Was watching "Downton Abbey" Sunday night and it got to where the great Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 hit.
Program seemed to get much of the details down right; healthy young persons were fine one minute, greatly ill the next and often dead within 24-48 hours.
From one's own (limited) research on the matter found out that many nurses and other medical persons came down with and subsequently died from being exposed to the flu whilst caring for patients. Of course many knew they shouldn't have been anywhere near such sick persons but "duty" kept nurses on the wards and in the cases of public health nursing going from house to house caring for the stricken.
With almost one hundred years of hindsight and modern adances in medical care one would think if such a thing hit again things would be different. However one does wonder if a bulk of nurses today have the "self sacrificing" gene.
Say this because clearly remember what things were like during the 1980's when AIDS began to appear. Was working as a CNA and often it wasn't the most shining hour for some nursing staff. Indeed on more than several occasions it came down to threats of being written up for insubordination to get some nurses anywhere near afflicted patients.
If there was a major outbreak of unknown or serious disease such as another major flu outbreak would *you* go in? If the hospital was going on lock-down for the duration would you stay or bolt for the door before it's locked?
I just wanted to update y'all that in 2022 I came back into healthcare to work in a COVID research facility. A lot of that covid money went on food & beer.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I don't know where you have but I have been through the H1N1 outbreak as well as the Covid 19 outbreak ( I got Covid twice) but I did report for every single shift except when I was considered contagious. This had nothing to do with self-sacrifice but also due to having bills to pay.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
hppygr8ful said:
I don't know where you have but I have been through the H1N1 outbreak as well as the Covid 19 outbreak ( I got Covid twice) but I did report for every single shift except when I was considered contagious. This had nothing to do with self-sacrifice but also due to having bills to pay.
Hppy
The question was posed 12 years ago. I guess by now we all know what we would do if there was a pandemic. I, too went to work.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
canoehead said:
I was there for the last one, but I doubt I'd stay for another round. I'll pump gas before doing that again.
It would be different this time. This time the public trust in the CDC and NIH has already been diminished and a large swath of the public is proudly defiant about public health admonition. Marry that to the expected indifferent and incompetent federal leadership and its a bleak picture. I bet there will be supplements and such available for purchase, though.
Laboratorian
130 Posts
I just wanted to update y'all that in 2022 I came back into healthcare to work in a COVID research facility. A lot of that covid money went on food & beer.