Heroic efforts made at Charity hospital to save patients
07:14 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Associated Press
As floodwaters rose around Charity Hospital, nurses hand-pumped ventilators for patients who couldn't breathe. Helicopters landed on the garage to airlift critically ill babies. Doctors canoed supplies to and from Charity and three nearby hospitals.
If you are interested in traveling to the area, contacting the state and national nursing associations is probably the best way, and the red cross if you can get through.
They have already started to receive patients at the hospital I used to work in here in Dallas. We are seeing only the beginnings I am sure.
there is another way to get involved in disaster response. Join on of the national DMAT teams. DO a search here on the net, for example heres one of ours. http://www.dmat-fl6.org/ or another http://www.fl3dmat.org/ in FLorida. These teams are set up to respond to national disasters with manpower and equipment to provide medical care. The added bonus is that when you join and actually get activated ie respond to an incident you are a US federal government employee-- this provides you with workers compensation insurance as well as actual pay--- as one gets pulled away from their actual jobs. Another benefit is that your job is portected in the same manner as members of the national gaurd and reserves.
I just went to the California Board of Nursing and they have placed a link on their web page for nursing voluteers to register. This is through the Florida Board. http://www.disasterhelp.net/medical/ They state urgent needs for voluteer nurses in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The form to fill out online is their Volunteer Registry.
I just went to the California Board of Nursing and they have placed a link on their web page for nursing voluteers to register. This is through the Florida Board. http://www.disasterhelp.net/medical/ They state urgent needs for voluteer nurses in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The form to fill out online is their Volunteer Registry.
If you are unable to go and assist, then check with your employers about matching your donation dollar for dollar. A lot of employers will do this, that way its is double the amount, which is great at times like this.
I am sorry but this is almost ridiculous. These hospitals had plenty of warning of this potential category 5 hurricaine and they CHOSE NOT to evauste their patients??????? I really cannot understand and imagine the lawsuits waiting to happen !!!
Common sense must not have prevailed.
Why didn't they evacuate?? Did some but not others???
It is hard for people who have never lived in that part of the country to understand but a hurricane may be coming straight for you and then go left or right. If they had chosen to leave earlier and lost patients some may not have made it so they wait and now find themselves in a mess. However, there is never a clear cut answer, especially for hospitals. Please try to understand that they made the best decision they knew how. One time before the storm, that question was asked of Charity hospital and they said if they moved them out and only left a skelaton crew in the er then had to turn folks away that would be a lawsuit because of the kind of hospital they are. We need to support them with kindness, aid and prayers. I am trying to get there to help with relief as I am from the coast and my mom is in a nursing home with no electricity, water, and limited food. Windows out and patients in the hallway. I have called every nursing home is several hundred miles and found NONE that have a bed. My relatives either have no homes left or no electricty etc. But today (my daughter works at the hospital next door) as Emily was recording report, she looked out the window and saw nurmersous red lights/blue lights and her thought was "oh no, what has happened" but to their surprise it was !!!! 75 AMBULANCES CARRYING SUPPLIES, NURSES, EMS PERSONELL !!!!! coming from Pennsylvania, Virginia and KY. She said Mamma we just all stood at the windows and cried it was sooooo beautiful.
I just want to be a part of that calvary. God Speed to all who are willing and able.
For all of you RNs and LVNs on the way down to the Gulf Coast the help out, we salute you. Please be safe.
For those of us who cannot go there is still much we can do to help. The RED CROSS will spend billions of dollars assisting in this area. This along with recent world events may push them to the financial limit. Give as much as you can afford.
As it is possible (according to the LA. Governor) that they may have to totally evacuate the sity of NEW ORLEANS of all civilians until they can get control of the leeves, displaced people will be pouring into communities all over the country. Agencies in YOUR community will need help.
Going on sunday am .. booked my own flight and hooked up with the red cross in baton rouge. I am staying with an angel who offered her house up and offered to provide transportation to me. She said she figured if i was willing to pay for a flight to help strangers she would be happy to help me. My family found out i was going and all my 6 siblings along with my parents and step parents are donating money to pay for my ticket to Louisianna from california . The ER crew that i work with are also donating vacation hours so i dont lose a paycheck ... such wonderful things i am truely blessed and hope that i can make a difference down there for someone. God Bless you all Pray for everyone in the disaster area and the people going to help them.
gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP
1,622 Posts
If you are interested in traveling to the area, contacting the state and national nursing associations is probably the best way, and the red cross if you can get through.
They have already started to receive patients at the hospital I used to work in here in Dallas. We are seeing only the beginnings I am sure.