Would you come in during an epidemic?

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Someone said something about coming in to the hospital during an epidemic, and I realized that I probably wouldn't. This shocked me, and made me realize that I seem to have lost my passion for the patient. I know why; it's been drowned out by my despair over customer service and my frustration over the endless "safety" protocols and regulations. How do you feel? Do you still feel that you are actually doing something valuable for patients when you go to work, enough so that you would take a risk like coming in during a serious epidemic? I don't mean just the flu, I mean something that would be life-threatening if you contracted it. For me, ten years ago the answer would have been a definite yes! of course! but not anymore. :cry:

Specializes in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical.
Doen't help that we all know that our workplaces and the government wouldn't be providing us with the proper safety equipment and resources, should we come in to work. I think Katrina showed us all that the government tends not to handle large scale disaster well!:stone

The government would probably handle an epidemic with garrisons of armed and armored soldiers to quarantine the area.

Personally, I'd be getting myself and my family as far upwind of the epidemic as I could before that happened.

Anyone here ever read The Stand?

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I'm not a matyr and not should I be.

People always throw the 'patient care comes first' at you. Actually this isn't true. If there is a fire we abandon our patients even if it means they will die. If a patient crashes then the first thing we have to look for is danger, including danger to ourselves. If this means moving an object away that will cost precious seconds to the patient, we are obliged to do so.

So my answer is no. If there is any kind of epidemic I will not be going anywhere near my hospital. I didn't become a nurse to die heroically.

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I'm a single person with no children, so I have no family concerns.

As long as my workplace made the situation appealing via double-time pay or large bonuses, I'd show up for an epidemic. I'm happy as long as I'm receiving a paycheck, even though it might be my last. :eek:

ditto that:-)

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Specializes in cardiac, ortho, med surg, oncology.
Doen't help that we all know that our workplaces and the government wouldn't be providing us with the proper safety equipment and resources, should we come in to work. I think Katrina showed us all that the government tends not to handle large scale disaster well!:stone

Katrina aside, I don't think there is enough safety equipment or resources at my facility to adequately protect me during a pandemic. Additionally I think I would be stuck there because no one would come in to relieve me and I do have children and no immediate family in the area. Lastly, I would want to be around to take care of my kids myself should they become ill and there is a shortage of nurses and Dr.'s at the hospital! So no, I don't think I would come in.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

That's a great question. I guess it depends on the epidemic of course. The flu, yes I would go in even if I hadn't had the vaccine yet, but I'm reasonably healthy and recover well from things like the flu. Other more serious things.... I guess I would HAVE to go in if I were scheduled of course, but they'd better darn well have all the proper precautions in place for me, as an employee. I would not go in on my days off, though. I am the breadwinner of my family and I have two small children to think about.

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Specializes in Correctional, QA, Geriatrics.

I've thought about this a lot over the years. Back in my salad days I might have said yes I will go in and give it all. However at this time of my life no way in the world I am risking my life or my familys' lives to go into a situation that is bound to result in a classic SNAFU in every sense of that expression.

In addition if memory serves me correctly there are rescuers from the 9/11 tragedies that have had one heckuva time receiving after care for stress, trauma and injuries sustained during their rescue and emergency care efforts. I don't trust the almighty powers in control to do right by any workers or provide us with what we need to do the job safely.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
I'm not a matyr and not should I be.

People always throw the 'patient care comes first' at you. Actually this isn't true. If there is a fire we abandon our patients even if it means they will die. If a patient crashes then the first thing we have to look for is danger, including danger to ourselves. If this means moving an object away that will cost precious seconds to the patient, we are obliged to do so.

So my answer is no. If there is any kind of epidemic I will not be going anywhere near my hospital. I didn't become a nurse to die heroically.

I am no good to my pt's if I'm worrying about my family. and no good to my family if I am worrying about bringing "something" home to them. And mostly I am no good to either if I'm sick, dying, or, dead. I agree with the above.

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Specializes in LTC, wound care.

Thinking about this question in a purely analytical way, I'd have to say it all boils down to this;

Would I rather that my friends and family die, or would I rather that strangers die. Well, that makes the decision pretty simple for me. I'd much rather save the lives of my family rather than total strangers. Perhaps things would be different if I felt like my family and friends would be safe while I go out and help others, but it's just not like that anymore. Sorry!

:stone

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Specializes in Gerontology.

For all those who would NOT go in to work if there was an epidemic.

What would you do if it were YOUR family in hospital. Wouldn't you want someone there taking care of them?

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.

Sure, I'd come in, for an extra $50 on the hour! Admin will have to pay for me a heck of a lot more for that!

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
For all those who would NOT go in to work if there was an epidemic.

What would you do if it were YOUR family in hospital. Wouldn't you want someone there taking care of them?

Absolutely! But, it's the responsibility of hospital administrators to take steps to insure that the hospital is well prepared in the case of an epidemic.

To anticipate possible epidemics and make sure that all of the proper precautions are in place so that employees are protected. To keep the hospital properly staffed at all times. To form a team of folks that ARE indeed willing to be called in the case of an emergency.

Again, I would not refuse to work IF I was already scheduled and IF the proper precautions were in place. I said that I would work through a flu epidemic even if I had not been vaccinated, though the fact is that I get vaccinated every year. It's just one of those ways that my hospital protects us and makes sure that we're all around to work through the yearly swarm of flu victims. =)

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

I would work for a flu epidemic (in my own department: birth center), and if scheduled. If not scheduled they'd have to offer me beaucoup bucks, because I am tired as in "sick and tired" of it being all about customer service and the charting. Our number one unit goal now is "proper charting." I guess doing things well and right and safely has taken a back seat to making the computers and the people who now come along behind and check happy.

For a natural disaster like a tornado or earthquake, I would not come in. I live in an area that in the case of an earthquake would probably be cut off from any safe roads. So I feel my services could be better spent checking on friends and neighbors in the area, helping them.

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