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

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?

Specializes in OB.

I have a little different take on this for myself. As I have no one dependent on me, I probably would be one of those who go in to work. I wouldn't expect anyone with dependents to be there and don't judge others who feel differently. I think that if "push came to shove" there would be many who would put the greater good of their fellow citizens above their own benefit, as we have seen in disasters of any magnitude, not because the government orders them, but out of their own convictions.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Nice perspective, baglady. And well-put, even if we do not hold the same view. :)

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Specializes in Too many to list.

I think that if "push came to shove" there would be many who would put the greater good of their fellow citizens above their own benefit, as we have seen in disasters of any magnitude, not because the government orders them, but out of their own convictions.

I agree. My situation is like yours, no dependents.

There are others like us too, older nurses, and senior citizen volunteers.

My guess is that we will need these volunteers to help, and that they will do this.

We are talking basic care, not advanced life support because the numbers

will be too great for anything but basic care. Volunteers can be taught what to do.

Most cases of H5N1 are more dangerous for the younger people, and that is

why seniors will be important.

If I get sick, I may survive even with asthma. The asthma may

even be helpful as it may dampen my immune response, and prevent

cytokine storm. I remember reading a paper on this. I still want to be

wearing N95 masks, but will they be available? I think not.

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If you do not go "into" work, will you assist neighbors asking for help to care for their sick family members? Would you volunteer to help in your community?

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If you do not go "into" work, will you assist neighbors asking for help to care for their sick family members? Would you volunteer to help in your community?

With protective equipment, yes.

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Ms. Patton, President of the American Nurses Association participated in an online blog for HHS about Pandemic Flu. here

http://blog.pandemicflu.gov/

It is a fascinating read. I implore all here to write to her and ask her help in securing Proper PPE and guidelines for nurses dealing with Pandemic Flu.

Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR

Rebecca M. Patton MSN, RN, CNOR, of Lakewood, Ohio was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the American Nurses Association in June 2006. ANA is the nation's largest professional nursing organization representing the major health policy, practice, and workplace issues of 2.9 million registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. A nurse since 1980, Patton was most recently the Director of periOperative Services for EMH Regional Healthcare System in Cleveland, Ohio. She is also a member of the Editorial Board of OJIN: Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, and has written chapters for books on medical-surgical nursing and articles for nursing journals. Patton has a Bachelors of Science in nursing from Kent State University and a Masters of Nursing from Case Western Reserve University. She has held numerous ANA positions including treasurer (1998-2002), Board of Directors member (1994-1998), and delegate to the ANA House of Delegates (2003-2005).

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If you do not go "into" work, will you assist neighbors asking for help to care for their sick family members? Would you volunteer to help in your community?

First, if there isn't enough PPE to go around for medical personnel working in hospitals in such a situation, where are these community volunteers going to get it? Second, without medical supplies such as suction, IV supplies, antivirals, ventilators, oxygen, etc, what would volunteer nurses be able to do for these people that their family members could not?

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Specializes in LTC, MDS Cordnator, Mental Health.

we live in a very rural area. I would work as my children are out of the nest. I would insist that my daughter not work and keep herself quarentined. (she is a nurse as well) she needs to be safe for her young family. But my Husband and I have already discused this... And we have always kept a large stock of food. we grew up during the "nucular attack scare era"

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what it would take to make you willing to work under circumstances such as I have described.

What would you want?

PPE -- OK, which ones? N95s enough or would you want a higher grade perhaps even 1/2 masks with P-100 filters, goggles? or would you request full face? Would you supply your own?

Would you expect Tamiflu, for you families? vaccine priority? Would you spend your own money on it?

would you work if you received extra (hazard) pay?

would you work if you were supplied a hotel room paid for so you don't have to go home and possible expose your family?

Would it be easier for you to do all that if you knew that ALL hospital executives were living on site and working?

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

There is no amount of money that would make me want to go in to work. Money is not my priority. My family is.

If my family gets sick, I want to be the one taking care of them. If they die, I want to be there when it happens. If I get sick, I will probably quarantine myself.

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Running out of food is NOT a concern for me. I just rec'd another year's worth today, as a matter of fact. My UPS driver didn't even seem too annoyed to be hauling in an 800 lb shipment. I've taken care to prepare myself sufficiently for just about any eventuality (from Alien invasion to Zombie apocalypse, lol) and have encouraged others to do the same.

OK, can I ask some personal questions? What does 800lb of food look like? I mean, HOW much food makes 800lb? Next, what on earth do you DO with 800lb of food??? Where do you store it? How?

I'm baffled and intrigued! Tell me more! LOL.

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. . . Second, without medical supplies such as suction, IV supplies, antivirals, ventilators, oxygen, etc, what would volunteer nurses be able to do for these people that their family members could not?

Don't underestimate your skills and knowledge. I know nothing of nursing and taking care of sick people. Most people are like me and would not have any idea about home care or nursing.

What volunteer nurses can and should do in the event of a pandemic is be prepared to instruct family, friends, and neighbors (from a distance or with your own PPE) in basic nursing tasks that could be done in the home. If a pandemic is as bad as Goju, myself, and others expect, the medical industry will be set back a hundred years. The home care practices of the 1918 pandemic will again become the modus operandi.

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