Has your employer been very vocal about the potential for a pandemic and what you as an individual should do to prepare? Has your employer explained what plans are in place and what expectations there are of you to work in a pandemic situation? Has your employer indicated what sort of support will be offered to you as an employee in the event of a pandemic?

Are you concerned about a pandemic occurring, or do you think it's not likely? Do you think your co-workers are as concerned as you, more, or less concerned or informed?

What is the likelihood of you showing up for work in a pandemic situation? Would you work additional shifts? Would you work with higher nurse/pt ratios? Would you take care of pandemic patients?

If you've read this and don't give a flying "$!^*!" about a pandemic, please tell me that too, and why you don't care.

I am on a pandemic planning committee, and these are questions I have. Any input to any of the above would be immensely appreciated.

The hospital I used to work for had a great disaster plan!! If there was to be a pandemic, they made plans to have your entire family brought there with you.... which I think is a great idea. Their reasoning was that a nurse will work better in a pandemic knowing that his/her family is also safe. I appreciated the planning they had to ease our mindset during a stressful time. As for the rest of the plan, I don't remember!!

Hope that was helpful.

What hospital was that, that has a great plan in place, and has such consideration for employees? Employers need to think hard and long about what they can do to induce staff to show up....

This was Witham Memorial Hospital in beautiful downtown Lebanon, IN. It is a small county hospital that can be slow about some things, but I loved how progressive they were about that!

What was their means of getting the staff "up to speed" and educated about pandemics?

I do not remember - i worked there PRN and was not there a lot. I could ask Mom, she still workes there.