The Coronavirus Thread...

[Cotton]

That would be such poetic justice. I try not to actually hate anyone but I make an exception for pos like him

Same with De Blasio.

 

[jsmith6919]

 

[jsmith6919]

Kung flu is appropriate

 

[jsmith6919]

 

[Cujo]

Well, that would be racist. Like every other gd thing.

 

[jsmith6919]

 

[jsmith6919]

 

[bbgun]

I'd kick her right in the nuts

 

[lostxn]

So thought I would give an update regarding how things are going these days in my hospitals. Both hospitals I work at are full and all ICU beds are full. The majority of patients admitted are not COVID-related but we didn't have a ton of capacity once we reopened so we filled up fast. We are definitely seeing more COVID patients than ever before but we're seeing less ill people. I am still admitting COVID pts but am sending far more home. A number of young people with known COVID call EMS to take them to the ED with fairly minimal symptoms exposing EMS and ER staff unnecessarily which is frustrating. I've seen probably 8-10 of these cases over the last 2-3 weeks.

I know 4 nurses who have tested positive and 3 respiratory techs as well. Of these, one of the resp techs got very ill and nearly required intubation. She is still unable to work nearly 1 1/2 months later. As RNs are unable to work due to illness, we are unable to open the full ER and this backs up patients into the waiting room despite overall volumes not being horrible. Having people sitting in the waiting room is really not good when several of them are there with COVID symptoms.

When we disposition (admit or discharge) suspected COVID patients, we have to do a "terminal clean" using bleach and UV light before the room can be used again. This takes a room out of rotation. Then because you have the hospital full, we are starting to hold patients in the ER after they are admitted, taking more rooms out of rotation. We are not at a crisis level but things are heading in the wrong direction pretty quick. I've heard Parkland (the big Dallas County hospital where Kennedy died) is getting slammed but I don't work there anymore.

The PPE situation is better. While we are using 4 masks/practitioner/month rather than 1/patient encounter at least we feel like we have enough to be somewhat safe. We are still using our home-built UV sterilizers.

I will say I am not seeing the crashing COVID patients during this spike. I suspect it's because at-risk patients (e.g. diabetics. elderly) have been paying attention and are protecting themselves. I am hoping this continues and the case fatality rate falls. However, that is just one practitioners observation and may not extrapolate outside my personal geographic practice area.

The other bit of good news is that Remdesivir and Decadron (Dexamethasone) are proving to be valuable tools if given at the right time. Our ID doc calls Remdesivir "like a miracle." So that is also hopeful. I need to ask him if he feels our case fatality rates are going down on admitted patients. Not really something I have good insight on in the ED.

 

[jsmith6919]

 

[boozeman]

So thought I would give an update regarding how things are going these days in my hospitals. Both hospitals I work at are full and all ICU beds are full. The majority of patients admitted are not COVID-related but we didn't have a ton of capacity once we reopened so we filled up fast. We are definitely seeing more COVID patients than ever before but we're seeing less ill people. I am still admitting COVID pts but am sending far more home. A number of young people with known COVID call EMS to take them to the ED with fairly minimal symptoms exposing EMS and ER staff unnecessarily which is frustrating. I've seen probably 8-10 of these cases over the last 2-3 weeks.

I know 4 nurses who have tested positive and 3 respiratory techs as well. Of these, one of the resp techs got very ill and nearly required intubation. She is still unable to work nearly 1 1/2 months later. As RNs are unable to work due to illness, we are unable to open the full ER and this backs up patients into the waiting room despite overall volumes not being horrible. Having people sitting in the waiting room is really not good when several of them are there with COVID symptoms.

When we disposition (admit or discharge) suspected COVID patients, we have to do a "terminal clean" using bleach and UV light before the room can be used again. This takes a room out of rotation. Then because you have the hospital full, we are starting to hold patients in the ER after they are admitted, taking more rooms out of rotation. We are not at a crisis level but things are heading in the wrong direction pretty quick. I've heard Parkland (the big Dallas County hospital where Kennedy died) is getting slammed but I don't work there anymore.

The PPE situation is better. While we are using 4 masks/practitioner/month rather than 1/patient encounter at least we feel like we have enough to be somewhat safe. We are still using our home-built UV sterilizers.

I will say I am not seeing the crashing COVID patients during this spike. I suspect it's because at-risk patients (e.g. diabetics. elderly) have been paying attention and are protecting themselves. I am hoping this continues and the case fatality rate falls. However, that is just one practitioners observation and may not extrapolate outside my personal geographic practice area.

The other bit of good news is that Remdesivir and Decadron (Dexamethasone) are proving to be valuable tools if given at the right time. Our ID doc calls Remdesivir "like a miracle." So that is also hopeful. I need to ask him if he feels our case fatality rates are going down on admitted patients. Not really something I have good insight on in the ED.

Props.

But I guess you are just full of shit or something.

 

[yimyammer]

Thanks for sharing, few questions if you dont mind:

We are definitely seeing more COVID patients than ever before but we're seeing less ill people.

What do you mean by this? Asymptomatic?

We are still using our home-built UV sterilizers.

How do they work, easy to build?

I will say I am not seeing the crashing COVID patients during this spike.

what are "crashing COVID patients"?

Wishing you a safe & covid free foreseeable future amigo!

 

[lostxn]

Props.

But I guess you are just full of shit or something.

Well I am a self-important, partisan bitch. I can't deny that.

 

[jsmith6919]

Well I am a self-important, partisan bitch. I can't deny that.

See we can all agree on some things

 

[lostxn]

Thanks for sharing, few questions if you dont mind:
What do you mean by this? Asymptomatic?

No, most are mildly symptomatic. Cough and fever, generally. A few want work clearance but I'm not playing that game in the ED. Gotta save the tests for sick people.

How do they work, easy to build?

Yeah fairly easy if you're handy. This is the box I made:

UVC Sterilizer for COVID-19 Emergency

UVC Sterilizer for COVID-19 Emergency: How to make a UVC sterilizer box. First things first. Electricity is dangerous! If you are not confident and competent do not attempt anything mentioned below. UVC (253.7nm) light is powerful, it can blind you and possibly give you skin cancer if ex…

www.instructables.com

If you use a cloth mask though, just launder them and you're fine.

what are "crashing COVID patients"?

Respiratory distress requiring emergent intubation or BiPAP (similar to CPAP).

Wishing you a safe & covid free foreseeable future amigo!

Thanks bro.

 

[bbgun]

Well I am a self-important, partisan bitch.

and so are the health "experts" who ruined their credibility by giving black protesters a pass. who knew that the virus could discriminate between "noble" protesters and regular people?

 

[jsmith6919]

Never forget this bullshit. And watch how quickly this all goes away the day after the election.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

The other bit of good news is that Remdesivir and Decadron (Dexamethasone) are proving to be valuable tools if given at the right time. Our ID doc calls Remdesivir "like a miracle." So that is also hopeful. I need to ask him if he feels our case fatality rates are going down on admitted patients. Not really something I have good insight on in the ED.

Is that the drug everyone got pissed at Trump for mentioning?

Also I know historically these viruses tend to become weaker as time goes on. Couldn't that be a big part the lower fatality rate and rate of people needing hospitalization? Essentially the virus is becoming less deadly in general?

 

[jsmith6919]

Is that the drug everyone got pissed at Trump for mentioning?

Also I know historically these viruses tend to become weaker as time goes on. Couldn't that be a big part the lower fatality rate and rate of people needing hospitalization? Essentially the virus is becoming less deadly in general?

Nah that was hydroxychloroquine but the study everyone used to discount it has been recounted by the people that published it and a couple of them were fired

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Nah that was hydroxychloroquine but the study everyone used to discount it has been recounted by the people that published it and a couple of them were fired

Ah that's right. I get all these drugs confused. My pharmacist friends are constantly mentioning all of them and I can't keep up.