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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.
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.
i guarantee i would be @ work!!... was today and it already shows ppl are freakin out... it is quite cracking me up... not that it is a laughing matter.. but the ppl that i had in my ER today thinking they had the swine flu...
* i woke up this morning with a slight headache*.....
vswnl... afebrile... no cough no nothing....
oh... did i mention he drank a lot of beer the night before???!!!
are you kidding me?
came in via EMS!!!
i just hope ppl don't totally blow this out of proportion...
its a silly/crazy strand of influenza....
im not scared of it one single bit....
i don't want to see ER'S overwhelmed for no reason...
not saying that it is not serious...
i just don't want to see ppl coming in for no reason... which i saw today...
took an ambulance... slight headache when he woke up?...
NOT THE SWINE FLU BUDDY....
he was discharged within 30 mins of his arrival....
FOR THE MOST PART... IF YOU WORK IN AN ER.... YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN FITTED W/ AN N95 RESP MASK.....
if you work in an ER and say that you would not work during a pandemic.... or even a full blown EPIDEMIC... then i highly suggest you go find yourself another job!!!!!....
as a side note.....
ANYONE... ER or not....
if you are afraid to take care of sick people.. then go work in an office...
I just think of the snowstorms when pp call in then. I mean, I can see if you live in the country and just CANNOT make it on the roads, but those others who live in the city 4 blocks from the hospital make me sick. I mean do they realize I just worked 8 hours and would like to go home and feed my dogs and let them out etc etc. So I can just imagine how a pandemic would fly with them...but to each their own. I do wonder if they refused to work and then ended up on my floor in a bed congested and feverish etc, how I would feel....hmmmm if you didn't take care of the flu pp, why should I take care of you....? Just a thought....it is what your coworkers will be thinking. Tough call though....I just don't know - I voted that I would work, but I couldn't leave my mom all day...if she were sick....maybe it will peter out...PPE all the way ftw
I honestly can't say. My hospital hasen't been able to supply us with 2x2;s, blankets, or adequate amounts of IV fluids for the past month or so. How the heck are they going to provide adequate PPE and everything to keep me safe?
If I knew I would be provided with the supplies and equipment to do my job as safetly as possible, I would be there all the way. Caring for flu victims would focus on nursing skills, and I can do that. Plus, I'd have a couple of immediate family members involved, and would feel guilty if I wasn't as well. If, however, you can't protect the caregivers....
my BOB and I would head out for a nice, long camping trip.
You know, after i thought about it and did some research on the CDC websight, i'd probrably go to work. I mean why not? I go to work now and I take care of patients who aren't on isolation and then days later test positive for MRSA or C-DIFF or VRE. Theres nights when I have my hand fist deep into someones woo-hoo tryiing to get all the caca out of every nook and crany so they don't get skin breakdown.
The whole scenerio was a hypothetical, administration knows that if they want us to come in they will provide us with PPE. they could be reported to the big J or health department. that would cost way more than gloves and masks.
pondering on these situations that haven't happened yet is an abuse of the imagination.
Sorry if i seem harsh, but... I cant believe that there are so many nurses here saying that they wouldn't work or undecided!! Thats comparable to a firefighter or police officer saying "nah... I don't think I will put that fire out today, or go into that house with the criminal". I think if you said no, then you need to reevaluate why you are in the medical field! If you are not willing then, why did you become a nurse???
For some of us, we would rather not die, b/c we don't want to see our kids grow up in foster care. If not for that, then yes, I would work IF there were proper PPE. If no PPE? Then no way.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I don't like seeing the blame game thrown around here for nurses that decide to stay home. We are each individuals that have our own priorities. If you are a single parent, a caretaker or are one that has a small family with no extended relatives to pitch in, then, how comfortable would you be that you abandoned them? Working tirelessly to care for others, but your heart is torn, your spirit is in a state of unrest because your loved ones (especially children) are wondering why you abandoned them? Staying home is not an easy choice, either. Yes, we care for our co-workers, but we don't live with them.
The ones that say that they will be there no matter what...don't blame them, either. They will be working tirelessly for strangers and that is not an easy feat to face in the unknown. They gave up a great deal as well.
I can't say what I would do, really. I voted no, for sure. I have to be honest...things have to be provided for me and my loved ones. Any facility should understand that. Provide us and our loved ones with the medications, give us PPE, I can stay with a clear mind. If not, I can't promise anything.
i honestly can't say. my hospital hasen't been able to supply us with 2x2;s, blankets, or adequate amounts of iv fluids for the past month or so. how the heck are they going to provide adequate ppe and everything to keep me safe?
if i knew i would be provided with the supplies and equipment to do my job as safetly as possible, i would be there all the way. caring for flu victims would focus on nursing skills, and i can do that. plus, i'd have a couple of immediate family members involved, and would feel guilty if i wasn't as well. if, however, you can't protect the caregivers....
my bob and i would head out for a nice, long camping trip.
so what you're telling us, is that you currently work with insufficient supplies, doubt the hospital where you work will supply sufficient ppe to give safe care, and if a miracle occurs that gives you the needed stuff you'll work during a pandemic, because you'll be safe.
however your patients aren't kept warm enough now due to the lack of blankets, or hydrated if they can't/won't have oral fluids. when blood is drawn or bleeding following an injection occurs, there are no 2x2s to dress the site of bleeding.this sounds dangerous enough to call in authorities. have you done that?
if you haven't informed authorities, it seems that your patients' needs for safety, warmth, and infection control aren't nearly as important as your own health requirements are, to you. it is important to place yourself above other's needs only if they aren't harmed. your well being would only be affected by possibly losing your job there, if you report the short comings of your facility. is that what you were taught studying the hierarchy of needs?
maslow's pyramid illustrating that is described as having the most base needs at the bottom, then:
"further up the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment become important. like [color=#3366cc]carl rogers, maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which is a process of growing and developing as a person to achieve individual potential."
it seems to me that your self actualization is portrayed by dissing the facility, rather than changing the situation to make it better for your patients. after reading the above, your conclusions may be disappointing. while on your camping trip, perhaps you could rethink your career. unless you can achieve growth and development needed as a nurse, perhaps you'll consider a career change.
Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Sorry if i seem harsh, but... I cant believe that there are so many nurses here saying that they wouldn't work or undecided!! Thats comparable to a firefighter or police officer saying "nah... I don't think I will put that fire out today, or go into that house with the criminal". I think if you said no, then you need to reevaluate why you are in the medical field! If you are not willing then, why did you become a nurse???
Baloney! Without PPE just forget it..The industry is constantly coming up with new ways to protect us on the job.we should just say "O well" in the event of a crisis? Crappola..My facility won't supply cots for us in a blizzard-if there is not enough PPE in there now then I have NO qualms about not going in.If they can't stockpile equipment to insure the safety of the staff it shows what they really think about the welfare of the residents.
nghtfltguy, BSN, RN
314 Posts
i guarantee i would be @ work!!... was today and it already shows ppl are freakin out... it is quite cracking me up... not that it is a laughing matter.. but the ppl that i had in my ER today thinking they had the swine flu...
* i woke up this morning with a slight headache*.....
vswnl... afebrile... no cough no nothing....
oh... did i mention he drank a lot of beer the night before???!!!
are you kidding me?
came in via EMS!!!
i just hope ppl don't totally blow this out of proportion...
its a silly/crazy strand of influenza....
im not scared of it one single bit....
i don't want to see ER'S overwhelmed for no reason...
not saying that it is not serious...
i just don't want to see ppl coming in for no reason... which i saw today...
took an ambulance... slight headache when he woke up?...
NOT THE SWINE FLU BUDDY....
he was discharged within 30 mins of his arrival....
i nasal swabbed him... negative for all flu...
ppl freaking out is what is gonna make this bad..