Will you work during a Pandemic?

Nurses COVID

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  1. Nurses, would you go to work during a Pandemic?

    • 1926
      No
    • 5592
      Yes
    • 1288
      undecided

1,893 members have participated

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN

1 Article; 1,978 Posts

Specializes in School Nursing.

Someone with appropriate PPE. If none are available, I would never ask a healthcare provider to risk their own life to save mine.

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

True, everyone should have PPE.

Bugaloo

3 Articles; 168 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg, HH, Tele, Geriatrics, Psych.

Considering the way most of us are treated when there is NOT a pandemic, why should I risk my life to go to work without PPE to protect me?

I have a family that depends on me for an income, which I cannot earn if I am dead.

AND the government is going to demand that I work? I. Don't. Think. So!

:angryfire

rockenmomRN

158 Posts

Specializes in Tele.

i would go in if and only if my family could be guaranteed imediate care by my hospital if they were infected b/c i came to work. and i'm talking presidential level of care. if i'm willing to put my life on the line then i would need in writing that my husband and sons would be taken care of. the way i look at it is that their lives are just as important as anyone i would be taking care of. And if i died their futures would have to be provided for.

i'm no florence nightengale, i've never claimed it. i went into nursing for scheduling, money and job security. i love what i do and am good at it, but i'm also a realist. i have a 6yr old with asthma, if he so much as gets the sniffles it seems to settle into his lungs.

i agree with others who have said, i hope the health department and cdc are listening/reading these threads, but i doubt it.

rockenmomRN

158 Posts

Specializes in Tele.

just noticed that the majority of people who voted on the pole said they would go to work, yet in going through all these posting; there are only a handful that say they would go. in fact the overwhelming majority is that they wouldn't go to work.

csw5048

21 Posts

Of Course I would work! But let's straighten out the scenario a bit first. I work in Public Health. After 9/11, the government gave out a lot of money to set up emergency preparedness plans in each state and county. I am the first to admit, that it did not work well during Hurricaine Katrina..... However that was not all due to poor planning, but stupid politics or should I say politicians! There was help waiting to be let into the city, but the mayor did not want to authorize it and the govenor did not want to step on any toes so HE did not authorize help either.

Anyway a lot was learned from that fiasco. I know for a fact that in our county, we have an ample supply of PPE's because that is what we bought with some of the money and stockpiled it. We have a plan for dispensing antivirals, vaccine and PPE's, that includes making sure that the families of health care workers are amoung the first to receive vaccine (if available) or other prophylactic medications. The people that made the plans realize that nurses ( and ancillary support persons) will be concerned with the safety and health of their own families first. So that was written into the plan. While Public Health has been severely underpaid and understaffed, we continue to place the best interest of the community first. We all have our job to do in case of a Pandemic and we are willing to do it.

I can only hope and pray that others will feel the same way.

typoagain

76 Posts

How about this: Terrorist attack the US and the government is in total disarray. Military unit are unable to get enough food, ammo and fuel. Would you expect the military to show up and protect your hometown from attack?

One is the same as the other in my book. We are nurses, and WE ARE the health care system. Good or bad, dangerous or even deadly, it is the job we signed on for.

I would try to be the first one there. And there I would stay until it is over.

By the way-first responders and health care workers will be the first people to get any immunizations that come along. If I am passing out these meds, you can bet my family will be covered too. They will also be at the hospital working with me. You can stay at home and hide in your hole-and wait in line for your meds with everybody else.

DeepFriedRN

207 Posts

i suppose that if i had an ample stock of ppe, and a total assurance that i AND my family will get both anti-virals and a vaccine (when available) then i might go. But there is no way in heck I'd work without those things. I have asthma, so flu and stuff settles in my lungs. I can't help anyone if I'm sick. So I have to take care of myself first. Which means I need PPE, and anti-virals if I get it, and prophylactic anti-virals for my fam so I don't spend all my time worrying about them and can do my job.(though I get vaccinated every year, so if possible would rather go that route and avoid sickness)I'd need proof in hand before I would. Although that said, I'm in SoCal, and I'm going to work tomorrow, so who's to say I'm not walking in to the lion's den at 7 am tomorrow morning? Hopefully not. Nobody can really say for sure either way. My guess would be that there are a lot more cases than anyone fully appreciates..Wash, wash, wash..

lamazeteacher

2,170 Posts

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

Deep Fried RN, be sure to have your properly fitted N95 mask with you at all times, and use it when a coughing person approaches you (although that person should be wearing the mask); and avoid crowds.

Yes, I'd find a place to work, as I'm retired now.

Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

Someone mentioned a ventilator....I will assume that flu or any pandemic emergency would be similar to the disaster plans we have for mass casualty burns. Anyone 55 yo or older automatically placed on comfort care, then it goes by severity and beds. Forget anyone needing maitenance care, dialysis or anything else. They will die....plain and simple.

It isn't going to be about caring for anyone, I truly believe it will be mass chaos with those who "know somebody" getting VIP care first and the hell with everyone else!

After Katrina, I have no doubt that we will be let down in more ways than one as citizens of this country. That was just a hurricane affecting one area of the country, not a pandemic event. Seeing the response to Swine Flu, I have no doubt the populace would go wild in a true deadly epidemic.

M

Specializes in Cardiac.
just noticed that the majority of people who voted on the pole said they would go to work, yet in going through all these posting; there are only a handful that say they would go. in fact the overwhelming majority is that they wouldn't go to work.

Without even a second guess-I'd work. That is our job. I can't imagine saying, "I'll work on regular days, but when I'm needed the most I'll stay home"

That is perplexing to me.

But to each his own.

indigo girl

5,173 Posts

Specializes in Too many to list.
i suppose that if i had an ample stock of ppe, and a total assurance that i AND my family will get both anti-virals and a vaccine (when available) then i might go. But there is no way in heck I'd work without those things. I have asthma, so flu and stuff settles in my lungs. I can't help anyone if I'm sick. So I have to take care of myself first. Which means I need PPE, and anti-virals if I get it, and prophylactic anti-virals for my fam so I don't spend all my time worrying about them and can do my job.(though I get vaccinated every year, so if possible would rather go that route and avoid sickness)I'd need proof in hand before I would. Although that said, I'm in SoCal, and I'm going to work tomorrow, so who's to say I'm not walking in to the lion's den at 7 am tomorrow morning? Hopefully not. Nobody can really say for sure either way. My guess would be that there are a lot more cases than anyone fully appreciates..Wash, wash, wash..

Good post, DeepFriedRN.

Was the US DHS Release of 12 Million Treatment Doses from the National Strategic Stockpile Appropriate?

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...69&postcount=1

These words were just posted yesterday by a physician. He's an interesting man, best known for his commonsense approach to teaching lay people how to care for their sick loved ones at home during an influenza outbreak. Just basic info for HCW perhaps, but taking care of the sick for some people could be challenging.

ftp://wikimember:[email protected]%2016pt.pdf

Is he right about the release of the stockpile being inappropriate? Maybe.

He says that it was supposed to be for reserved for critical workers who are needed to serve the community, people like us. I don't know if he is correct in supposition, but if he is, then this is food for thought.

Originally Posted by http://www.flutrackers.com

It was not a strategic deployment. It was a politically motivated tactical deployment and an entirely inappropriate use of a strategic resource in my view.

The National Strategic Stockpile of materials is just that; strategic. What Sec. Napolitano did was deploy a strategic resource for a politically tactical reason. This is very worrisome because it shows that she does not have a grasp of just how severe the current situation is.

Why? Simply put strategic resources must be maintained in reserve for use in as a last resort. They are resources that a country reserves for use when its very existence is threatened. The anti-viral drugs maintained in the National Strategic Stockpile have already been designated for use by the CDC's updated rationing plan, one I support. The diversion of a quarter of this precious resource for non-targeted civilian use for treatment of those with influenza within the states most affected by the virus is a violation of the policy adopted by the CDC .

This is an important issue because the doses released by DHS from the strategic stockpile have been earmarked for use by fireman, policeman, EMS, the political leadership, nurses, doctors, pharmacists and many others responsible for maintaining our critical infrastructure including electric power, clean water and food on the table. While the drugs diverted by the Secretary for general use will save lives and all lives have great value, her choice to do so was not a humane one in the long run.

I don't know if he is correct in saying that is what this was reserved for, or if that is not the current intended use, but if he is then this is food for thought.

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