Patient negative and now is positive

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This has happened a few times at my hospital. The ER transfers a patient up to unit They say the patient was checked for COVID and is negative. The policy is that all positive and rule outs must be isolated. Going on ER's word the patient is put in a room with another patient. Patient is rechecked for COVID (don't know why they just recheck) and the patient has COVID. Now they have to scramble to find room for 2 patients who now need isolation. The nurses are pissed, because they exposed their other patients.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

The fastest and best solution for this is for all eligible Americans to vaccinate asap.

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15 hours ago, DesiDani said:

This has happened a few times at my hospital. The ER transfers a patient up to unit They say the patient was checked for COVID and is negative. The policy is that all positive and rule outs must be isolated. Going on ER's word the patient is put in a room with another patient. Patient is rechecked for COVID (don't know why they just recheck) and the patient has COVID. Now they have to scramble to find room for 2 patients who now need isolation. The nurses are pissed, because they exposed their other patients.

Not sure if you are asking something? Or just sharing an anecdote? 
 

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/false-negative-how-long-does-it-take-coronavirus-become-detectable-pcr
 

It will happen. I’m sure that you know of latency periods and incubation periods. 

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18 hours ago, DesiDani said:

They say the patient was checked for COVID and is negative. The policy is that all positive and rule outs must be isolated. Going on ER's word the patient is put in a room with another patient. Patient is rechecked for COVID (don't know why they just recheck) and the patient has COVID.

Are you sure this doesn't simply involve a positive PCR test following a negative antigen test?

What type of test is being performed in the ED?

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Specializes in ICU/Burn ICU/MSICU/NeuroICU.
On 7/22/2021 at 12:40 PM, toomuchbaloney said:

The fastest and best solution for this is for all eligible Americans to vaccinate asap.

Wrong. Not to be forgotten, vaccinated folks are getting COVID too, right?

If this question was on NCLEX, the answer would be . . . 

c. The fastest and best solution for this is for all incoming pts. be put on precautions until proven positive or negative.

 

YMMV?

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
38 minutes ago, litepath2 said:

Wrong. Not to be forgotten, vaccinated folks are getting COVID too, right?

If this question was on NCLEX, the answer would be . . . 

c. The fastest and best solution for this is for all incoming pts. be put on precautions until proven positive or negative.

 

YMMV?

The fastest and least costly way to get past this pandemic is with widespread vaccination against this coronavirus.  That's not up for debate, that's reality. Pandemics involve much more than patients in a hospital ward. 

Do you not understand that unvaccinated individuals are 100% responsible for ongoing community spread?  If the frightened and hesitant and belligerent people just vaccinated, the circulating virus load in a community would spiral down pretty dramatically.  Vaccinated people CAN be infected with virus...no person of credibility ever told you they couldn't...vaccines protect people from serious illness or death.  Vaccines decrease viral load and the probability of transmission. If you want guarantees for vaccines you'd probably get them from the last place that gave you guarantees. 

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Specializes in BSN, RN, CVRN-BC.
On 7/23/2021 at 9:01 PM, litepath2 said:

Wrong. Not to be forgotten, vaccinated folks are getting COVID too, right?

If this question was on NCLEX, the answer would be . . . 

c. The fastest and best solution for this is for all incoming pts. be put on precautions until proven positive or negative.

 

YMMV?

Yes, but at much lower rates.  Studies in England are showing that vaccinated individuals are not getting as ill, have lower viral loads, and shred fewer viruses.  Also, 99% of COVID deaths are unvaccinated people.  Convinced?

That seems to be a thing.  The person first hits the ED and gets a screen that is negative and then a couple of days later they are positive.  Were they not shedding enough viruses for the rapid test but turned up positive on the PCR?  Was the rapid test not done properly?

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Specializes in ICU/Burn ICU/MSICU/NeuroICU.

Right, or was it iatrogenic? Doesn't matter when you need to keep basically every charge safe. Which is why I said, put 'em all on precautions.

The why/where and when was beyond my post, but your points are well taken.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Have seen a lot of this... 

Screened too fast often = neg. test result 

 

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