Swine Flu and Emergency Nursing

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Apr 30, 2009

The meida has really blown this out of proportion. Must be a slow news time..

One of our local radio stations ran a "10 things you should know about the Swine flu" durring the AM commute time,.....it included things like statistically you are more likely to die driving to work than from the swine flu,..you are more likely to be hit by lightening than to get the swine flu,..it compared the deaths from complications of influenza to the cases of swine flu (something like 156,000 vs 62 in the US) It was refeshing to hear the media tell everyone to chill for once!

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2009

i fee for you people that work in the er...my area is just crazy...already two major school districts have completely closed for a week and a half ...one school district with something like 80k students closed for 1 confirmed case and the other closed for 4 possible cases....i understand this is a situation that bares watching but good grief.....

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 30, 2009

Like I said elsewhere, this is going to completely restore our census to normal and eliminate flex staffing, but I highly doubt we're seeing the pandemic of 1918 again ...

RNpandoraRN · Apr 30, 2009

People reacted the same way with the "bird flu" a few years back (or was that more recent?). I, too, get tired of hearing the media blow everything out of proportion. It should be taken seriously, but so far is it any more dangerous than the 'regular" flu, i.e. affecting the elderly and the very young (already immunocomprised)...

Whispera, MSN, RN · Apr 30, 2009

I feel the need to add another side to the story. Remember when everyone was thinking they had anthrax? During that time my son had some similar symptoms to the disease and it got to the point that he was in so much pain that he could barely walk. We didn't think he had anthrax but knew he was sick. While we were in the ER, I heard staff saying he was "another one of them that thinks he has anthrax." They gave him an antacid and an IV of NS, diagnosed gastroenteritis, and sent him home. After a month of trying to get a proper diagnosis and treatment (the doctors did no testing, and accepted that the first diagnosis was correct), I insisted on him seeing a GI specialist who ordered a lower GI series. My son had peritonitis from a ruptured appendix (30 days old).

So, my added thought to this topic is...never assume....

mama_d, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2009

I'm reserving judgment for a little while before I decide if it's getting blown out of proportion or not.

We've got little natural immunity to it, no vaccines, and it's jumping from human to human now, which increases the chances of mutation. Hopefully it will be a short-lived, relatively contained episode that we can all poke fun at later. And most of us are lucky enough to live in a country where Tamiflu and the like are fairly easily available, so that helps us at least.

All the same, I can't really blame people for being overcautious. Coming to the ED when you don't even have any symptoms is another thing entirely though.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 30, 2009

We were already having measles issues ... and now this. So our infection control peeps have made signs for the ER waiting rooms that say, among other things:

"If you have a fever of more than 100º F and a rash:

OR

If you have a fever of more than 100º F, a sore throat and a cough or any other flu-like symptoms (body aches, headache, runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea)

THEN

Please put on a mask. Let the nurse know immediately that you have the above symptoms."

I'm getting ready to work four 12's in a row, starting tomorrow ... we'll see what happens! There are some probable cases in Maryland (awaiting confirmation), and I'm next door in Virginia. I just logged on to my hospital email and had about 20 messages directly related to policies and procedures and information dealing with the swine flu.

Displaced · Apr 30, 2009

Like I said elsewhere, this is going to completely restore our census to normal and eliminate flex staffing, but I highly doubt we're seeing the pandemic of 1918 again ...

Up until a couple days ago managers were asking who wanted to go home early, but now that we are very busy and we actually do want to go home, they have stopped asking.

oramar · Apr 30, 2009

I am concerned but I am not panicking. What good will panicking do? Panic makes reason go out the window and we need to think clearly in a situation like this.

indigo girl · Apr 30, 2009

I am concerned but I am not panicking. What good will panicking do? Panic makes reason go out the window and we need to think clearly in a situation like this.

Not to worry. Right now, nothing much is happening. No cause at all to panic. But, that could change.

I consider it a blessing that we have time to do some preparation for any kind of emergency.

Should we ignore what happened in Mexico? That would not be smart. This virus could still turn lethal maybe later in the fall in our regular flu season.

It is better, imo to prepare, just in case for later, and get on with our everyday lives. Remain calm, and let the CDC and the WHO do their jobs. Monitor the situation. Do some prepping for (any) emergency, and stop worrying

As long as I have my emergency supplies at hand, I feel better.

Just stay informed.

SillyPinkBunny · May 1, 2009

Hello everyone. I'm not worried about this swine flu at all, I beleive it's nothing but Mass Hysteria right now. I dont beleive in running to the ER everytime my kids or I have the sniffles or a low grade fever. BUT just in case, what kind of stuff should have at home for just in case? OTC meds? And when would be a good time to see a doctor if things get bad? The only thing that worries me is that what if me or one of my kids get hurt (broken bone, stitches ect)and need to go the ER or an urgent care or even our normal doctor's office and end up waiting forever because everyone and their dog is there cause they have a headache and a runny nose and think they're dying. A friend even told me how her dr's office has a 72 hour call back waiting time cause everyone keeps calling cause of this swine flu. But like I said, I'm not stressing it at all, but just to be resposible for my kids, what should I have at home just in case? also my kids are 7 and 9 years old so if they get sick, they should be able to fight it unlike a very small child?? Sorry for all the questions because truthfully I have no momeory of ever getting the flu and my kids have never had the flu either, so I have no experience with it so I have no idea what kind of meds I should have at home just in case, I'm thinking motrin and tylenol are a must, but anything else??

-pinkbunny