Coronavirus mask shortage

[zillynurz]

My hospital has resorted to handing out face masks one at a time and you're expected to use the mask for your entire shift unless soiled. If you take it off, you're to put it in a bag and label it with your name to use later. Seems masks are in short supply or maybe people are hoarding them. Is this happening at your hospital?

[toomuchbaloney]

9 hours ago, PeekaPooh said:

My unit is even worse. Not only they locked up the masks, so that patients cannot steal them. They are also not allowing us to wear masks in the hallways of the unit. A few of our staff are under the weather/sick themselves and were told to remove the masks while in the hallways...Yet, we see doctors wearing N-95 masks the whole time in the hallways, patients' rooms, throughout the hospital. One doctor even said to me "I'm not taking any chances."

The only people who are allowed to wear masks are those who didn't get the flu vaccine for the season. And obviously our management doesn't dare to speak up to the doctors when the doctors are wearing masks in the hallways, they only talk to the RNs and CNAs, those who are below their status...Staff on our unit are not happy with this, but no one can do anything about it.

So don't take the mask off.

[PeekaPooh]

On 2/28/2020 at 12:01 PM, NurseBlaq said:

I haven't seen any threads about face mask shortages either.

But on this topic, isn't that unsanitary? What if a patient is on isolation? Are you expected to go room to room with the same mask? That's ridiculous!

any advice on the matter? I mean how can one go against management when they proposed such protocol at a time like this? what would you do, just curious?

[NurseBlaq]

4 hours ago, PeekaPooh said:

any advice on the matter? I mean how can one go against management when they proposed such protocol at a time like this? what would you do, just curious?

I would probably buy my own masks and look for another job. I would also ask management the same questions I presented in this thread. The problem in healthcare nowadays is business people with no medical backgrounds are running healthcare and all they worried about is money, not safety and infection control, especially since they're not the ones on the front line doing patient care. The best advice I can give, is do what's best for your situation. What I would do may not be the best for YOU. Go with your gut but first and foremost, protect yourself and your family.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We order as many masks from our supplier as we can every week. I’ve got them locked in my office. We’re stocking up on yellow gowns and buying extra gloves too. A few years ago there was a shortage of masks during influenza season.

[PeekaPooh]

10 hours ago, NurseBlaq said:

I would probably buy my own masks and look for another job. I would also ask management the same questions I presented in this thread. The problem in healthcare nowadays is business people with no medical backgrounds are running healthcare and all they worried about is money, not safety and infection control, especially since they're not the ones on the front line doing patient care. The best advice I can give, is do what's best for your situation. What I would do may not be the best for YOU. Go with your gut but first and foremost, protect yourself and your family.

yea thanks for your input. the problem is it's not that easy to find another job right away. and most likely every hospital is going to come up with some kind of tactic to preserve masks with this covid-19 going on. it's probably just going to be the same crap with just different pile.

[DeeAngel]

Notify JACHO, OSHA and your local news media.

[toomuchbaloney]

Are hospitals and clinics going to fire nursing staff for utilizing masks to protect themselves while at work? Are they going to intentionally decrease the number of staff for doing what physicians are doing?

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

2 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Are hospitals and clinics going to fire nursing staff for utilizing masks to protect themselves while at work? Are they going to intentionally decrease the number of staff for doing what physicians are doing?

Sure. They don't want to alienate doctors. They don't care a hoot about most staff.

As far as re-using masks or wearing them for longer than they are supposed to be effective according to the manufacturer - there is a limited time for a mask to be effective. Check what each manufacturer says about their products.

[toomuchbaloney]

Just now, Kooky Korky said:

Sure. They don't want to alienate doctors. They don't care a hoot about most staff.

They certainly care when they don't have adequate direct care staff. Patients are hospitalized for nursing and ancillary care...

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 2/28/2020 at 1:11 PM, zillynurz said:

mods cancel this, seems the topic is well discussed as is

You don't have to participate if you don't want to.

Just now, toomuchbaloney said:

They certainly care when they don't have adequate direct care staff. Patients are hospitalized for nursing and ancillary care...

Staff are pretty easy to replace, compared to a doctor.

Doctors bring in revenue, staff don't. Staff are an expense.

[toomuchbaloney]

5 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:

You don't have to participate if you don't want to.

Staff are pretty easy to replace, compared to a doctor.

Doctors bring in revenue, staff don't. Staff are an expense.

Yes.

Nurses are expendable. That's what they think...until they don't have enough. Watch that revenue drop when nursing care is substandard.

[Tdmoudry, BSN, RN]

While I don't agree with it, the CDC is actually saying this practice is OK. However they do mention limiting re-use of a N95 mask to a max of 5 times. So 1 per shift is possible if you limit your exposure in and out, but unlikely to work.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/checklist-n95-strategy.html