals within the subway system and transported six individuals to the hospital, two voluntarily and 4 involuntarily. Thirty-nine others accepted providers together with going to a shelter or cooling heart.
Along with evaluating a person’s psychological well being, PATH groups assess individuals for indicators of bodily illnesses — each of which might be intensified by excessive climate. When it’s scorching, we examine for warmth exhaustion or dehydration. And when you will have a psychological sickness, the climate can exacerbate underlying points.
Through the June heatwave, I noticed somebody sweating profusely, to the purpose that I questioned if he poured water on himself. As I approached, I stated, “I see that you’re sweating.” He replied, “yeah, you know, it’s hot out here.” I observed he had a can of iced tea, which fearful me. One cup of tea is okay and will function a hydrator however consuming an excessive amount of might trigger dehydration. As I inspired the person to drink water, trying extra intently, I observed it was a pure tea with no added sugar. I assumed to myself: he is aware of this may hydrate him. I requested what he had been doing and he instructed me he had gone uptown and sat by an open hydrant.
From listening fastidiously and never leaping to conclusions, I might inform he understood it was scorching, tried to chill down, and purchased himself a drink. Had he proven indicators of poor perception and judgment, I might need referred to as for a hospital transport, however as an alternative, we supplied him our providers and parted methods. That is how most of our interplay go, however when somebody is incapable of understanding the hazard they’re creating for themselves or others, our coaching calls on us to get that particular person the psychiatric assist they want.
In all my interactions, I’m cautious to satisfy individuals the place they’re. I finished sporting a fan round my neck when it’s scorching as a result of the individuals I’m reaching lack that luxurious. I don’t put on jewellery as a result of I would like individuals to see me as they see themselves. Lots of the New Yorkers that I encounter have previous dealings with a troublesome system, so I do the whole lot doable to kind a reference to them. Even when they refuse our providers, we let individuals know the place they’ll discover assist, whether or not that be a shelter, a cooling heart, or different useful resource. We handle ourselves as nicely, as a result of if we aren’t taking good care of ourselves, we are able to’t look out for others. We keep hydrated and ensure we’re nicely rested to provide our full consideration to those that want it.
Afterall, at its core, the PATH program is a few humane and essential response to the continuing psychological well being disaster taking part in out every evening. We do our greatest to indicate New Yorkers that their metropolis is there for individuals who want us most. Irrespective of the climate, that’s how we be certain our most susceptible neighbors are getting the help they want, and within the course of, making our subway system safer for all.
Lisa Singh is a psychiatric nurse on the Division of Homeless Providers, who focuses on reaching homeless New Yorkers affected by extreme psychological sickness as a part of a program created by New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams.
