Life on the front line.

[Dubbag]

So last week we were told what to expect. Over the course of the last 14 days or so...plans have been drawn up to deal with this Virus, COVID19. Our hospital normally holds 21 ICU beds. We have plans to go to 100 plus over the next few weeks a this unfolds. The hospital has cleared many beds in order to deal with this. On Monday when I returned back to work, we had one suspect show up in our ICU. All PPE applies to such cases until tests results come back...which can take a few hours or a day....I was involved with clearing out an adjacent ward that holds10 beds..whcih we began to convert into an ICU ward. Medical gas, suction points. infusion stands and medical pumps have to be set up at each space as well as the much sought after ventilators. Plus computers and intell needs to be quickly installed to bring an ordinary ward up to scratch. New beds have to be ordered along with everything else... but as Mr Ben you say...."as if by magic a shopkeeper appeared" and so money is no longer in short supply across the world.
By state of play on leaving on Monday night...our one patient had been confirmed positive and another 3 needed ICU treatment and were on there way in to us.

On arriving in yesterday morning...we had six patients isolated and awaiting test results...all were subsequently positive.
This is where is get dangerous....while patients can come in breathing by themselves....it appears to be the quickness of deterioration that has caught the world of guard with this virus. In the space of three hours all six were not only positive but on life support...and immediately been proned. The word from other wards was that another 4 were needing ICU beds quickly. And so it begins. We immediately had an issue with PPE gear...not enough masks to be worn each time...Not good. Hopefully that will be addressed. Proning takes about 5 staff and involves turning the patient on to there stomach for about 16 hours to helps relieve the lungs and stop them from filling up to quickly with fluids. But because the patient is tubed...you need to be careful that the circuit doesn't break in the process ans spew virus droplets everywhere....so PPE stuff is ***** for us....Working fully gowned to the eyeballs and in heat is not ideal but it could be worse...it could be Ebola in a really really hot country...So shouldn't grumble.....The water is trickling around our feet at the moment.....but rising.......we shall see how it goes!!
Stay well and envoy your life....

[TipperaryBaggie]

May I take this opportunity Dubs to thank you and all the hospital staff both here and the Emerald Isle for the sterling work that you are all doing. Keep up the good work and stay safe.

[BaggieBlood]

I second what Tip said.

You are the team we are all supporting now!!!

[albion68]

So last week we were told what to expect. Over the course of the last 14 days or so...plans have been drawn up to deal with this Virus, COVID19. Our hospital normally holds 21 ICU beds. We have plans to go to 100 plus over the next few weeks a this unfolds. The hospital has cleared many beds in order to deal with this. On Monday when I returned back to work, we had one suspect show up in our ICU. All PPE applies to such cases until tests results come back...which can take a few hours or a day....I was involved with clearing out an adjacent ward that holds10 beds..whcih we began to convert into an ICU ward. Medical gas, suction points. infusion stands and medical pumps have to be set up at each space as well as the much sought after ventilators. Plus computers and intell needs to be quickly installed to bring an ordinary ward up to scratch. New beds have to be ordered along with everything else... but as Mr Ben you say...."as if by magic a shopkeeper appeared" and so money is no longer in short supply across the world.
By state of play on leaving on Monday night...our one patient had been confirmed positive and another 3 needed ICU treatment and were on there way in to us.

On arriving in yesterday morning...we had six patients isolated and awaiting test results...all were subsequently positive.
This is where is get dangerous....while patients can come in breathing by themselves....it appears to be the quickness of deterioration that has caught the world of guard with this virus. In the space of three hours all six were not only positive but on life support...and immediately been proned. The word from other wards was that another 4 were needing ICU beds quickly. And so it begins. We immediately had an issue with PPE gear...not enough masks to be worn each time...Not good. Hopefully that will be addressed. Proning takes about 5 staff and involves turning the patient on to there stomach for about 16 hours to helps relieve the lungs and stop them from filling up to quickly with fluids. But because the patient is tubed...you need to be careful that the circuit doesn't break in the process ans spew virus droplets everywhere....so PPE stuff is ***** for us....Working fully gowned to the eyeballs and in heat is not ideal but it could be worse...it could be Ebola in a really really hot country...So shouldn't grumble.....The water is trickling around our feet at the moment.....but rising.......we shall see how it goes!!
Stay well and envoy your life....

I’m with bb on that top team dubs.

[Prando]

Thinking of you and thanking you DB buddy. Take care and stay as safe as possible.

[mickd1961]

I second what Tip said.

You are the team we are all supporting now!!!

A superb sentiment BB.

All the luck in the world to you Dubs.

[westcountryvillain]

Same from me too Dubbag - keep safe, more of this must be rammed down the throats of the ignorant.

Thanks for all you're doing.

[soulman101]

Big thumbs up and thanks from us , to you and all your colleagues . If you ever come up to watch a match, the tickets are on me.

[boingy]

Big thumbs here too!

[Q165]

Many thanks from me too