Epidemics?

I am in assisted living..and we had the WORSE stomach virus ever last year! Half and I mean HALF of our residents down with it in less than 2 days...making things a virtual nightmare for staff..who also had it! Limited staffing due to illnesses, sick staff having to fill in..oh it was lovely....uhggggggg the nightmares still haunt me!

Now, out of 160 residents if 1/4 are down with symptoms we are in a "confinement' mode..but after last year our residents agree and some do it volunerarily!!!!

Of course we don't MAKE them stay in their rooms, they have the rights to leave, but most choose to stay away from others at this point...and compounded by the early lack of flu shots..that makes them wary too so they like to hermit themselves! LOL! And most folks that are ill respect the others who are not and also stay in their rooms and rest! So we have a great team of staff and patients to help with this...so a little easier for us, hard on our kitchen staff for sure with all those tray services..but they have stand by staff for that because of last year too!

The main probelm is is that we don't have sufficient staff to cover..so sick folks have to work, or we don't have enough staff at all! I have had to come in sick 3 days already because we didn't have an RN to cover for me (others on vacation...okay who okayed two day nurses at once to take vacation during cold/flu season??? I would like to shake their neck..I mean hand...LOL!). ANd if you do call in sick...it is a very bad reflection on your employement record and admin has no probelm telling you that! So there is a fear factor as well....

Oh well, not much can be done about that...we just keep on trying, wash our hands like mad, use tissues, and keep residents in their rooms if they will let us..that has really helped this year!!!!!!!