Medical Discussion of Coronavirus

[artemis]

This isn't just a COVID thing. It seems like most hospitals can't get staff for anything. Where have all the nurses, etc. gone?

Retired or changed careers? (And after the mess last winter, I don’t blame them.)

[CordMcNally]

Retired or changed careers? (And after the mess last winter, I don’t blame them.)

Most of the ones I'm familiar with have stayed in nursing but changed departments but I know that other departments have shortages as well so I don't ultimately know where they've gone. Many have went to traveling, but again, you'd think that would somewhat even out.

[Tim]

Retired or changed careers? (And after the mess last winter, I don’t blame them.)

Keep in mind that NP and on down in the food chain, healthcare employees had a front row seat of of job instability and the sacrifices that most occupations experience at one time or another. Much of the "beast" was "elective", part time, furloughed or mothballed. Arbitrary pay cuts, reassignments. Make no mistake, many felt zero commitment from the "hospital that did not love them back". That is just the "employment" side. Throw in the life disruptions and many asked the question: "Is this worth it?" Some chose a "divorce". Find another way.

[artemis]

Keep in mind that NP and on down in the food chain, healthcare employees had a front row seat of of job instability and the sacrifices that most occupations experience at one time or another. Much of the "beast" was "elective", part time, furloughed or mothballed. Arbitrary pay cuts, reassignments. Make no mistake, many felt zero commitment from the "hospital that did not love them back". That is just the "employment" side. Throw in the life disruptions and many asked the question: "Is this worth it?" Some chose a "divorce". Find another way.

One thing I've read in several national publications is that many workers, having been forced to quit their jobs in order to take care of kids who weren't in school, have decided that going back to work just isn't worth it (especially true for those who were in low-wage positions to begin with). And frankly, I can't blame them for that! Working on the hospital as a floor nurse was a tough job in the best of times, and last winter certainly wasn't the best of times. And now they are looking at going through that again in areas where the immunization rate is low? I don't blame them a bit for saying "No way!"

There are consequences to burning out your workforce (especially when the workers in question aren't easily or quickly replaced).

[FIREshrink]

Most of the ones I'm familiar with have stayed in nursing but changed departments but I know that other departments have shortages as well so I don't ultimately know where they've gone. Many have went to traveling, but again, you'd think that would somewhat even out.

The only nurse in my family, a cousin, quit this spring. She works in Texas, and had simply had enough of patients telling her covid-19 wasn't real, everything was a plot against them, the vaccine was a tracking device by Bill Gates. She says she was spit on by one family who told her she was making it up, as their family member was being vented.

Our country is a shambles.

[artemis]

The only nurse in my family, a cousin, quit this spring. She works in Texas, and had simply had enough of patients telling her covid-19 wasn't real, everything was a plot against them, the vaccine was a tracking device by Bill Gates. She says she was spit on by one family who told her she was making it up, as their family member was being vented.

Now who wouldn't want to stay in such a lovely working environment? Good for your niece for quitting!

[Tim]

Now who wouldn't want to stay in such a lovely working environment? Good for your niece for quitting!

Not to be political, but exactly who is to blame and who is blameless? Alot of implied finger pointing.
Our country is a shambles is correct.

Ahh for the good old 70's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VM2eLhvsSM

[CordMcNally]

The only nurse in my family, a cousin, quit this spring. She works in Texas, and had simply had enough of patients telling her covid-19 wasn't real, everything was a plot against them, the vaccine was a tracking device by Bill Gates. She says she was spit on by one family who told her she was making it up, as their family member was being vented.

Our country is a shambles.

This is honestly no different than how many ED patients have been for as long as I’ve been in medicine. Hopefully she pressed charges against the family who spit on her, if true.

[artemis]

Not to be political, but exactly who is to blame and who is blameless? Alot of implied finger pointing.

I'm pointing my finger directly at patients and patient families who are treating house staff worse than I'd treat a cashier at McDonald's. There is simply no excuse whatsoever for the level of disrespect FIREshrink's niece was receiving (as described in his post).

[CordMcNally]

I'm pointing my finger directly at patients and patient families who are treating house staff worse than I'd treat a cashier at McDonald's. There is simply no excuse whatsoever for the level of disrespect FIREshrink's niece was receiving (as described in his post).

Look at the videos all over Twitter about people blowing up at fast food and retail workers over the most trivial things. People are d-bags and always have been. They're just more likely to be d-bags in public because it quit being ok for these people to get the sh!t beat out of them.

[HikingDO]

I'm pointing my finger directly at patients and patient families who are treating house staff worse than I'd treat a cashier at McDonald's. There is simply no excuse whatsoever for the level of disrespect FIREshrink's niece was receiving (as described in his post).

Why would you treat a cashier at McDonald’s worse than hospital house staff?

[FIREshrink]

I think a lot of health care professionals quit this year, and the covid crush was largely the reason.

BTW she's my cousin(in law), not niece.

[burritos]

The only nurse in my family, a cousin, quit this spring. She works in Texas, and had simply had enough of patients telling her covid-19 wasn't real, everything was a plot against them, the vaccine was a tracking device by Bill Gates. She says she was spit on by one family who told her she was making it up, as their family member was being vented.

Our country is a shambles.

That's really f'ed up.

[artemis]

Why would you treat a cashier at McDonald’s worse than hospital house staff?

I wouldn't - that's the point. But for some reason a lot of people have long felt free to treat "lowly" retail workers like dirt. Apparently now they are increasingly treating everyone that way, judging from what FIREshrink's cousin-in-law experienced.

[Tim]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/13/covi...t-spreads.html

Happened to find a map map that shows correlation between vaccination rates and the increase in Covid cases BY COUNTY. This type of data is informative.

1600 counties with vaccination rates < 40%
463 counties with new infection rate > 100 per 100k residents.
~370 counties (23%) of the spread is in counties with vaccination rate below 40%. Different conclusion than presented in the article. I think the data is extremely helpful and have no idea why 6 states are not reporting county data. I don’t fault CDC for using statistics to make the case for promoting vaccinations in the interest of public health. I don’t care for the implication that 1230 counties are causing a national problem. They potentially have a local problem and would suggest targeting all 1600 with local messaging. County by county down to the individuals not vaccinated for whatever reason is the education and target. Use the data to prioritize efforts.
Most damage first, most potential damage next.

The map is interesting. “What can I do to help?” would be the question. I plan on asking Texas HHS for the data by zip code or county.
To the poster from Missouri, I hope your state health department has some plans. The map shows something needs to happen. Any thoughts?