What kind of country of dummies have we become when the PRESIDENT has to go on TV and tell us to WASH OUR HANDS and COVER OUR MOUTHS when we cough?
Triage has become a nightmare now what with all this "Swine flu" nonsense. I live in one of the cities where there was a cluster of infections, and our hospital has gone into full panic mode. There are masks at every entrance with signs saying "If you have a cough or fever, please wear one." So, since they're free, everyone has two or three on them, even the kids. I'm constantly stopping people and asking if they have cough or fever. No? TAKE THE MASK OFF, FOR GOD'S SAKES!!! You're just here to visit grandma!
Also, for every actually sick person I triage, I get two or three who are just worried about the swine flu. These are people who won't bother to get a regular flu shot--and the regular flu can kill you too, you dummies! Some questions:
Pt (on the phone): I need my family to get tested for swine flu. We just got back from Mexico.
Me: Are any of you feeling sick?
Pt: No.
Me: No coughs, no sore throat, no fever?
Pt: No. But I have two kids who have to go back to school.
Me: ARE THEY SICK IN ANY WAY?
Pt: No.
Me: I suggest you stay home.
Other pt (in triage): I have flu symptoms. I think it's the swine flu.
Me: Were you in Mexico?
Pt: No.
Me: Were you around an infected person?
Pt: No.
Me: Then you probably don't have the swine flu.
Pt: How do you know?
Me: Because you weren't exposed to it.
Pt: But I feel sick.
Me: You are sick. You just don't have the swine flu.
Please note that on top of all of this, I'M SICK. I have some upper-respiratory thing, brought on by the insane amount of pollen flying around. It started with a sore throat and uvula that was so swollen, I actually went in to my own ED and got one of the docs to give me a shot of Decadron so I could breathe and swallow. That thing was like a freaking THUMB dangling in the back of my throat. Then it progressed to a hacking, mucus-filled cough that burns my chest. Guess what I'm doing? STAYING HOME.
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12 comments:
I had my first SWINE FLU VICTIM this morning. Healthy teen girl with non-descript symptoms. The thing that alarmed her most was the rash on her buttocks. So much for a pandemic alarm!
I can only imagine. I'm so pleased to be out of floor nursing right now. Man, the wackos are out in full force, of course.
Same thing is going on at my hospital....overreacting to the flu. It's like they don't realize the usual flu kills thousands every year. Idiots!
I got sent home from my clinicals this morning because I'm sick and have flu-like symptoms. There was no question about me even wearing a mask and staying. They booted me. And on my last day of clinicals for the semester... boo.
Nothing like planned panic. What if "they" mention swine flu and "we" were to mention mad cow or avian, or chicken pox, we could end up with Old McDonald's farm in our ED's.
Yes, we are passing out masks and Purell like life jackets on the Titanic (only the first class get the Purell). I instinctively feel this whole pandemic is overblown. Continue to stay home GG RN until you feel better.
I hear a shot of whiskey (or other booze) cures a sore throat. I just might try it.
It's good to have you back. Hope your feeling better right now! I am in the Pacific Northwest and so far no swine flu but I am not floating to the ER for awhile cuz I always get the low acuity pt's and that means every sniffly, sneezy, coughy and stuffy head pt in a 20 mile radius. I'd rather not have to roll my eyes every 5 seconds. I heard if you eye-roll with frequency they might get stuck.
I've been out of town for a week for off site training. I've missed the first wave of hysteria but one of our dispatchers has referred to the emergency phone number as "Swine-1-1", which I'm guessing to mean that we've seen a big increase in calls.
The whole thing reminds me of the Anthrax panic in 2001.
Funny post...
It's kinda like the febrile peds seizures we see in the field:
Pt: My child has a fever of 104
Me: Since when?
Pt: Yesterday...
Me: Give him any Tylenol or Motrin?
Pt: No...
Me: Excellent...
Patient Zero for Swine Flu- ex TV star Arnold Ziffle of Hootersville. Our Urgent Scare has been overrun also.
A lot of Positive Flu A. Not one confirmed by DEHEC other than seasonal Flu, and I'm not sure that more than 10 have been sent to CDC from SC. Don't know where they are digging up these positive numbers. I guess from the Hx questions you asked..travel, exposure etc.
Have a great weekend,
J
shame on you people here !!! Why write such awful things on this site It's a normal human reaction to be in this state of panic. I am just sad that your apart of the health care system .
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