[Rhoresmith]

This might sound like dirty pool but have you thought of contacting your local newspaper about your hospital's lack or concern for not only the staff but for the patients...... I know my local small town hospital is heavy into advertising because so many people are going 20 miles away to a hospital with a better reputation. They get so much negative word of mouth around here that they sure would'nt want a newpaper or local TV station to publise this kind of info You and your fellow nurses could send in a letter to the editor if the paper is not interested. With the SARS scare around it could be the pressure you need to get something done. I know this sounds kinda crappy but it sounds like they aren't playing fair either. I am thinking OSHA should help you out too Well Good Luck and please don't flame me these are just thoughts

Rhonda

[nursenoelle]

Rhonda- you sure your in Missouri? Our town is tiny, and we have 1 hospital. There are two better/bigger facilities 30 miles away. Big advertising here to. The news paper reported it, but the whole dang town already knew. Was kinda funny, "we cannot name the town, b/c you would be able to figure out". HIPPA my hiney, this is Arkansas. We have pretty much a bandaid hospital. So, the townsfolk is thinking, "what the heck is that guy doin' there?!" Although I must say, our maternal child dept was steller.

Fergus and Susan- I am soo jealous of anybody who gets anyone besides the good old boy network running their workplace.

By the way, the guy is improving,no temp and hungry, and is in neg pressure room. BUT I read that humidified 02 aerosilizes the virus. Heck, what do I know.

Toronto RN- Thanks too for the insight and links. I have printed them to turn in with my atatement for my file, and the letter to the CEO.

Everyone here has been so helpful with all of this. Memorial weekend '03-what a riot.


And- The whole hospital is in an uproar, some nurses who refused, even from that unit, went without punishment. This had many many nurses p.o.'d . *shudders* I am so glad I am outta there. Back to LTC I go.

[susanmary]

Originally posted by Nurse Ratched
I would not refuse to care for a SARS patient. Nursenoelle, your situation clearly is a little different - another case of abusive floating practices. IMO, floating should happen when there is no other choice - not to purposely call off qualified staff to move less familiar staff in to the area. And to have potentially exposed nurses possibly further spreading it to their patients with the only precaution being to take the temps regularly?? Sheesh. Yeah - I think you had cause to say "bite me" and refuse to possibly expose your helpless patient population given the crappy precautions they were taking.

Excellent post. No wonder there's a mass exodus from bedside nursing. Sue

[oramar]

There was an article in our local newspaper about a similar incident with the temp taking. They said they had a suspected SARS case and about 20 employees had been exposed. They were not isolating just taking temps. I thought, "excuse me but they better call Toronto".

[Used and abused]

I did hear from several sources there was a case of a baby in Duluth Minnesota that was adopted from the East. I also heard of a case in Minneapolis, Chicago.
I often wonder if the variety of the virus here is not quite the same as those in the East; unless our medical practice is so much more advanced?

[Used and abused]

I did hear from several sources there was a case of a baby in Duluth Minnesota that was adopted from the East. I also heard of a case in Minneapolis, Chicago.
I often wonder if the variety of the virus here is not quite the same as those in the East; unless our medical practice is so much more advanced?

[toronto rn]

I think the standard for care of SARS patients is pretty much universal at this point, regardless of where in the world the patient is located. Supportive care for the most part with supplemental oxygen, Ribavirin is used but has tremendous side effects and has not proven to be beneficial. Steroids may be given on the off chance that the respiratory compromise is due to COPD rather than SARS. (now a days any respiratory patient with a fever is isolated and treated as a suspect until proven otherwise). My understanding is that regardless of treatment most patients recover in about 2 weeks. The ones who require ventilation obviously have gotten a more severe form of the illness and the mortality rate can be significant. The resurgence of the virus in Toronto, Singapore and other countries only demonstrates the difficulty in distinguishing and controlling SARS. I don't know if there is a milder form of the virus in the USA, since there have been no deaths there that I know of. I wouldn't say that the treatments are any more effective because there really hasn't been any uncovered as of yet that is working. I suspect that many of the cases in the USA were not SARS. But there are definitely probable cases there, I hope the SARS cases continue to remain contained and the affected areas keep up their admirable low mortality rate.
We are in the midst of reorganizing SARS care facilities with 4 main hospitals taking on the brunt of the cases. Lots of uproar about danger pay here, since some nurses are getting up to $100.00/hr to work in SARS areas and others are just getting straight pay.

[nursenoelle]

toronto- It must be difficult up there, just dealing with drama, fears, etc. My hat is off to you guys- what a great bunch of nurses. I live in a small town, and it's ridiculous. I was getting a pedicure at a local salon, and the owners are veitnamese, and a customer came in with a mask on. *sigh* I fear that our tiny asian population will suffer. Little does anyone know, the pt. has no relations here, had been a business traveler from the Phillipines and had been to Toronto recently.

[nrw350]

noelle, it sounds like that the only precautions your hospital cares to take are basic precautions and nothing further due to the expense. I would think the expense of a lawsuit from a patient contracting sars would be much hihger in the event the basic precautions failed would it not? It infuriates me how they are punishing you for looking out for the health and well-being of others and yourself. That is what a nurse is supposed to do for crying out loud!

[oramar]

Any of you who do not feel your facility is up to snuff should print up Susans post and show it to your boss.