I'm almost embarrassed to post this... I am an ED nurse at a 450-bed hospital in the midwest. We have not been taxed by COVID patients yet. My wife has become somewhat of a conspiracy theorist and is questioning everything. She found a thread somewhere that convinced her that what we are seeing on TV is not really happening. We have had some serious arguments about this stuff, but she won't stop. She said that lots of nurses were reporting that nothing was happening at their hospitals.
I would like to see if any of the nurses from the hospitals that are being seriously affected are on this forum and can comment. I realize that most of you are probably too exhausted to even get on a forum.
It didn't make it clear; she is not a nurse and there are tons of people out there that are thinking just like her. The reason that I posted here is because we are getting into heated discussions about it every day. I believe it is happening, but she shows me a thread where tons of alleged nurses are posting that it is not happening at their hospital. So she thinks the whole thing is being blown out of proportion. It is so frustrating!
I am an RN in Chicago who goes to 3 different hospitals. I can say 100% that this is really happening. I work at one large hospital that has reopened previously closed floors to handle the influx of patients coming in. The ICU has expanded to handle the amount of vented patients. Chicago is full of nursing homes and it is now sweeping through those and that is a huge problem. This is no conspiracy theory, I can guarantee you that! Pray that your 450 bed Midwest hospital stays untaxed, stay home if you can and wash your hands!
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
On 4/15/2020 at 10:11 AM, EPS said:
It didn't make it clear; she is not a nurse and there are tons of people out there that are thinking just like her. The reason that I posted here is because we are getting into heated discussions about it every day. I believe it is happening, but she shows me a thread where tons of alleged nurses are posting that it is not happening at their hospital. So she thinks the whole thing is being blown out of proportion. It is so frustrating!
The level of ignorance in this world just baffles my mind when I hear stuff like this, no offense to you but all offense to your wife and the others thinking like her. How self-centered or narcissistic do you have to be to think that because it isn't happening to you, it isn't happening at all and is a big conspiracy.
You are very lucky then. I am also an ER nurse here in NY and things are ugly here.. our ER now is ICU/ER/MEDSURG because there is no enough room to put them in the units.. we already convert peds to adult and open up more rooms in the er just to accomodate overwhelming pt that rolls in everyday.. sometimes we have to take care of 15+ patients And on those 15 pt, 2-4 of them are intubated, there is no enough staff because nurses are getting sick too as well. we don’t even get breaks anymore. I also experience my 4 pt dying all at the same time and 3 codes at the same time.. we also have volunteer nurses who came from another state and on their first day of duty in our hospital, they cried because they didn't expect what was happening here in the city. just pray it never happens to your hospital because it is very heart breaking what was happening here in nyc ?
I work for a hospital system that has about 550 beds divided among a few hospitals. A city of about 500,000. I can say that with all elective procedures being cancelled, overall census is down. The hospital is having difficulty finding work for everyone, and has made many new job positions, such as door screeners, PPE specialists, doing testing at drive up sites, etc. Luckily, they have stepped up and stated they will not be doing any lay offs or furlough like many other hospitals, and are guaranteeing full pay until at least the end of May if they cannot find you work. They have a plan in place for a surge, however we have not gotten there yet. I believe this is a good thing, and means that stay at home orders are working as they are supposed to.
The level of ignorance in this world just baffles my mind when I hear stuff like this, no offense to you but all offense to your wife and the others thinking like her. How self-centered or narcissistic do you have to be to think that because it isn't happening to you, it isn't happening at all and is a big conspiracy.
You hit the nail on the head - “how self centered or narcissistic.”
There are plenty of atrocities all over this world that I’ll never experience. That doesn’t make them not true. One’s hardship and suffering isn’t somehow less so, or even worse FAKE, because “damnit I haven’t seen it first hand!” or “none of us have seen it!”
Yes, all of our area hospitals are being hit hard. We have lost over 780 people of all ages as of this mornings report statewide, including a 6 week old. I’ve seen young and old, preexisting conditions and the healthiest people who just tank. My children’s dentist died last week - he was just 36 years old, with 3 young children.
My hospital now has beds in the education wing ... and we are filling them. No, we still do not have enough tests and no, still not enough ventilators. Patients are dying alone, with no family present.
So instead of conspiracy theories, please tell your wife and her friends to save some compassion. For the victims. And shame on them.
Edited to add: I’m in the NE, w/strict stay-at-home orders implemented mid-March.
I didn't mean to get everyone all upset. I just wanted to hear from nurses who are seeing this first hand. I don't really need the rants, just the facts.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
On 4/15/2020 at 11:53 AM, EPS said:
I didn't mean to get everyone all upset. I just wanted to hear from nurses who are seeing this first hand. I don't really need the rants, just the facts.
You're getting "rants" because many people are offended by such an ignorant idea in the first place that is being perpetuated by your wife and people like her. Likely those are also the same people who are breaking all the initiatives that are in place to stop this spread because they think it is all "blown out of proportion" and a conspiracy.
Tell your wife these facts - nursing coworkers have died, nurses have lost their significant others, their family members, some even their sons/daughters, and unfortunately some have lost their own lives; they've had to fill in as surrogate family members while patient after patient after patient are dying alone from this pandemic. She should be thankful that you guys aren't seeing it in your area, because with you on the frontline she could easily be one of those people who are lost. Those are the facts.
I didn't mean to get everyone all upset. I just wanted to hear from nurses who are seeing this first hand. I don't really need the rants, just the facts.
But you WILL get rants.
People are dying, often alone, and many of us are risking our own health and safety to provide their care. Have you seen the amount of threads on here asking “should I stay a nurse?” Or “should I stay at my job?”
To be honest? I reigned in a lot of what I wanted to say. I have never seen so much death, grief, tears. Love. It’s overwhelming and heartbreaking (over 780 people have DIED in my state) and then for someone to say “it’s being hyped” or “it’s a hoax” or whatever. Oh, so many words ... it’s not a rant. It’s anger. There’s a difference.
And yes, I stand by my statement: shame on your wife and friends - it’s the epitome of narcissism and being so self centered that even though the death and destruction isn’t happening to you and your friends and loved ones, it isn’t happening to the extent you feel. People are dying, who shouldn’t be.
I'm just a nursing student here in NYC, but I walk by the makeshift morgue outside of one of the hospitals (smaller than most others) in my neighborhood almost every day. There was one big refrigerator truck for bodies last week, and now there's been a second one added. I can't even begin to describe what a jarring presence this is to have all over our city's neighborhoods -- and I can absolutely guarantee you this is REAL.
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EPS
7 Posts
It didn't make it clear; she is not a nurse and there are tons of people out there that are thinking just like her. The reason that I posted here is because we are getting into heated discussions about it every day. I believe it is happening, but she shows me a thread where tons of alleged nurses are posting that it is not happening at their hospital. So she thinks the whole thing is being blown out of proportion. It is so frustrating!