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  • Any nurses out there?

    I am brand new to this website and am geting very freaked out. Let me intrduce myself first- I am an RN working in general medicine at Duke University Medical Center. As a nurse the looming pandemic scares me to death. I work with many infectious diseases and have not been afraid until my recent research into H5N1. I guess I am also concerned b/c as a nurse I feel obligated to help others, but as a mother I feel more obligated to protect my family. I have been debating in my head whether I would go to work if the avian flu jumped to humans. I would like to say I would work but I think I would have to stay at the hospital so as not to risk infecting my family. So would that mean not seeing them untill this all blew over? That could potentially take months. I get worried also b/c if I am thinking this I know that there must be s many others in the same boat. Then what will happen when no one shows up to the hospitals and clinics?? I hope and pray that I will never have to make this decision- but the chances seem great that I will so I need to plan ahead. I wold love to chat with other medical professionals on their feelings about this. Any advice or ideas?

  • #2
    Re: Any nurses out there?

    Welcome Suzy.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Any nurses out there?

      Hi Suzy, welcome to the group!
      "We are in this breathing space before it happens. We do not know how long that breathing space is going to be. But, if we are not all organizing ourselves to get ready and to take action to prepare for a pandemic, then we are squandering an opportunity for our human security"- Dr. David Nabarro

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Any nurses out there?

        Welcome Suzy.
        You have come to the right place and soon you will be able to help others.
        You have identified many of the key issues.
        Things you can do now to prepare
        1. get flu shot
        2. compulsively learn new habits on hygiene and handwashing, cough in sleeve etc.
        3. educate and protect your family from seasonal flu, home hygiene.
        4. start a process for accumulating necessary supplies and medications at home.
        Then start asking at work for the institutional pandemic plan. Has the facility purchased and obtained Personal Protective equipments such as masks, gloves, gowns, goggles, hand sanitizes, environmental disinfectants etc.

        As a HCW the institution has an obligation to you to make your work environment as safe as possible.

        Also ask your professional nurses association (and union if you have one) what they are doing to advocate for protection of their membership.

        The above will keep you busy for a while as you get to know more people here.
        best regards
        JT (MD)
        Thought has a dual purpose in ethics: to affirm life, and to lead from ethical impulses to a rational course of action - Teaching Reverence for Life -Albert Schweitzer. JT

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Any nurses out there?

          Thanks for all the info- My daughter and I have already gotten the flu shot and on friday w will get th pneumovax. My hubby hates needles! About my workplace I have no clue who I would ask to find out what our plan is and if they are stocking up on PPE. I know for sure that I would not work without PPE- pandemic or not. that would make my choice too easy. As for preparing our house for any disaster I have been slowly accumulating a food and water supply. But for medical equiptment i would like to have IV supplies so that if needed I could rehydrate my family if they were to fall ill. Where can I get fluids and what not to have at home? any other medical supplies I should stockpile? also- does anyone question how fast we would know if H5N1 was to have human cases in the U.S.? It scares me to think that we may not be made aware until is too late. Any ideas?

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          • #6
            Re: Any nurses out there?

            also- do you know if there is any way for the hospital or government to make us work if there were an outbreak? My old plan was to take my family into the mountains. But I heard from another avian flu forum that the government could force us to work. Does anyone know?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Any nurses out there?

              RN here, Suzy-welcome! Moved out of NC myself a few years back, looking to get back souther soon think we'll try the Ozarks this time around....

              Glad you joined.

              First, take a deep breath-yea, it can be overwhelming! that does get better, I promise!

              Thornton set you on the right track, I second all his suggestions. What I'd add-before you approach others, especially management- get a good understanding of what you want to know, what facts you have to use in discussion, and know your own risk tolerance levels. this is a long haul process. Take some time, get familiar and then slowly start asking the questions. Base your plan on the responses you get, keep it flexible for your own situation.

              Feel free to PM me anytime. Theres a few other nurses here too that are frequent posters, they are very knowledgeable and supportive, and we're all in different spots down the same road youre starting on.

              Speaking of starting- I have a great resource for you! I go back and read it again myself every few months, I feel it is that valuable. Doesnt take long, it may be the best 5 or 10 mins you can give yourself right now:



              I would love to hear what your response to that articles is, and how helpful you find it.
              Last edited by LMonty; December 13, 2006, 10:58 PM.
              Upon this gifted age, in its dark hour,
              Rains from the sky a meteoric shower
              Of facts....They lie unquestioned, uncombined.
              Wisdom enough to leech us of our ill
              Is daily spun, but there exists no loom
              To weave it into fabric..
              Edna St. Vincent Millay "Huntsman, What Quarry"
              All my posts to this forum are for fair use and educational purposes only.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Any nurses out there?

                LMonty- that article waas great. I definately am experiencing that right now. Nice to know I am not a total nut! I feel like I could sit here and surf the web all night long! Gonna force mylself to go to bed now! Maybe if I sleep on this I will be able to think clearer- well thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and keep posting!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Any nurses out there?

                  Welcome Suzy,
                  I recently moved to Charlotte (from Miami). This is a great site for all kinds of information. Regards,
                  yield

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Any nurses out there?

                    Hi Neighbor!!!! Really great that you're here... I live in the Raleigh/Cary area! A local call, of all things!

                    I'm an RN, but I got out of the field many years ago. Some of my good friends in this area are still in the medical field (RNs and a Chiro)... I've harrassed a couple of them into taking the panflu seriously, and they're having to face many of the same questions and issues that you are (family and kids and duty). I believe my nurse friend works at Duke also... I'll find out for you.

                    Falling over asleep now, but wanted to say hi and welcome. Glad you found us. There are some other good pandemic forums online, but this is the one I always send people to. Great people here AND the very best source of on-top-of-it scientific breaking news and professional discussions of the issues that I have found. Ask anything, and someone will jump in to help you. Very kind and caring group.

                    Again, Welcome !

                    Dawn

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Any nurses out there?

                      Wow Dawn- we actually live in apex so we really are neighbors! I have already learned so much from this site already. So many North carolinians here! So I have been slowly trying to gather extra food and supplies- what else do i really need? Whether i choose to work or stay here I have tohave enough stuff for hubby and babygirl. I have heard some talk of air filters- is it really neccesary? thanks for all the help!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Any nurses out there?

                        Suzy
                        I would recommend you search the Duke web site for any pandemic preparedness they are currently doing. I am not a nurse, but I work at a hospital in New York state. We have a pretty active Emergency Preparedness department and they are currently working on a Personal Preparedness Fair for February. I have volunteered my services for this event in an effort to educate my colleagues on what's going on. I browsed Duke's site for a few minutes and found the following article:



                        Without sounding like an alarmist, you can determine what's going on in your hospital and then respond/react from there. They're right, you are in the right place to find the information you need to prepare. Good luck.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Any nurses out there?

                          Hi - A lot of nurses share your alarm, esp as regards their own families. Many states have discusssed passing laws that would yank the licenses of medical professionals who choose not to work during a crisis.
                          Do you know whether North Carolina has such a statute?
                          Does anyone know if there is a list of states with such laws in place? I have looked around, found a lot of talk from last year, hard to tell what has passed.
                          Be well, DA

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Any nurses out there?

                            Hi there.

                            I am a RN with Emergency and Infection Control experience. I share your concerns. As a mother of a teenager, I have prepped accordingly for my child and have everything already in place for shipping the kid to an equally knowledgable and prepped family member who will SIP.

                            My present plan is to go to work and remain there as needed and return home if and when I can. Recently left employment after 16 years in senior management and as the ICP because Admin. thought AI was a joke and wanted a plan on paper for JCAHO but not willing to actually pony up funds to prepare staff. I could see definite failure of the system and after 2 years of trying, and knowing my own heart, if I didn't remove myself from the situation, when TSHTF, I would feel responsible for all of those folks affected by lack of preparation. I resigned, took time off for me, had multiple job offers presented to ME while I was on my little sabbatical, and chose one totally removed from ED and IC when the play money needed refreshing.

                            My new employer is well aware of my background and the unit I am working in will likely not be high in demand during a pandemic so I fully expect to be reassigned to either the ED, outlying pandemic care site or as an ICP during pandemic (IC Director and I served on a state task force so she knows my background and I know the plan). Afraid I can't plead ignorance and get by so I am prepared to do what I can do for as long as I can IF the facility does their part to provide PPE, accommodations, etc to keep me as safe as they are capable of. When it is no longer safe, I will go home.

                            That's my plan and I'm sticking to it...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Any nurses out there?

                              Originally posted by Kirby
                              Hi there.

                              I am a RN with Emergency and Infection Control experience. I share your concerns. As a mother of a teenager, I have prepped accordingly for my child and have everything already in place for shipping the kid to an equally knowledgable and prepped family member who will SIP.

                              My present plan is to go to work and remain there as needed and return home if and when I can. Recently left employment after 16 years in senior management and as the ICP because Admin. thought AI was a joke and wanted a plan on paper for JCAHO but not willing to actually pony up funds to prepare staff. I could see definite failure of the system and after 2 years of trying, and knowing my own heart, if I didn't remove myself from the situation, when TSHTF, I would feel responsible for all of those folks affected by lack of preparation. I resigned, took time off for me, had multiple job offers presented to ME while I was on my little sabbatical, and chose one totally removed from ED and IC when the play money needed refreshing.

                              My new employer is well aware of my background and the unit I am working in will likely not be high in demand during a pandemic so I fully expect to be reassigned to either the ED, outlying pandemic care site or as an ICP during pandemic (IC Director and I served on a state task force so she knows my background and I know the plan). Afraid I can't plead ignorance and get by so I am prepared to do what I can do for as long as I can IF the facility does their part to provide PPE, accommodations, etc to keep me as safe as they are capable of. When it is no longer safe, I will go home.

                              That's my plan and I'm sticking to it...
                              Kirby, I can relate so much to what you have said.

                              I like your plans. They are good ones. For myself, I have not decided exactly where I will work. Right now I am agency RN working in LTC.

                              I am feeling very depressed today. I gave report to today's supervisor in the nursing home where I worked last night. She just finished taking a course so that she could cover the role of the infection control nurse in her 110 bed home. She said that her course barely covered avian flu, and that her instructor really knew her stuff, but there was nothing we could do anyway, so they did not cover much. She told me who she thought was at
                              risk, the same people as for seasonal flu. I showed her the long term care facility pandemic flu plan which was in the infection control manual in the office above her desk. It was obvious that no planning had been done, and no committees had met. The PPE, for the protection of the staff consists of a tissue thin paper mask that you can almost see thru, and paper gowns, but at least there was a pair of goggles, and of course, gloves.

                              I have grown used to the continued indifference and lack of leadership, amongst nurses regarding avian flu planning. But, I have to tell you that sometimes it just gets to me in the worst way, and today is one of those days. So few of them are willing to do anything to educate themselves. You can give them all of the information in the world to help them to make informed choices for themselves, their families and their patients, but if
                              they won't read it, and won't contribute to any discussion, what good is it going to do them or those of us who must depend upon them "to get it" for the good of all of us. I am profoundly disappointed, saddened, and angered by nursing's collective disdain for this subject. I really fear for all of us.
                              I think that this is the first time, that I feel like giving up on everyone. That is how badly I am feeling about this situation.

                              I guess that I just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks for being a captive audience, so to speak.

                              And thanks to all the nurses that do "get it", and to everyone else on this informative and supportive site. Thanks for all that you are doing to help.

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