Another long week at work in the books… it’s hard, y’all. We are seeing very sick patients daily and there are NO ICU beds to send them. And it isn’t just COVID patients… we are holding medical and cardiac ICU patients for DAYS in the ER because there is nowhere to send them. I leave work mentally exhausted after calling 50+ hospitals in our state and surrounding states only to be told “we’re on diversion” or “we’re holding 20 something patients in our ER waiting for beds”. Septic patients, cardiac patients, covid patients, renal patients, non hemorrhagic stroke patients, GI bleeds, surgical patients… the list goes on and on… NO ICU BEDS available.
Our ambulance services are stretched because they are carrying the ones we are lucky enough to find beds for three or four hour transports (one way).
I’ve had ICU patients in our little rural ER almost every night for the past 7. Some have improved and some have not. I think Alabamians getting the vaccine would help with this problem eventually but for now this post isn’t about vaccines.
Nurses in this state are at a boiling point. They are leaving left and right to take jobs that pay more money than they can refuse. Hospitals are overwhelmed and the nurses that they have on staff are doing all that they can do. The pandemic isn’t over. The health crisis in this state is like nothing I’ve ever seen or read about before.
I’ve had heart attack patients sign out against medical advice because they are tired of waiting for a bed to open up. It’s heartbreaking as a nurse to watch patients die and not be able to do anything to help them survive.
The community could help us though…. Emergency rooms are for life threatening emergencies. If you have sore throat or sniffles and want a covid test, wait!!! Go to a clinic during business hours. It’s much cheaper and they will give you a work excuse too. If you have a toothache, wait!!! Take some Motrin and call a dentist in the morning. If you vomit one time, wait!!! Don’t eat anything, get in bed, go to a clinic in the morning and get some medicine. ERs are not Urgent Care Centers… nurses are taking care of critical care patients more so than we usually do…. and if you have to wait in the lobby be patient. If you have to wait for a blanket be patient. If you have to wait for a sandwich tray… well, bless your heart I haven’t peed in 8 hours.
Be kind to your healthcare workers… it’s not easy for us right now. Pray for your health care workers… we need it.
Our ambulance services are stretched because they are carrying the ones we are lucky enough to find beds for three or four hour transports (one way).
I’ve had ICU patients in our little rural ER almost every night for the past 7. Some have improved and some have not. I think Alabamians getting the vaccine would help with this problem eventually but for now this post isn’t about vaccines.
Nurses in this state are at a boiling point. They are leaving left and right to take jobs that pay more money than they can refuse. Hospitals are overwhelmed and the nurses that they have on staff are doing all that they can do. The pandemic isn’t over. The health crisis in this state is like nothing I’ve ever seen or read about before.
I’ve had heart attack patients sign out against medical advice because they are tired of waiting for a bed to open up. It’s heartbreaking as a nurse to watch patients die and not be able to do anything to help them survive.
The community could help us though…. Emergency rooms are for life threatening emergencies. If you have sore throat or sniffles and want a covid test, wait!!! Go to a clinic during business hours. It’s much cheaper and they will give you a work excuse too. If you have a toothache, wait!!! Take some Motrin and call a dentist in the morning. If you vomit one time, wait!!! Don’t eat anything, get in bed, go to a clinic in the morning and get some medicine. ERs are not Urgent Care Centers… nurses are taking care of critical care patients more so than we usually do…. and if you have to wait in the lobby be patient. If you have to wait for a blanket be patient. If you have to wait for a sandwich tray… well, bless your heart I haven’t peed in 8 hours.
Be kind to your healthcare workers… it’s not easy for us right now. Pray for your health care workers… we need it.