On Monday, November 9th, the governor of North Dakota announced COVID positive healthcare providers (HCP), without symptoms, will be allowed to continue working in COVID-19 units in hospitals and nursing homes. Is the decision a step in the right direction or simply irresponsible? Read on to learn more. Nurses COVID Article
On November 12th, the CDC reported 94% of U.S. jurisdictions are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases. Hospitals are having to consider creative ways to stretch resources as admissions rates continue to climb. In North Dakota, hospitals are at 100% capacity, lacking needed beds and facing dire staffing shortages.. Hospital administrators asked state leaders to allow asymptomatic COVID-positive healthcare providers (HCP) to continue working in COVID-19 units in hospitals and nursing homes to help with staffing.
The CDC published a set of guidelines to provide relief during the pandemic when staffing shortages reach crisis level. This includes developing criteria to identify staff suspected of having the virus (or have tested positive) who are well enough to return to work before meeting the CDC’s Return to Work Criteria. The employee must be willing to continue working or suspected having COVID-19 or actually testing positive. Other considerations include:
The governor reported other states are already using this strategy already. However, the governor’s spokesman lacked available information on any other states that have this policy in place.
If you are a nurse (or any HCP), your internal “this is just wrong” alarm may be going haywire at the thoughts of working while COVID- positive. The North Dakota Nurses Association (NDNA) released a statement recommending additional public health measures be mandated before implementing the policy. For example, North Dakota doesn’t have a statewide mask mandate at this time.
The president of the NDNA, Tessa Johnson, argues “The governor has put this policy out and still, no masks are required. It feels like a slap in the face to nurses right now”. Johnson also made these arguments against nurses working while testing positive for the virus.
The CDC provides other strategies to alleviate staffing shortages during the pandemic. But, are hospitals and nursing homes doing what the CDC considers “baseline” to ease the problem? Take a minute to consider your employer and ask yourself “Does my facility….?.”
The pandemic is placing a healthy dose of guilt on nurses all across the country (and world). We know nurses have a high work ethic and are dedicated to both patients and their co-workers. Saying “no” to care for ourselves often results in feelings of guilt. I can only imagine the unbearable guilt nurses may experience thinking they passed the virus to a vulnerable patient.
Would you be willing to work if you tested positive for COVID-19?
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