COVID CRISIS... ICU CHALLENGES..

[Sevens My Charm]

So here is where the thread begins...

Most of you know I am a nurse on an ICU Contagion Unit. I face challenges that affect my patients lives, their families lives, my families lives and my health everyday. Many times you feel you have a good amount of control - sometimes nurses are bouncing ideas off one another and yet sometimes you're left with nothing more than hope.

My middle daughter is young and went into the nursing field as well. She decided to travel the United States and learn all she can. While this made me immensely proud as a mother it was hard to trust the company she chose to take care of my daughter. We had some struggles during travel from Texas to Iowa. As frustrating and nerve racking as they were.. it was nothing this momma bear couldn't soothe and fix. So the journey had begun.

Apparently Texas and Iowa vary in many ways. Manners, practices, relationships to name just a few differences. The facility she has been placed at has been a true learning experience on so many different levels. Today has been the hardest for her and myself..

The agreement from the day of signing her contract has been no COVID units.. so that her travel and choices of facilities would not be impeded.

This morning she walks into work and the shit hits the fan. Multiple positive test. Only one third of patients tested - no employees tested except the one diagnosed at the ER. That employees is a physical therapist who has unlimited access to patients. No PPE available.. then inadequate PPE. My daughter is in an active eczema rash outbreak with open sores. My heart dropped and stomach tumbles down. The patients are freely moving about the facility with no precautions. Administration is basically downplaying the circumstances. The agency is scrambling to figure out what to do. Family and friends of patients in an out no precautions. Fuck I want to tell her to pack it in and come home. I gave honest suggestions that were not emotionally based. I told my daughter I had her back no matter what even when she felt she was making a stand alone. I love my children fiercely.

What are some of the things you suggest on how to handle the situation and herself?

And the world and Nation wonders why we cannot get this shit under control...

 

[Blizzard]

Run, don't walk. She didn't sign up for a suicide mission.


So I cast my vote as the poll is currently set, but one of the options seems off.

Remedy with hazardous pay or proper testing & PPE

Hazard pay with no other changes, no. Fixing it all immediately with proper testing & PPE, yes.

 

[Sevens My Charm]

@Blizzard thank you! Added on!
I worry with her autoimmune disease active. She's on antibiotics and steroids. Steroids inhibit immune because of circumstances but further make her a walking target.

 

[Blizzard]

So now the poll's name seems off, it's an agree/disagree poll name but really it contains solutions...

 

[Siobhan]

She started nursing to save lives and help others, not risk her own every day, and/or her long term physical health.

Gotta agree with @Blizzard - they all should be getting hazard pay, and *proper* FULL WORKING PPE from safe/trusted sources, along with regular testing, and by regular I mean daily, every time they report to work.
I know the hospitals are overwhelmed, and many medical professionals and even general staff are often working double shifts, therefore all must also have a 24 hour break day every 7-10 days (maximum); otherwise, exhaustion will rapidly set in, and that's when most preventable mistakes or procedural accidents occur, because the brain is fighting to stay awake under extreme workload conditions.
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@Blizzard thank you! Added on!
I worry with her autoimmune disease active. She's on antibiotics and steroids. Steroids inhibit immune because of circumstances but further make her a walking target.

She definitely needs some serious change from the hospital's administrators STAT, as do her fellow co-workers.

 

[Spider]

No ppe no work in my opinion. Healthcare workers are not on suicide missions. At the end of the day our employers don't give a shit and they're more concerned with the hiring process for the getting new employees not keeping the ones they have safe. Most healthcare organizations are horribly mismanaged because they are ran by clueless idiots who are only there to make money.

 

[Sevens My Charm]

@Spider .. I had a very long emotional talk with her tonight. She feels let down, unappreciated, and very emotional in the realization that I have always preached.. as employees we are warm bodies (cogs) to fill positions and nothing more. Most employers don't care if you're legit dying as long as you show up and perform to some sense of expectancy and you don't ever call in.. or they pick a new unsuspecting cog. I preach self care, self preservation and reminding yourself your purpose - whatever that may be. I remember when it finally hit me.. life wasn't fair.. I only truly have so much control over my own life and sometimes as much as mom wants to fix things.. this time I am in control. As a mother I carefully picked my words, through support and encouragement like confetti - and waited till I got off the phone to cry. @Spider I agree with your comments wholeheartedly.. I guess I needed to vent a little tonight. I wish I could hug her and yes fix everything. I guess she and I both grew a little today. Growing pains blow!

 

[Sejanus]

You don't work in a nuclear plant without protections.
Nor as a firefighter.
If they will not safeguard her as she does highly specialized work then she is not respected.
She will do more good over time if she is protected.
They are not worthy of her efforts.
Any failures and risk to life is on them.
She needs to triage herself.
Then get to the nearest exit and put some distance between her and this expanding bomb crater!

 

[Keepalowprofile]

She needs to walk out.
Her original contract was no covid units.
Whether the admins want to admit it or not, the whole place is now a covid unit.
So the original contract is already broken.

As far as hazard pay;

ALL MEDICAL WORKERS SHOULD BE GETTING HAZARDOUS PAY.

 

[Blizzard]

if they're in breach of contract i think she could just walk out, right?

hospitals are for-profit organizations and we don't see their fucking rich-off-their-asses shareholders jumping into the covid wards to try to be nurses now do we?

Is she on the way back yet =p

 

[Sevens My Charm]

@Blizzard .. I begged her to take a day off to regroup. She promised to take a day for herself. I called her this morning and she's at work. I immediately asked WHY?! Her answer 'Momma you taught me my loyalty to my patients is stronger than my loyalty to myself.' Fuck do I ever want to kick myself in the ass!! They definitely broke their contract you guys but - fortunately - unfortunately my daughter received my ethics, determination and loyalty, sometimes at our own expense and experience. I honestly wish more than you will ever know she was on her way home - but this momma bear has to give level headed, unbiased and unemotional advise - let her spread her wings and handle her shit. It's nerve racking and heartbreaking!! I am proud immensely yet overwhelmingly defeated. You guys still no hazard pay, still improper PPE and tested twice with no results. ER's don't test unless overwhelming symptoms in Iowa. They instructed her to call a testing center off a website, report symptoms and wait for a callback to be scheduled a date and time. Fuck fuck fuck...

 

[Blizzard]

Her answer 'Momma you taught me my loyalty to my patients is stronger than my loyalty to myself.'

I see ..

This perspective only makes sense when your employer isn't a greedmonster who is risking your life, a.k.a. more or less normal circumstances, it's not about the patients :/ ... you and her lived in 'normal' times for your whole lives so I think this overgeneralization kinda happened.

Case in point - over in the UK, there were some old retired doctors/nurses who the NHS asked to come back to work when Covid started. I had a bad feeling about doing that - they were asking the most vulnerable age group to come potentially expose themselves, and we did know at that time that older = more vulnerable. Some of those nurses/doctors who did this are now, indeed, dead from the virus.

Sometimes you don't want to be the hero, sometimes you do. .... I think Covid isn't one of the hero situations. I wonder if she reads this board?!?!!11

It's a little bit of a concern now tho, if she comes home and she's got it, maybe she gives it to you ... that would have to be handled with some care.

 

[Sevens My Charm]

@Blizzard .. One of the things that breaks her heart is she's supposed to fly home in mid September to see the family and attend both her nephew's birthday party.. now that may not be possible. On top of working I am raising my grandsons. She is extraordinarily close to the oldest grandbaby. It was tremendously hard for her to make the decision to travel and chase her dreams. It's not about wanting or not wanting to be a hero. I had a life calling and my daughter felt the same. I find peace, fulfilment and worth in my drive and dedication to help others. I vote a DD group load up and just bring her home. You are definitely correct in the fact that she might bring it home with her. However, I live everyday knowing I could bring home TB, COVID, MSRA, CDIFF, HIV, VRE and the list continues. She reads our boards.. something else I passed on Hopefully with others suggestions, concerns and encouragement she will pack it in and come home. Maybe?! You guys would love her she's beautiful and a heart of gold.

 

[Satanica]

I couldn't decide which thread to post this in. The son of someone else's friend was struck by a car and badly injured. Upon arrival in critical condition at the hospital, he was given a COVID test and was put aside until the test results were available. The dad's girlfriend went ghetto on staff, so he was allowed to see his son. The wait for treatment was apparently over an hour; maybe more. The son is an adult; not a child, so maybe a child wouldn't have been put through this.

So, try not to get hurt and have to be treated in a hospital right now.

 

[Sevens My Charm]

I couldn't decide which thread to post this in. The son of someone else's friend was struck by a car and badly injured. Upon arrival in critical condition at the hospital, he was given a COVID test and was put aside until the test results were available. The dad's girlfriend went ghetto on staff, so he was allowed to see his son. The wait for treatment was apparently over an hour; maybe more. The son is an adult; not a child, so maybe a child wouldn't have been put through this.

So, try not to get hurt and have to be treated in a hospital right now.

Sadly they had to decide what unit he would go to probably.. I would imagine, or hope, he was stabilized before having to wait for results.. my friends say they've been pretty busy.. ICU usually starts slowing towards holidays.. no one wants to be in the hospital on holidays.. we fill our beds as they empty.. of course we see a little of everything.. it's going to be busy holidays looks like..

 

[Blunderbuss Firozabad]

@Fives My Charm , how is your darling daughter? Were policies altered where she worked? Was she able to come home September for the celebrations?

 

[Sevens My Charm]

@Blunderbuss Firozabad .. she gave them a two week notice and came home They never blinked an eye but, did ask several times if she was 'still' leaving. She's back home. She does travel nursing but close to home. Glad to have my daughter back home and safe. Of course COVID-19 really hasn't gotten much better - it's nice to know if something happens she's close enough to be taken care of. Anyway she's my partner in mischief and crime.. everyone should have one

 

[ChaosKitty]

So here is where the thread begins...

Most of you know I am a nurse on an ICU Contagion Unit. I face challenges that affect my patients lives, their families lives, my families lives and my health everyday. Many times you feel you have a good amount of control - sometimes nurses are bouncing ideas off one another and yet sometimes you're left with nothing more than hope.

My middle daughter is young and went into the nursing field as well. She decided to travel the United States and learn all she can. While this made me immensely proud as a mother it was hard to trust the company she chose to take care of my daughter. We had some struggles during travel from Texas to Iowa. As frustrating and nerve racking as they were.. it was nothing this momma bear couldn't soothe and fix. So the journey had begun.

Apparently Texas and Iowa vary in many ways. Manners, practices, relationships to name just a few differences. The facility she has been placed at has been a true learning experience on so many different levels. Today has been the hardest for her and myself..

The agreement from the day of signing her contract has been no COVID units.. so that her travel and choices of facilities would not be impeded.

This morning she walks into work and the shit hits the fan. Multiple positive test. Only one third of patients tested - no employees tested except the one diagnosed at the ER. That employees is a physical therapist who has unlimited access to patients. No PPE available.. then inadequate PPE. My daughter is in an active eczema rash outbreak with open sores. My heart dropped and stomach tumbles down. The patients are freely moving about the facility with no precautions. ...

leave now, her life is worth more, open sores are faster to contaminate than breathing

 

[Blizzard]

@Blunderbuss Firozabad .. she gave them a two week notice and came home ❤ They never blinked an eye but, did ask several times if she was 'still' leaving. She's back home. She does travel nursing but close to home. Glad to have my daughter back home and safe. Of course COVID-19 really hasn't gotten much better - it's nice to know if something happens she's close enough to be taken care of. Anyway she's my partner in mischief and crime.. everyone should have one❤

Hey that is good to hear!