Will you work during a Pandemic?

[Goju]

admin note: we just added a poll to this thread today, april 25, 2008, please take a second and vote in the poll so we can have a graphical representation of the responses. thanks

scenario:

h5n1 (the bird flu) mutates to become efficient at transmitting human to human causing a pandemic, with a case fatality rate of 60% and with 80% of the cases in the 0-40 year old age range.

see:

http://www.wpro.who.int/nr/rdonlyres/fd4ac2fd-b7c8-4a13-a32c-6cf328a0c036/0/s4_1113.jpg

hospitals will be quickly overrun. hospital staff shortages are 50%. the government orders all nurses to work. there is not enough personal protection equipment (n95 masks, gloves, goggles, tamiflu, vax, etc)

home quarantines become common (in the fed plans).

your family is also quarantined in your home. you are running out of food and the government promises you will be "taken care of" if you report to work.

will you go?

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

I posted an article in the breakroom of the hospital about this very thing. I was trying to light a fire and get people to think about the possibility of a pandemic and exactly what would be expected of us nurses. I wanted them to question our administration and infection control dept. and see what kind of game plan was in the makes.

My efforts fell flat as a pancake.

[ebear, BSN, RN]

Under those "promises" by the government ABSOLUTELY NOT. Family #1. How many "promises" have they made to military recruits??? I believe our military should receive the BEST of everything! They receive the crappiest care (including healthcare) of all! It infuriates me!!!

ebear (grew up at Fort Benning)

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

Scenario:

H5N1 (the bird flu) mutates to become efficient at transmitting Human to human causing a Pandemic, with a case fatality rate of 60% and with 80% of the cases in the 0-40 year old age range.

see:

http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/FD4AC2FD-B7C8-4A13-A32C-6CF328A0C036/0/S4_1113.jpg

Hospitals will be quickly overrun. Hospital staff shortages are 50%. The Government orders all nurses to work. There is not enough Personal Protection Equipment (N95 masks, gloves, goggles, tamiflu, vax, etc)

Home quarantines become common (in the Fed plans).

Your family is also quarantined in your home. You are running out of food and the Government promises you will be "taken care of" if you report to work.

Will you go?

And would the government then "take care" of my orphaned children as well as they had "taken care" of me? Or Mr. O'Myacin, who undoubedly would be doing his "civic duty" by putting on his uniform and trying to enforce martial law?...So, no... don't think I'd be clocking in that day.

[MedicalLPN, LPN]

Yeah I'd work, but then again I don't have children. I can certainly understand parents not coming in so they can take care of their kids, and since i'm the only nurse on my unit without kids I guess I'll be the only one working lol

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

You know truthfully i think in a pandemic situation you would see health care fall back to when people took care of their own in their own homes. I dont think they would admit for flu anyway. I think the dx would be made by a mobile medical group and those exposed within that family would be quarentined to care for their sick in their own homes. The only people who would be hospitalized would be those needing care for injury or accident and others who we see admitted with the vague complaints would be cared for out of the home until it was known they needed some type of surgery.

[MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN]

No PPE? No Workee! If healthcare workers drop-who'll care for them? The truth is...if there is a pandemic....many, many will die! I will assume mass casualty triage parameters will be used. Anyone who doesn't look salvageable-pushed to the side, to make way for those who may survive.

Ugly, but an ugly truth.

Maisy

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

hospitals will be quickly overrun. hospital staff shortages are 50%. the government orders all nurses to work. there is not enough personal protection equipment (n95 masks, gloves, goggles, tamiflu, vax, etc)

home quarantines become common (in the fed plans).

your family is also quarantined in your home. you are running out of food and the government promises you will be "taken care of" if you report to work.

will you go?

personally, that seems like a very good time to sail the boat off into the sunset. no ppe, no work!

[MisMatch, LPN]

How can I be ordered to work if I'm quarantined???

[Blackcat99]

No way. My mother is 86 and has alzheimer's. I'd stay home with Mom.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Somehow I see a problem that with staff extremely short, we would not be allowed to leave. To go home would mean to risk bringing illness home. If things were desperate, nurses would somehow be fed, housed and put to work by the hospitals.

I'm not sure I would be committed enough to leave my family behind. I would like to think I could do what needed to be done, but without PPD, why?

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Nope. Working during a Malthusian event of such proportions would be akin to medieval nuns and monks sacrificing themselves. I ain't a saint.

[Goju]

Reading these responses reminds me of parts from Barry's "The Great Influenza" where the Gov forced nurses to work.

Many nurses I spoke with have told me they didn't believe in "the pandemic" or that the "magical" vax will be there for them.

It is hard to believe that so many in the profession are so clueless as to the realities set before us.

Nurses are the front line defense the people have... and if the people knew that the nurses wouldn't be there for them, they might take pandemic prepping more seriously or demand that PPE was provided.

Have you all been stigmatized for talking about the need for Pandemic planning at your places of work?