Speaking Of The Heat Wave - Hospitals Before Central Air Conditioning

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Current heat wav

e gripping much of the United States got me wondering what it must have been like to work the floors/units in the days before most all hospitals had central AC.

When I was young and worked first as a JV then an aide there were still many old hospitals in NYC that didn't have central air, but those big ole barns of buildings did have windows that opened and for certain areas/rooms window ACs were put in where possible. Other than that it was a constant (for me that is) running back and forth to the ice machine to keep pitchers full. It was the nurses one felt sorry for; heat tends to bring out the cranky in people and when they are sick already that is not a good combination. Worse many head nurses/supervisors would'nt relax dress code so those gals were often stuck in "whites",nylons, and possibly caps for the duration of their shift.

Ice cream was in high demand with staff and patients alike. Other than that the only other cool "food" was the cursed Jell-0! *LOL*

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

When I worked in the UK we did not have AC that was way back in 2005!

We roasted to death in the summer and froze in the winter

Things may have changed since

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Can you imagine good old Flo Nightengale with those stinky Civil War soldiers and their gangrenous legs, open abdominal wounds, bodily fluids from every orifice, and no Lysol ? :uhoh3: That had to horrible. No wonder she could only get the hookers and drunks to work for her- the "proper" women of that era wouldn't be caught dead with that sort of thing.

I took care of a retired Cook County (Chicago) Hospital, from back in the 1930s....she was amazing- and had to deal with doing housekeeping chores, along with the metal bedpans, glass syringes, sharpening needles, autoclaving supplies (I did that at a nursing home in the mid-80s), and other unheard of stuff in today's world. And of course- no AC.

There are still a LOT of homes that don't have AC in the northern/midwest states. Several years ago, hundreds of people died during a heat wave in Chicago. They had to haul the bodies away in refrigerated trucks- how horrible for the dignity of the deceased, and the family having to go find them.

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Specializes in ICU.
When I worked in the UK we did not have AC that was way back in 2005!

We roasted to death in the summer and froze in the winter

Things may have changed since[/quote

Working in the NHS things can get a bit quirky...last month the central heating was on night and day, the unit was like a sauna. Still at least we didn't get cold :idea: It's nice to know that our tax is being spent well...

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Specializes in Women's health & post-partum.
I took care of a retired Cook County (Chicago) Hospital, from back in the 1930s....she was amazing- and had to deal with doing housekeeping chores, along with the metal bedpans, glass syringes, sharpening needles, autoclaving supplies (I did that at a nursing home in the mid-80s), and other unheard of stuff in today's world. And of course- no AC..

We were still doing those things in the '50s (another County Hospital). Well, we did have a housekeeper. It would get up to 98 degrees at the nurses' station--at midnight!

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The facility I work in still does not have air conditioning:eek: Temps here have been in the high 90's. It is miserable:crying2:

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The facility I work in still does not have air conditioning:eek: Temps here have been in the high 90's. It is miserable:crying2:

SneakySnake, where do you work?

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Specializes in Step-down, cardiac.
There are still a LOT of homes that don't have AC in the northern/midwest states. Several years ago, hundreds of people died during a heat wave in Chicago.

I work for a home health agency in North Carolina in a small, poor town, and most of our patients have no air conditioning in their homes, or only a room A/C in the bedroom window. It was 105 degrees yesterday, and has been over 100 every day for weeks. I really worry that one of our nurses is going to find a patient dead from the heat.

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OMG, i too live in s small town in north carolina and it is so hot it got up to 80 degrees in my house last week and this week. It is crazy!!

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I'm also in NC and yesterday the heat index was 112. I haven't been outside today (home with a sick kid) but I was told it would be worse. I couldn't imagine working in a place with no central air -- maybe I'm just spoiled though :)

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I remember one brutal summer in which the power when down in our LTC facility.

The generator was going, but no a/c.

It was hotter and stickier than a dickens and we just couldn't get enough water!

The worst part was still having to put heavy afghans and sweaters on the residents because they were still cold!

I cringed every time I tossed another blanket on the bed!

blah!!!

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I live in Central Alabama and haven't turned the AC on yet (and I'm a recent transplant from the Pacific NW). I'd rather 'suffer' in the heat and humidity and enjoy fresh air than breathe the recycled air from AC.

I think a good part of it is that people have gotten used to AC and have forgotten how to deal with heat.

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