****************************Nurse's notes***********************
Corona Virus:
It is not my intent to frighten anyone. This is just my experience of what is happening here, as I am going through my nursing career.
I have worked at the hospital the last three days, 14 hour shifts, and work today too. I work in the heart hospital, not the emergency room, thank goodness...my heart goes out to those nurses! and I anticipate not being off work for some weeks to months. We have one person isolated on our floor for presumptive virus, and nine more scattered through the remainder of reverse isolation rooms, throughout our hospital, as of last night. The virus is testing positive in all our sister hospitals around the metroplex. We are working hard, and short. People are calling in like crazy, especially those nurses who are pregnant and older. Yet us stalwarts remain running on, through the halls.
I have never seen anything like this is my 30 plus years of nursing. We are getting people in droves through the ER, yet have very limited testing capability, as of yet. I have been waiting 6 days for one test to come back!!!! We need better testing!
I have nursed people through bubonic plague (seriously!), ESBL, MRSA, VRE, TB, C DIFF, EBOLA so I have seen some stuff in my career. Yes it still exists.
This is going to hit like a tsunami, folks. Please see Italy as an example. I hope I am dead wrong, (Please God let me be dead wrong) and that we can flatten out the curve of the huge wave of cases coming our way, but please do your best to be prepared. The vast majority of people will have a mild illness and recover, but the elderly, immunocompromized in any way, and chronic illness patients need to be extra vigilant, and all the rest of us need to PROTECT this vulnerable population by not spreading it to them. This is not just about you, but everyone.
Don't panic. Be smart, but be cautious.
1. Isolate as much as possible. I would avoid crowds, gatherings, etc...please!
2. Be clean. If you must go out, wash your hands and use your sanitizer. Change your clothes and wash them immediately. I have been changing clothing as SOON as I get home from the hospital, and showering in hot, hot water.
3. I have been using a nasal decolonization kit for my nose, that kills everything in my nose, as far as bugs I mean!
4. Keep healthy. Eat as well as you can, stay hydrated, take your vitamins. There is an article that vitamin C does well in helping (not a scientific or nursing article), but hey, it cannot hurt.
5. Don't travel. Seriously, don't. Please stay away from older or vulnerable people who might catch it from you...call, don't go over unless you need to. Don't take it to them. Take care of them and their needs, but be careful!
6. Check your temperature every day. If you develop a cough, fever or shortness of breath, Call your doctor! Don't crowd into the emergency just wanting to be tested...you most likely will not be. Tests are hard to come by and take a long time to get results, and you are exposing yourself when you come to the ER. If you are really quite ill, please come to the ER, but be judicious.
7. Please don't come to the hospital and visit patients. We are strictly limiting all visitors now at our hospital We have nurses and guards at all entrances, screening all people who step on our floor. Call or text...they know you love them. This is not just for you, but to not spread this stuff all over creation.
8. If you do wear a mask, take it off, pulling away from you, and immediately wash your hands! It does no good if you wear a mask, then pull it off, put it in your pocket and don't wash.
9. We are cancelling all nonemergency surgeries.
10. Take this seriously. This is not just like the flu. It is hyped by the press for sure, but still, Don't poo-poo this, please. This is not to make anyone scared, but if I can save a life by this little information, I will be happy. It could be very mild, but if you are vulnerable, it can kill you.
11..Be conservative about supplies. Don't be a hoarder, though, please...our grocery looks like a war zone as of yesterday.
Sorry folks, I am a nurse, so this is a huge part of my life. A quilter too...wish I were doing that right now!
I would love to hear from medical/nursing people if you have some experiences to share.
Just a few things I am thinking about...be safe and well. Hugs to all,
Julie
31 comments:
May God keep you safe and healthy in all this. Blessings. ;^)
Thank you for taking the time to write your thoughts on dealing with the virus situation. I have not paniced but am trying to be smart. Please take care of yourself and I salute you and your fellow nurses. You should be honored for your selfless work.
Thank you for the thoughts, it's something we all should practice during the flu season. This is more serious, but other than hoarding toilet paper and food, people are still going out to eat. I am more aware of how many times I touch my face, bad habit to break. You take of yourself and thank you for you dedication to help others.
Thanks, Julie! I appreciate your input. Good info!
Scary and serious. Sigh. Stay safe!!!!
Keeping you and other health care workers in my prayers. I'm calling my elderly neighbors to do what I can. I live in a remote area where 'isolation' is not hard to do so I feel a bit protected from the panic but the vulnerable ones around me definitely need encouragement and support. I'm thankful God holds us in His hands and I'm trusting Him to direct my steps and hopefully be able to help those around me.
It is interesting to me that this virus has got the whole world talking to each other. Powers and postulating aside, we are all just vulnerable humans.
Thank you so much for posting. I appreciate your perspectives as well as hearing what you are doing and how it is going. I also like your quilt start here :-)
Hugs to you, Julie. Praying for your continued strength and good health!
Thank you Julie. It is appreciated. Hugs
Love that little quilt at the top - cheddar is one of my favorite colors!
And thank you for all the info - they implemented a drive thru testing in our state and then showed photos of hundreds of cars in line... I just can not imagine. Hugs to all the medical staff out there right now. I am with you - I hope too that you ( and everyone else) is wrong - but... I sorta doubt you are... thanks for taking care of us ( your quilty friends) too... we appreciate you!!
Thanks, Julie. It's good to hear your perspective, from one who is closely connected to the bullseye of this virus. Thank you for your dedication and the work of so many others.
Thank you for being on the front lines. There are so many who are dismissive of all this, I guess because they are healthy and feel impervious. I'm doing my best to encourage them to think of the most vulnerable among us and act in their interests, not our own. It's very frustrating! Be well!
thank you so much Julie for the good practical info. My hubby just had a cheek (face) excision done and MOHS surgery on his nose...we, at 81 (him) and 76 are staying HOME.
So far so good; well stocked up here and praying that it won't hit hard...Stay safe--we so appreciate the hazardous work work that you and your fellow nurses, doctors etc are doing to keep us all safe...God bless you hugs, Julierose
Thank you for your dedication Julie. We all can and must go forward in faith while exercising due diligence. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and observations about the virus. Bless you and all in the medical field; may God give you all the strength to get through this crisis.
My mantra right now is "Flatten the Curve"! I've talked to my brother a few times and even in Shanghai they are on lock down.(the virus isn't that prevalent in their city yet) They can do that because they are communist, but it is a way of preventing the spread. Oregon is sandwiched between WA and CA! Not a good feeling. Be safe, friend.
Love your little quilt!!
God bless our health-care workers! Thanks for your honesty.
Thank you for taking the time during your busy days to write this post. Very good advice. You, along with all health care personnel, are in my thoughts and prayers.
thank you dear for all you do , try to be safe
If there are that many in just your hospital, why isn't that reported on the news? This morning they were still saying 4 in Tarrant Co, 9 or so in Dallas and 7 in Collin. Still none in Denton Co. per the news. I heard the 24 hr. Walmarts would only be open 6a-11p now which allows for cleaning and restocking. I'm thinking 6am might be the best time to go! :-) Sounds like you're definitely doing your part to help and stay healthy!!
Thank you for supporting my thinking--
so many think this is just a 'news hyph' but ( I live in Florida) when I seen that Disney closed and all the sports were shutting down--I knew this was serious--Disney doesn't even close for hurricane's!!!! and sports never cancel events--!!
now me--I am a senior--live in a senior apartment building with 160 some apartments--and alot of seniors are just not able to comprehend how to care for themselves in these events--and we eat lunch in a dinning room --that we have to pay $5 a day for whether we eat there or not--I enjoy going down(don't always enjoy the food they feed us though!!) but I am thinking that I will not be going down until this is over--though I do believe that when the head manager of the kitchen comes back from vacation on Monday's they will be doing something different for lunch's--we will see--!!! I do have a nice stock of food and water so can stay in--except for my walk each day--have to get me some sunshine and exercise-- and I can do that and not come into contact with too many others--hopefully!! yet I know it only takes one person to be sick and to spread it to others--I do not touch elevator buttons, I use kleenx and then throw it away and as soon as I get home I wash my hands--
you are the one that I worry about though--my thoughts and prayers are with you and your patients--
luv, di
Thanks for the cautionary words. I have been trying to prepare but it occured to me this morning that I don't own a thermometer. I wouldn't really know if I had a fever unless it was severe. Stay safe.
Your little block is pretty and very well done. It's good to hear from a person who is right there where the problems are, rather than all the TV news reporters who sometimes portray things worse than they are. Do stay as safe as you can as you help others, and always remember: God is still in control. ---"Love"
Sherrill, I will email you why
Thank you Julie for posting this. Like Sherrill I am not hearing about how many people are in the hospital with this virus in my local area---we are just getting state wide news (this is Illinois). I too would be interested in hearing what other nurses in hospitals are experiencing at their work place. I have stocked up on a few things -- like toilet paper--because I know if I get it I won't be able to go out of the house AT ALL. Hopefully that won't happen..... My husband just came in and told me that he's cancelling our plans to see our son tomorrow because my husband has a sore throat and a low grade fever. So it begins..... I guess I'll be next.
Take good care of yourself my friend! You are on the front lines of this germ war!
We will eventually see which countries do a good job of public education and practice enforcement of safe practices by the rising death tolls I guess. I have read a lot about it this weekend, and although I'm not worried about myself, I know for certain that my parents would not survive this virus. And I need them to live a long life, so everything I do, I do with them (and all elderly and medically vulnerable people) in my mind.
These are great reminders!
Your nursing notes were very interesting to read. A different perspective from someone very much in the know.
Thank you Julie for your post . I am anxious due to my chronic lung condition and feeling vulnerable. I do not have corona but chosen to isolate myself to home.deeply saddened as I feel I will not be able to travel to be part of the birth of my grand baby.as long as they are safe that is the main thing.
Thank you for all the information!Stay safe and healthy! :0)
I pray you stay well and safe, Julie. I am grateful to have retired from nursing 3 1/2 years ago, and am actually feeling a little grateful for the vision problems I have developed, because it means I don't drive as much as I used to. In my small town I am able to order my groceries for pickup, I am an online shopper, and I have our Buy Nothing group who help fill each others' needs and wants.
God bless you and all your co-workers!
Stay safe. I wore gloves at the grocery store yesterday (only me and the cashier had on gloves). I have to stay safe, since I'm a caregiver for an elderly blind man (who is self quarantining). I can't risk his getting sick. I also wore gloves when I voted today. Lots of hand washing, too.
Oh, my Julie, we are in this aren't we. At the start of our careers the AIDS crisis. And now, this.
A family member who works on a dementia unit that is not allowing any visitors--except those patients who are in hospice dying may have one visitor a day. This breaks my heart.
My students are scared--we need to get them graduated and working. Italy suspended their equivalent of NCLEX and put all May graduates out into positions. This may need to happen here. I had a disagreement with a colleague who said this isn't safe. I said it is time for us to trust they learned what we taught them and send them out.
great job
Info UMJ
Info UMJ
Post a Comment