Hurricane Sandy - Wishing Everyone To Stay Safe

virgo,student nurse, CNA · Oct 29, 2012

Do Good,Very good advice given. Hope all stay safe. The storm will be my way by Monday Mid Day. Stay Safe!

**CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN** · Oct 29, 2012

I'm hoping it's not as huge of a deal as the weather channels are making it out to be. I work in DC. The DC METRO is out. The Philadelphia' SEPTA is also out. I assume New Jersey's transit is out, too. I'm bringing some cozy clothes and an extra change of scrubs to work, just in case. I should be at work during the beginning of the storm (working day shift tomorrow). I'm just not sure what happens if they need us to stay overnight or whatever. I dunno how to work more than 12 hours! And no clue how annoying the paper downtime could be.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

Boston hasn't canceled their public transportation yet but a State of Emergency has been declared and schools throughout the state are closed. A little exciting for a Mon/Tues school nurse but less so when I think of what this could mean. I'm just hoping my house stays water-free and the electricity stays on...

anotherone, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

I'm hoping it's not as huge of a deal as the weather channels are making it out to be. I work in DC. The DC METRO is out. The Philadelphia' SEPTA is also out. I assume New Jersey's transit is out, too. I'm bringing some cozy clothes and an extra change of scrubs to work, just in case. I should be at work during the beginning of the storm (working day shift tomorrow). I'm just not sure what happens if they need us to stay overnight or whatever. I dunno how to work more than 12 hours! And no clue how annoying the paper downtime could be.

Last state of emergency I was involved in the following happened: People there worked up to 16.5 hours. after that they were made to stay in the hospital or parking lot and be ready to work on any unit or as needed ( nurses sitting 1:1s) in 8 hours for another 16 hour shift. Ugh the PAPER DOWNTIME. I didn't even think of that!

zephyr9 · Oct 29, 2012

What does "paper downtime" mean?

PediLove2147, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

I luckily have off until Wednesday so I should be able to wait it out safe at home. Good luck all those in Sandy's path!

Why would you have to do paper downtime? The hospital wouldn't (I hope) lose power. I have never worked in the hospital during any kind of natural disaster so I am not sure exactly what happens..

anotherone, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

What does "paper downtime" mean?

When the power/ or computer system is down and we have to use paper charting. I have no idea how this will work as I have never delt with it and neither has most of the current staff. Maybe 1-5 people. NO one else was ever taught anyhting about it or where the papers are even kept. How long do hospital generators last for? How long can they provide power? Many areas in the Northeast/East even inland areas are being told to expect to be without power for more than a week.

PediLove2147, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

When the power/ or computer system is down and we have to use paper charting. I have no idea how this will work as I have never delt with it and neither has most of the current staff. Maybe 1-5 people. NO one else was ever taught anyhting about it or where the papers are even kept. How long do hospital generators last for? How long can they provide power? Many areas in the Northeast/East even inland areas are being told to expect to be without power for more than a week.

How can a hospital go without power though? Vents, monitors, pumps.. I mean those all need power to keep people ALIVE. I assume the generators work for an extended period of time?

We have used paper for planned downtimes. It sucks but you just go with the flow. Although this does remind me we had an incident a couple weeks back where our unit (and building) lost power. There were a few small lights on but that was it. I was leaving from a day shift and people were getting out the flashlights. We luckily had no ICUs in our building so nothing too serious came of it.

DoGoodThenGo · Oct 29, 2012

How can a hospital go without power though? Vents, monitors, pumps.. I mean those all need power to keep people ALIVE. I assume the generators work for an extended period of time?
We have used paper for planned downtimes. It sucks but you just go with the flow. Although this does remind me we had an incident a couple weeks back where our unit (and building) lost power. There were a few small lights on but that was it. I was leaving from a day shift and people were getting out the flashlights. We luckily had no ICUs in our building so nothing too serious came of it.

Back up generators can run for as long as required, all they need is fuel. In the past commercial like most domestic electric generators ran on petrol (diesel fuel), but more and more for the former and even the latter a piped supply of natural gas is used. Not only is this more reliable but safer than storing large amounts of petrol. One of the sad things about 9/11/01 is that tanks of diesel fuel were stored in the tower that housed NYC's emergency command center. When the planes hit and the subsequent fire the petrol did what that stuff does. The City was saved from liability by various acts of Congress post 9/11/01 that granted NYC and IIRC also NYS immunity.

With a continous supply of fuel modern generators can run until they are no longer required. There is usually a safety cut off system which shuts down the generators once electric power is detected to once again come from the power grid.

Emergency Generator Fails at Hospital - NYTimes.com

In low lying parts of New York City the worry is not just about losing electric power, but flooding as well.

Staten Island University Hospital (part of NS-LIJ) is built on one such low lying area and as begun moving patients to other North Shore-Long Island Jewish facilities off the Island, or to Richmond University Medical Center (formerly Saint Vincent's of Staten Island) on the north shore.

As Hurricane Sandy nears, Staten Island University Hospital relocates critically ill patients | SILive.com

PediLove2147, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

Back up generators can run for as long as required, all they need is fuel. In the past commercial like most domestic electric generators ran on petrol (disel fuel), but more and more for the former and even the latter a piped supply of natural gas is used. Not only is this more reliable but safer than storing large amounts of petrol. One of the sad things about 9/11/01 is that tanks of diesel fuel were stored in the tower that housed NYC's emergency command center. When the planes hit and the subsequent fire the petrol did what that stuff does. The City was saved from liability by various acts of Congress post 9/11/01 the granted NYC and IIRC also NYS immunity.
With a continous supply of fuel modern generators can run until they are no longer required. There is usually a safety cut off system which shuts down the generators once electric power is detected to once again come from the power grid.
Emergency Generator Fails at Hospital - NYTimes.com
In low lying parts of New York City the worry is not just about losing electric power, but flooding as well.
Staten Island University Hospital (part of NS-LIJ) is built on one such low lying area and as begun moving patients to other North Shore-Long Island Jewish facilities off the Island, or to Richmond University Medical Center (formerly Saint Vincent's of Staten Island) on the north shore.
As Hurricane Sandy nears, Staten Island University Hospital relocates critically ill patients | SILive.com

That makes sense. Thanks for the link!

veroniicaxoxo · Oct 29, 2012

Thank you! I have to be in monday night at 11pm not looking forward to that drive, right when its at its worst. HOwever i am covering for someone and it is overtime so i am hoping to maybe be canceled however I doubt that.