Have any facilities out there experienced supply shortages due to the coronavirus? We've been regularly running out of surgical masks, supposedly due to the epidemic; the wonky replacements we've been using are pretty ridiculous (plus uncomfortable), and even those are starting to run low, too. It seems hilariously ironic to me that we're short on surgical masks, seeing as they don't actually protect against coronavirus...the people who are buying them up aren't even benefiting from them, and consequently hospitals that actually need them are running short.
If/when the virus spreads to other countries (including the US), I'm sure the shortages will only get worse. I'm personally not super excited about the thought of spending time in an N-95 respirator, although I'm fortunate that exposure in my specialty would be pretty unlikely.
It reminds me a bit of the supply shortages that happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria back in 2017 following the shut-down of affected medial equipment manufacturing plants in Puerto Rico. Our facility was running low on essentials like normal saline for months (I remember we even got an email that said not to start patients on IV fluids unless we absolutely had to). It's pretty crazy to think that hospitals can literally run out of something as basic as face masks or saline due to international disasters.
No way in hell I would work without them. Med pass is one thing but bloody and body fluids-employer better phone a friend and ask for a favor.
I've never liked the cheap gloves my employer bought anyway so I've been buying my own for awhile. But I absolutely agree, If I was relying on using the gloves they supply I'd be throwing fits wherever I needed to make them find some.
Slipping CMA
75 Posts
In my spare time I make homemade soap and candles. I do notice my supplies are out of hand sanitizer.