Title: "is it just me.. or...?
Is there a significant downturn in the use of cough etiquette in this country???
For me, the answer is yes. I have had to up the ante on the cough information on my ICU patients since flu season started in September. I boldly display the use of the crook of the elbow, clothing, less opportune is hand with wad of tissue... to demonstrate cough etiquette. I figure I am at high risk for covid 19 if only because of the fact that I get coughed on multiple times, in my face, during shift, by both patients and their visitors, and there is this stunned hurt bovine look in some cases, like "what?"
This despite the fact that we actually WISH many of our patients to cough. Post-surgical patients, for instance. Patients with thick secretions, as another example. Fortunately, I have a handy-dandy icon for education on my screen, with a subconcept entitled "cough"... which could mean, "turn, cough, deep breathe", or "cough because I am about to pull out your ET tube''... or "suctioning your upper airway is going to make you.... cough".
It seems like yesterday, but was in fact the second week of February, where I had a group of non-vaccinated pre-teens, wishing to go in the room of their Mom, who narrowly missed being placed on a ventilator for flu A. I told them,"consider this early education for Coronavirus, which is just around the corner". They looked dazed. I drew large air circles around the head/bed of their relative, describing the cloud of viral agents, then indicated that with air flow and currents in the room, it would likely go outside of the "safe" 6 foot environmental caution (although my facility was then teaching "3 feet" as safe) area following wind eddies, until it dropped on surfaces. They had recently come to the city and not been exposed already to the virus. It was their choice whether to go into room or not, and they all chose to stay out of the room, even while Mom was still not covering her cough.
I believe my health is directly compromised by the behavior of patients and visitors, and can only offer point of contact information, which might be largely ignored. Wouldn't it be prudent to have a public service announcement to remedy the loss of this important point of health and etiquette?
