[NRSKarenRN]

Found at healthleaders.com:

Patients needing care overwhelm New Orleans hospital system
New York Times,Jan 23, 2006

Emergency rooms in the New Orleans area are facing their own emergency. As thousands of residents have begun returning in the weeks since New Year's, there are far more sick people than there are doctors, nurses, beds and equipment to take care of them.

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

These poor people!

If it was simply a lack of personnel, we could help. But because it is such an overwhelming lack of buildings, equipment, supplies AND personnel, it's going to be very tough to cope.

Why does our government not offer more help? Why does this problem not constitute a true public healthcare crisis?

I still have many questions and feel that the folks in NO have been abandoned in their efforts to rebuild, much as they were virtually abandoned in the initial relief effort.

[caroladybelle]

Originally Posted by Angie O'Plasty, RN

Why does our government not offer more help? Why does this problem not constitute a true public healthcare crisis?

I still have many questions and feel that the folks in NO have been abandoned in their efforts to rebuild, much as they were virtually abandoned in the initial relief effort.

I really don't see how the government can help. Are they to "draft" healthcare workers and force them to go work in New Orleans?

The government can build buildings and provide supplies. Of course since the priorities of the current government may lie elsewhere, that might be difficult to get congress to approve.

But the Government cannot mandate MDs, nurses, emts, aides, etc. to go work in a less than desirable area for an extended period of time. And that is what the area truly needs, permanent /longterm staff.

And as healthcare workers, we have already seen the aftermath. The facts that government did little to rescue the sickest of the residents, initially, leading to a high death toll. That Nursing Home workers (many of whom were probably very poorly paid, overworked, understaffed nurses aides) that got publicly crucified in the media for not staying/ and probably dying with their charges. The nurses that had to carry large patients in the dark up stairs to get them to safety and transport out, just to see the helicopters go elsewhere. The MDs that were alleged to have carried out euthanasia, because orderlies saw patients given MS for comfort while dying, and assumed the worst, while knowing little about medicine. And the fact that city still lies in a very dangerous precarious situation. The government knew for decades about the dangers that NO faced in a bad storm, and still did nothing.

Those that suffered physically and financially cannot tolerate returning to this, in many cases.

And it begs the question, why rebuild a city in such a dangerous situation, unless precautions are taken to prevent a reoccurrance, before rebuilding begins?

I don't know about you, but it does not seem the optimal situation for attracting caregivers.

The gulf coast has never been an attractive well paying locale. Many of us also, are deterred by medical issues. As an UC patient, I was discouraged from assisting due to my compromised immune system and difficulty of assuring safe health conditions/safe water. Do we want to bring our families there? There are also the crime issues to deal with. The gulf coast deals with a lot of gambling, there are the issues with assault.

While the government can help with infrastructure, it will be a long time before healthcare workers will feel safe settling there, I fear.

[Judee Smudee]

Originally Posted by caroladybelle

I
The government can build buildings and provide supplies. Of course since the priorities of the current government may lie elsewhere, that might be difficult to get congress to approve.

They could at least try the above, to my knowledge they have not.

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

Originally Posted by Judee Smudee

They could at least try the above, to my knowledge they have not.

I agree. Healthcare workers are among the most unselfish people. Many would still agree to volunteer their time or work for minimal pay until the city was in better shape.

But without a hospital to work in or supplies to use?

This is where the federal government needs to think hard about funding an overseas rebuilding effort versus rebuilding its own devastated city.

[$/satisfaction?]

I see all your points but what about another view. Why are the really sick returning? To me thats like signing out AMA with a knife sticking out of your chest. What do most people have left in this city? The healthy are placed in danger due to the toxic waste (oil, etc) all around. Then what about mold in the buildings?

I see a devastated city that needs to be rebuilt, this is where the feds come in. Until there is enough areas cleaned up and infrastructure rebuilt only the healthy should be there.

[lee1]

Why isn't the Naval hospital ship available??
What about Mardi Gras???
What has happened and the following cleanup makes you distrust more and more what is going on in government.

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

Originally Posted by $/satisfaction?

I see all your points but what about another view. Why are the really sick returning? To me thats like signing out AMA with a knife sticking out of your chest. What do most people have left in this city? The healthy are placed in danger due to the toxic waste (oil, etc) all around. Then what about mold in the buildings?

I see a devastated city that needs to be rebuilt, this is where the feds come in. Until there is enough areas cleaned up and infrastructure rebuilt only the healthy should be there.

Unfortunately, chronic illness and poverty go hand in hand. Maybe they have nowhere else to go. And truth be told, if I was in my 70s or 80s and a hurricane devastated my city, I probably wouldn't have gone very far in the first place. Because that's my HOME and I'm too old, sick, and poor to start over again.

[Undecided7]

This may sound really insensitive and maybe I'm just different, but a town or city is a geographical area. Why rebuild right now? As a prev. poster said, it's not a safe area and the levee system has not been restructured. We now know it was a Cat III storm when it hit NO- and there are predictions we are not going to see the last of these "super storms" for some time. Are they ready for a TRUE Cat 5? We live in a BIG country- there is a lot of room in the midwest expecially. Home is where family and friends are- not buildings you used to go into to. NO had a reputation for being a fun cultural center (at least part of it) but also a dirty, poor, and crime ridden city. I'm not saying anything about color of skin- I think it's more that most people left behind were POOR and did not have the resources that wealthier people did. I know it's been a horrible experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone or any country and many lost loved ones, but maybe a lot of people could use a "fresh start" especially if they have nothing to go back to anyway.

[sawbones]

I am having trouble feeling sorry at this time. I called Red Cross "dont call us we'll call you." Thats what I got when I offered to drive down and help out.