Heat wave and home hospice nursing...

NC29mom, ASN, LPN, RN · Jul 20, 2013

Absolutely! !! I have several pts who dont even have air conditioning. ......i.make sure they are the very first ones i see...around 7:30-8am. Its definitely hot!!!!

aTOMicTom · Jul 20, 2013

Absolutely! !! I have several pts who dont even have air conditioning. ......i.make sure they are the very first ones i see...around 7:30-8am. Its definitely hot!!!!

That's a really good idea. Here in Tennessee, it's so unbelievably hot in summer, I can relate.

I was in several jobs where I had to go from hot to cool over and over; for me, it wasn't the changes, it was the HOT portions of the day!

I'd park in the shade even if it meant a long walk, and leave the windows and the sunroof open an inch to ventilate the car. But the worst thing was when I was in DME delivering and setting up heavy equipment. And they'd be cooking chitlin's and smoking. Gawd, I literally retched a couple times. it was worse than carrying out a week-old suicide! (I was an EMT, too.)

Suggestions:

If it's a particularly bad stop, you could leave the engine running (lock the doors of course). All right, I can hear the tree-huggers whining already, but a modern car will use very little energy idling, and it's not "bad for the engine" like it may have been at one time. Leave the air on recirculate. Oooh, you could get a remote starter installed and start the car when you're preparing to leave! Just thought of that!

Last suggestion: get an Audi A6 or A8 (I have a 2004 A8). INCREDIBLE air conditioners! As in, even on 103 degree days, with the car sitting in the sun, it's cool inside in three minutes. It's just unbelievable.

OK, THIS is the last suggestion: Get the car's A/C checked, they can change the cabin air filter and/or recharge the A/C for around $120 usually.

HTH

Tom

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2013

Here in Texas those are not unusual temps.

I know every gas station with good, cheap fountain sodas. I live on Diet Coke - I drink a couple of quarts a day in the car. And yes, I have considered water. You'll pry my calorie-free tasty caffeine from my cold, dead hands. Crack the windows a little while the car is parked and you're in a home. And something I have learned about southerners: there's a reason they move slowly. And I move slooowly in the heat.

Good luck.

iluvivt, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2013

YES... same here in Sacramento. I wear very cool light weight clothing. I keep some of the pop up wet ones in my car and put them on the back of my neck to cool off. The alcohol hand wipe pops ups work great as well. Stay hydrated with water as well not just sodas. Park in shaded areas if possible or use those covers on your dash board (I hear they work well. You can also try a cool towel...they sell them at QVC or HSN..they really do work as I have had a similar product that I used to fill with water and wrap around around my neck. it just looked like a scarf. They also sell these hot flash cool pads you can apply to the back of your neck or chest.l

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 21, 2013

YES... I keep some of the pop up wet ones in my car and put them on the back of my neck to cool off. The alcohol hand wipe pops ups work great as well. Stay hydrated with water as well not just sodas. Park in shaded areas if possible .l

Great ideas... thanks a lot :)

aTOMicTom · Jul 21, 2013

Here in Texas those are not unusual temps.
I know every gas station with good, cheap fountain sodas. I live on Diet Coke - I drink a couple of quarts a day in the car. And yes, I have considered water. You'll pry my calorie-free tasty caffeine from my cold, dead hands. Crack the windows a little while the car is parked and you're in a home. And something I have learned about southerners: there's a reason they move slowly. And I move slooowly in the heat.
Good luck.

Too much Coke = kidney stones for me (oaxalic acid)! of course I'd eat three servings of turnip greens for lunch (yes I like SOME things about the South). My doc picked right up on that when he asked me about my diet!

leow1558 · Jul 26, 2013

If it's a particularly bad stop, you could leave the engine running (lock the doors of course). All right, I can hear the tree-huggers whining already, but a modern car will use very little energy idling, and it's not "bad for the engine" like it may have been at one time. Leave the air on recirculate.

I'm not a tree hugger but married to a cop and I know they can give you a ticket if they find the car running with no one in it. Not to say you shouldn't but just food for thought.