When to bring your rollerskates...

[weatherwoman]

If your shift greeting is "did you bring your roller skates?" a whirl wind of activity awaits you. Skyrocketing admissions, crashing patients and frightened patients/family members will need your skills and empathy. I have been researching abrupt census increases to try to forecast patient shifts. A three year pilot study lead to a expanded multi-hospital east coast study. Twelve hospitals from Maine to Florida volunteered their census data. Meteorologic associations are emeging from the studies. If you are interested in Patient Forecasting, Census Projections and/or meteorology lets talk. Weather Woman RN

[Southernurse]

this is fascinating! i have always sensed the undercurrent before the onslaught, even before i got to work when i worked in the hospital. there is definitely a connection, and i would be thrilled if you kept me informed of what these findings are. i also firmly believe the "full moon" theory as well. my past experience leads me to this, and also when the barometric pressure drops, pain levels skyrocket, as well as other physiological changes due to our fluid displacements when environmental pressure changes. i look forward to the data!

[weatherwoman]

Hi Southern Nurse. Your observations are right on! On November 5, 2008 my hospital is sponsoring the first conference on Nursing Meteorological Studies. I've been working with local members of the US Weather Service and they have formally been having programs for "first responders" (ie squad folks and police) for several years now. The DR's have not been eager to respond but nurses are in a position to see the affect weather changes have in the ER and the bedside. Therefore I'm predicting that nurses will bring forth the association between weather changes and health. In the fall I will have a web site

for frequent updates and info sharing. Stay in touch if you are interested. Thank you for your response.

[PageRespiratory!]

The very first variable in the Alveolar - Air equation is the atmospheric barometric pressure. To me this says the weather and and surrounding meteorological conditions have everything to do with the state of ones health! I'm excited by this study and look forward to reading some findings.

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BTW - I think hospital issue rollerskates and Tazers should be mandatory for all personell!:chuckle

[husker_rn, RN]

It will be interesting to see the data; it will scientifically explain that which we already know. I can predict the weather changes just by observing behavior changes in my LTC residents. And those with dementia are the predictors.

[wearingmanyhats, RN]

I look forward to the data also...

I work mostly LTC, and you can pretty much guess when full moon/new moon is on the horizon...

I have also noticed that the weather does influence them... when it has been rainy/gloomy for a few days, moods and behaviors change dramatically.

Faye

[weatherwoman]

Hello in Vermont.

Thank you for your response. By the way, if you are currently working in a hospital you may have experienced a surge in census from June 1, 2008

(last Sunday) and today Sunday Jue 8, 2008. If you did I would really like to known...I'll put you on my buddy list for weather/health issues.

[Southernurse]

hey, again!

i was wondering....i was a nurse at a hospital in florida before hurricane charley hit in 2004, and worked through it. i must say that aside from one woman who was in panic mode, the few patients we did have were as placid as can be. does this study include the hurricane season as i saw that there is a florida hospital involved in this study? are the factors for extreme weather? do keep me posted!:watherthunderstormc:watherthunderstormc

[weatherwoman]

Thank you for your response. The East Coast Study underway is only looking at overall census. Hopefully, the future efforts will include more

patient specific info... Any thoughts you have about census/patients/weather/moon I would appreciate. Take care.