Need all of your input before possibly my last shift here today:
My hospital is about 4-5 blocks from the gulf and right in the path of Rita which is currently 170-175 mph winds.
They keep reporting on TV how the hospitals here are evacuating which they are, our last patient was air lifted out last night.
But...they are making us stay here and ride it out for the stragglers who didn't follow the mandatory evacuation.
We have absolutely no patients in this hospital but they refuse to close it and are keeping our ER open which consequently means that we need OR, ICU, etc. beds open as well.
The storm surge is expected to be quite high.
I'm thinking of leaving here today after my shift is over and evacuating and will probably get fired.
Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, Infection, Home Health, and LTC.
This may sound callous, but after twenty plus years in nursing I have learned the hard way that when it comes to a hospitals reputation, money, or possible lawsuit, they will terminate a nurse in a second and not bat an eyelash.
It would not matter if you had worked at the same place for 15 plus years or one year, and I have seen it happen to many a nursing friend. There is no "loyality" to what has become a harsh money making buisness. Nurses are just a needed item to keep the wheels in motion and no matter what we would like to think, individually we are all "expendable."
Knowing that reality, I am not prepared to die, get beat up, hurt, or placed in a position of danger. The profession of nursing can be performed elsewhere at other hospitals, but I won't endanger my life for one.
They may can fire me for leaving or calling in, but I'd rather be fired and safe with my family than dead.
It came from the Chief of ER Medicine. He stated there were still three patients remaining in the hospital, because they were too unstable to be evacuated. I saw his interview on national television.
Grannynurse
I know what you mean now. There were actually 6 ICU from the beginning that were believed to be unable to take an evacuation. One patient was because of size (600+ pounds) and couldn't fit on the life flight but even he too eventually left, I believe by military flight, before wednesday night. That was not a current briefing from the chief.
I know what you mean now. There were actually 6 ICU from the beginning that were believed to be unable to take an evacuation. One patient was because of size (600+ pounds) and couldn't fit on the life flight but even he too eventually left, I believe by military flight, before wednesday night. That was not a current briefing from the chief.
They all were gone by late wedesday night.
The physician was clearly identified as Chief of Emergency Medicine. And was interviewed live, late Wednesday evening. And he very clearly stated that three patients remained because they were too unstable to risk evacuation. He also stated that their families had been informed. You made your decision, you left. Please do not belittle those who choose to stay behind. They made their decision and I seriously doubt they are exoecting any praise for it.
I have a feeling that this is one of those discussions that could go on forever and get more personal in the future. We should respect each others actions and opinions and get on with the healing that needs to take place after such a disaster. Everyone when faced with a situation must do what is right for them, and only they know what that is. I'm glad that RN34Tx is safe and I'm sure that many people have been touched Grannynurses dedication.
The physician was clearly identified as Chief of Emergency Medicine. And was interviewed live, late Wednesday evening. And he very clearly stated that three patients remained because they were too unstable to risk evacuation. He also stated that their families had been informed. You made your decision, you left. Please do not belittle those who choose to stay behind. They made their decision and I seriously doubt they are exoecting any praise for it.
Grannynurse
How was I belittling anyone who chose to stay behind?
Did I say anything negative about the remaining all volunteer staff?
Are you not reading my posts?
I was genuinely trying to put the pieces together when you kept on talking about these supposed 3 remaining patients.
I came back from Dallas and asked EVERYONE I could find at work, because of you, that may have known about 3 remaining patients because none of the units that I helped evacuate had anyone remaining.
Everyone that I asked, as well as the article in the Galveston paper that I just posted a link to, confirmed that the hospital had no remaining patients.
In my last post, I said that the last patient was evacuated late wednesday night, which is exactly when you said that you saw live coverage from the ER Chief.
Are you putting the pieces together now?
For the record, it really makes no difference to me had there been 3 remaining patients, I still would have left and not looked back so I don't know why you're trying to insist that patients were still there.
I only looked into this issue upon returning and commented on it here because you seemed so interested in it.
If you are too unstable to tolerate an MICU ambulance ride to an inland hospital, the chances are slim that you are going to get out of the hospital alive anyway.
Why put young healthy staff in danger to care for someone on their last legs on a vent through a major hurricane 4 blocks from the water?
Had my own parents or grandparents been that unstable in ICU, I certainly wouldn't expect the staff to stay with them and put their own safety on the line for someone who's outcome was not looking good in the first place.
That's called suicide, not nobility or a sense of duty as a nurse.
I would have told them to put them on the ambulance, evacuate and just do the best you can.
I would have told my parent/grandparent I love you, but you're going on the ambulance because I won't put an entire staffs lives on the line just because you might not survive the ride. No way.
How was I belittling anyone who chose to stay behind?
Did I say anything negative about the remaining all volunteer staff?
Are you not reading my posts?
I was genuinely trying to put the pieces together when you kept on talking about these supposed 3 remaining patients.
I came back from Dallas and asked EVERYONE I could find at work, because of you, that may have known about 3 remaining patients because none of the units that I helped evacuate had anyone remaining.
Everyone that I asked, as well as the article in the Galveston paper that I just posted a link to, confirmed that the hospital had no remaining patients.
In my last post, I said that the last patient was evacuated late wednesday night, which is exactly when you said that you saw live coverage from the ER Chief.
Are you putting the pieces together now?
For the record, it really makes no difference to me had there been 3 remaining patients, I still would have left and not looked back so I don't know why you're trying to insist that patients were still there.
I only looked into this issue upon returning and commented on it here because you seemed so interested in it.
If you are too unstable to tolerate an MICU ambulance ride to an inland hospital, the chances are slim that you are going to get out of the hospital alive anyway.
Why put young healthy staff in danger to care for someone on their last legs on a vent through a major hurricane 4 blocks from the water?
Had my own parents or grandparents been that unstable in ICU, I certainly wouldn't expect the staff to stay with them and put their own safety on the line for someone who's outcome was not looking good in the first place.
That's called suicide, not nobility or a sense of duty as a nurse.
I would have told them to put them on the ambulance, evacuate and just do the best you can.
I would have told my parent/grandparent I love you, but you're going on the ambulance because I won't put an entire staffs lives on the line just because you might not survive the ride. No way.
Like I said, the staff that remained behind made their decision, you made yours. And it apparently was good that some remained, to care for the burn patient that arrived on their doorstep.
Did I miss something? Was there any disciplinary action taken on your return to work or to ANY staff that had chosen to evacuate??? OR, were you just welcomed back and everyone was thankful that their experienced nurses were back alive and healthy???
Was there ANY damage sustained to the hospital???
I read of the 2 hospitals in New Orleans that need to be torn down because of extensive damage from the flooding and the diaries of those nurses/MDs that had stayed behind and were abandoned because the hospitals were not evacuted in time. Awful. I am sure there will be eventually many lawsuits brough forward by families whose loved ones that were not evacuted died and the pain/suffering endured that would have probably caused closure anyway.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Like I said, the staff that remained behind made their decision, you made yours. And it apparently was good that some remained, to care for the burn patient that arrived on their doorstep.
Grannynurse :balloons:
The whole point of the original post was that they were trying to MAKE them stay!!!! I still want as my epitath that I am a loving daughter, devoted mother, adoring wife beloved sister ......not that I died leaving my small children motherless because I was a devoted Nurse. Just to head the next statement off I am from the old school. I wore my white cap and my starched white dress nursing was not only a job but a vocation. BUt there are limits to even my tolerance! VOLUNTARY TO STAY... NOONE including the CNO cannot MAKE anyone risk their life....dangerous mission? even in the army they call for VOLUNTEERs. MY hearts go out to the nurses abandoned by their hospitals in New Orleans now they deserve a standing ovation:yelclap: .they were left and forgotten by their own hospitals but yet cared for the sick and dying.....they should be given the purple heart for bravery in face of abandonment and they stood up to the task....CUDOS!! glad you're home texas lost in boston
I was glancing through this thread and when I saw one of your comments I had to pause and say "huh?"
"Why put young healthy staff in danger to care for someone on their last legs on a vent through a major hurricane 4 blocks from the water?
Had my own parents or grandparents been that unstable in ICU, I certainly wouldn't expect the staff to stay with them and put their own safety on the line for someone who's outcome was not looking good in the first place."
I work at one of the hospitals in Houston that the other ones evacuated to and we were supposed to have some of the nurses come with the patients that evacuated and none did. They just cut and ran, leaving our hospital overwhelmed with patients and underwhelmed with nurses. We would have sustained somewhat of a hit from the storm but not like the ones on the coast. However, we were made to stay and we were allowed to bring our families with us as the nurses from the evacuating hospitals would have. The big major hospitals can stand hurricane force winds and since Allison have better plans for flooding.
Maybe you thought that us "older nurses" should be the ones to take the risk to go with the patients since we have nothing to lose? And would you like to have the ICU staff abandon their patients in their care to fend for themselves because the nurses have to think of their own needs only. (Isn't that what happened to the nursing home residents in Louisiana?) I have to wonder why some people got into nursing. The nursing home residents that were killed in the bus fire were sent off in the same manner. Where were their nurses? How would you have felt if that was your mama or daddy? By the way, I am 44 and I have children as well as grandchildren. I brought my family to stay with me in the hospital where I knew that they would be safe (and given the traffic situation, I'm glad I did). We were also overwhelmed with family members. We went from a hospital with 300 beds to taking on 900 people which included staff, family and patients.
Secondly, we did have some nurses that didn't stay at our hospital and some others in the area. Some of them lost their jobs or were disciplined in one way or another.
I still want as my epitath that I am a loving daughter, devoted mother, adoring wife beloved sister ......not that I died leaving my small children motherless because I was a devoted Nurse. Just to head the next statement off I am from the old school. I wore my white cap and my starched white dress nursing was not only a job but a vocation.
BUt there are limits to even my tolerance! VOLUNTARY TO STAY... NOONE including the CNO cannot MAKE anyone risk their life....dangerous mission? 
even in the army they call for VOLUNTEERs. MY hearts go out to the nurses abandoned by their hospitals in New Orleans now they deserve a standing ovation:yelclap: .they were left and forgotten by their own hospitals but yet cared for the sick and dying.....they should be given the purple heart for bravery in face of abandonment and they stood up to the task....CUDOS!! glad you're home texas 
lost in boston
Cheyenne RN,BSHS
285 Posts
This may sound callous, but after twenty plus years in nursing I have learned the hard way that when it comes to a hospitals reputation, money, or possible lawsuit, they will terminate a nurse in a second and not bat an eyelash.
It would not matter if you had worked at the same place for 15 plus years or one year, and I have seen it happen to many a nursing friend. There is no "loyality" to what has become a harsh money making buisness. Nurses are just a needed item to keep the wheels in motion and no matter what we would like to think, individually we are all "expendable."
Knowing that reality, I am not prepared to die, get beat up, hurt, or placed in a position of danger. The profession of nursing can be performed elsewhere at other hospitals, but I won't endanger my life for one.
They may can fire me for leaving or calling in, but I'd rather be fired and safe with my family than dead.