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| |  Seeing a lot of Flu symptoms, or is it just media hype..??
I think there's a lot of hype out there, generated by the media - the schools (I do sub school nursing also) have jumped on the band wagon, which I understand, because I don't want to take any chances with the health of my, or any other, children. I do think that these flu-like symptoms have been mild in the ER - most people feel like they have bad colds/coughs. Few have the need for nebs. Instead of implementing someone to put out the fires from the outset, like at the entrance to the ER, they let people spool out of control (where I work.) It's really silly and unnecessary. I don't know if it's just my perception, but it seems that the general public doesn't even want to take a moment and be logical about this illness and stay home while you're still drinking fluids. Keep yourself confined, control your fever, etc. IF it gets worse, call your doctor (assuming you have one), but don't come into the ER because you have a fever and body aches (and no respiratory issues). Please. I saw a news article of people lining up for the H1N1 vaccine - it's like a rock concert and trying to nab the best seats. It just seems more mild, to me, than the media is portraying all of this. Of course the stories of people that have died do not provide us with all of the details for the person that was ill. Many times these people have underlying conditions, which is then appropriate for those to seek care first for flu-like illness. It just seems like I spend so much time on basic care teaching for prevention of spreading germs/infection - to adults!!! 
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Nov 03, 2009, 08:32 AM
Re: Seeing a lot of Flu symptoms, or is it just media hype..??
This has been my experience so far, too.
Busloads of people with mild to moderate URI s/s, many not even febrile. A few with underlying respiratory issues get a CXR. Kids whose parent have failed to give antipyretics get a dose and a script for Tamiflu - mostly everyone else just gets discharged with the common sense discharge instructions: rest, fluids, limit social contacts.
The waste of resources due to lack of common sense is mind-boggling.
| | No. 4 |
Nov 03, 2009, 08:37 AM
Re: Seeing a lot of Flu symptoms, or is it just media hype..?? Originally Posted by Altra  The waste of resources due to lack of common sense is mind-boggling.
Yep. But then we hear about how great it is for our census. WHATEVER. My inner tinfoil-hat-wearing person wonders if hospital PR people aren't stirring the pot to frighten the masses into the ED for flu tests. Ha.
Then on the other side of the spectrum, I had a patient from a nursing home who was sick for a week before being sent in ... she had flu, pneumonia, CHF, and sats of 87 on her little nasal cannula. Poor thing went to the ICU.
| | No. 6 |
Nov 03, 2009, 08:42 AM
Re: Seeing a lot of Flu symptoms, or is it just media hype..??
interesting to see what's occurring in other areas. Thanks for the responses.
| | No. 8 |
Nov 03, 2009, 08:57 AM
Updated
Nov 03, 2009 at 09:03 AM by Loralai
Re: Seeing a lot of Flu symptoms, or is it just media hype..??
I don't think we should be too quick to blame the influx of people on them "lacking common sense" or having to teach them the "basics". I have seen several media reports now that seem to TELL people to not take any chances, go to the Doctor/Hospital if you start to exhibit flu symptoms, don't wait as this is a fast progressing illness, etc. It's conflicting information. One day you see a report in your local newspaper of a perfectly healthy child dying from it in a matter of a week. That weekend you or your child starts to feel sick. In their minds it comes down to "am I going to take a chance?" Do you wait it out over the weekend to try to get in to see your Doctor? After all, if the ED's are swamped imagine what the Pediatrician's and Family Doctors are experiencing!
We are telling people, who aren't trained in the medical field, who don't have degrees, to assess and self-diagnose how serious or not serious their symptoms may be. Should they err on the side of caution? And on the flip side, can they afford in these economic times to miss that much work if it is the flu? They've all heard through the media that Tamiflu must be given within 48 hours.
I think it's just a large amount of information that we are expecting non-medical individuals to weigh and decide.
| | No. 9 |
Nov 03, 2009, 09:13 AM
Updated
Nov 03, 2009 at 09:19 AM by MassED
Re: Seeing a lot of Flu symptoms, or is it just media hype..?? Originally Posted by Loralai I don't think we should be too quick to blame the influx of people on them "lacking common sense" or having to teach them the "basics". I have seen several media reports now that seem to TELL people to not take any chances, go to the Doctor/Hospital if you start to exhibit flu symptoms, don't wait as this is a fast progressing illness, etc. It's conflicting information. One day you see a report in your local newspaper of a perfectly healthy child dying from it in a matter of a week. That weekend you or your child starts to feel sick. In their minds it comes down to "am I going to take a chance?" Do you wait it out over the weekend to try to get in to see your Doctor? After all, if the ED's are swamped imagine what the Pediatrician's and Family Doctors are experiencing!
We are telling people, who aren't trained in the medical field, who don't have degrees, to assess and self-diagnose how serious or not serious their symptoms may be. Should they err on the side of caution? And on the flip side, can they afford in these economic times to miss that much work if it is the flu? They've all heard through the media that Tamiflu must be given within 48 hours.
I think it's just a large amount of information that we are expecting non-medical individuals to weigh and decide.
that's kindof my point. Misinformation is out there - the media doesn't help. We're not getting all of the information from the news sources, so that adds to confusion. I definitely can understand as a parent - and we all know that common sense isn't really all that common, anyway. The media just doesn't help - my children's pediatrician told me that it's just insane in the office with visits and phonecalls - just out of control.
From where I am, so far, the influx of flu-like illness has been hyped up - there have been many patients checking in with flu-like symptoms, but turn out as another viral illness and they're discharged. I just see this getting worse over the winter, with regular seasonal flu.
I suppose I expect people to use common sense with their children, but that is expecting a lot, I have come to learn over the years. It doesn't take any kind of degree for common sense - keeping your sick child/adult out of the general population to present spread of infection/germs. This is easily understand by my kids, who are 10 and 6. They are teaching this in the schools. Just yesterday I got a recorded phone call that went out to all the families within the town I live. The phone call was from the Superintendent of schools stating "if your child is sick, has a fever, please keep them home, as we have had outbreaks of flu-like illness.... the phone call when on..." Again, I think this just fuels the fire. I know we all need information, but I just want accurate information, not from many different sources. It's a firestorm.
I just want the media to report what is actually occurring and to not report information that can be open to interpretation, since we all know that can swing any direction.
By the way, my eldest has a fever of 103 today, with a cough - started yesterday. He is better today, but yesterday complained of feeling "weak in the legs." I'm assuming it's a "flu-like illness" just because of his symptoms.... but he's drinking fluids, orange juice, vitamins, and I'm controlling his fever, and keeping him from others. Oh, and a few Xbox games to boot. He's a happy camper.
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