成人大片

For the past year, healthcare and frontline workers have put in enough work for two lifetimes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from the physical work, constant pushback and misinformation are coming from all sides鈥� whether it鈥檚 intended to be hurtful or not.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a public panic about the complete lack of information about this virus. This made it hard not only for those working on the frontlines but also for those trying to share health information via news and social media.

School of Journalism student Breanna Schnurr spoke to alumna Emma King about what it has been like to work in the healthcare communications sector during this pandemic.

This Q&A was conducted when Emma was a public affairs and communications associate at the University Health Network (UHN), specifically the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and now works for Thomson Reuters as a manager, segment communications.

King said one of the best things about her job was how much it changed day-to-day.

鈥淓very day was different. I鈥檇 have recurring tasks like鈥� I鈥檇 have to manage the social media, create content for social media, write stories, etc.;鈥� King said. 鈥淏ut there would be things that crop up out of nowhere, and you just have to pivot and make sure those communications needs are met.鈥�

King said the beginning of the pandemic was very overwhelming.

鈥淚t was really just managing so much changing information. We would send out messages in the morning that would need to be updated by the afternoon because something had come out that changed what we had written.鈥� King said. 鈥淪o we just have to do our best to stay up to date, and we were just transparent with our staff that we were sharing information as soon as we had it.鈥�

King said that while she felt physically safe going to work in the hospital, a mental toll took place.

鈥淲e were working around the clock, and that was very stressful,鈥� She said. 鈥淭here were some moments where I truly did just feel so overwhelmed, and I know that鈥檚 not just me. I say that with caution because I wasn鈥檛 even taking care of patients.鈥�

Even with the overwhelming feeling, King said some beautiful moments came out of the pandemic.

鈥淭here were so many times where people came together to support one another. I remember my colleague at Princess Margaret filmed a video when the first COVID patient was released, and everyone was cheering in the ward.鈥�

King says she鈥檒l never forget her experience working in healthcare during the pandemic.

鈥淚鈥檓 so incredibly grateful to be part of the experience, and I鈥檝e learned so much about communications and crisis communications in particular from it, so I wouldn鈥檛 trade it for the world.鈥�

Grads at Work is a series of profiles of School of Journalism alums. If you know of a notable grad you鈥檇 like to see featured, send us an email at office.journalism@torontomu.ca.