Sars

[berry]

I just wondering what standards other ERs are implementing to deal with SARS. We are taking the general cough and cold pts more serious especially with fever. Anyone presenting with complaint is asked have you or close contacts traveled outside country or through major terminals. Are you a healthcare worker or family member and plan to isolate if they have. Not sure if you guys have looked at the numbers but like 156 hc workers were admitted after one case come into hospital in Hong Kong, and Canada's #s for admitted and vented healthcare workers is unreal. One of our docs was telling me hospitals in Canada are shooting chest x-rays and taking temps 2x days with staff members and sending home for ten days off if infiltrates on x-rays or popping a temp c resp symptoms. I work in Mobile, Al about an hour from Pensacola, FLA which already has three possible cases.

[sixes]

You can follow the Canadian side of it by refering to TX Guy thread just do a search. It seems to be getting some what under control here but I wo't hold my breath. I have posted several links in SARS in TO.

All hospitals here are doing as you stated.

Everyone is asked to fill out a questioneer and have there temps check at the door. If you are going to ER with resp Sx you must mask at the door.

Hope this helps

[eldernurse]

I am scared of SARS like I have not been afraid of any of the other dangerous things that come through the door. SARS is killing some of us. I have no problem asking patients to mask when they have a fever with cold symptoms.