As most of you know, I work in the ICU. We are hedging on overcrowding of epic proportions, so much so that states are implementing disaster standards of care (like Idaho).
What is the implication of this?
According to the standards, patients could be given a priority score based on a number of factors.
For example, if the demand for ventilators is exceeding supply, hospitals could put into place universal “Do Not Resuscitate” orders. That means if an adult patient goes into cardiac arrest, they could “receive NO attempts at resuscitation,” according to Health and Welfare’s strategies for scarce resource situations.
“The likelihood of survival after a cardiac arrest is extremely low for adult patients. As well, resuscitation poses significant risk to health care workers due to aerosolization of body fluids and uses large quantities of scarce resources such as staff time, personal protective equipment, and life-saving medications, with minimal opportunity for benefit.”
You can read the local article here:
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/sep/17/its-idahos-first-time-activating-crisis-standards-/
This thread is not about vax vs no vax - this thread is about the very possible collapse of our healthcare system this winter (when we historically have higher numbers).
Healthcare providers are walking off the job at record numbers, and with the looming mandate in many states, we will be without many more healthcare workers - leading to even worse staffing issues and compromised care - further justifying implementing crisis standards of care.
What is happening in Idaho is now spilling into Washington state, with many of the residents of Idaho coming to Eastern WA to seek care, further increasing numbers hospitalized and in the ER. This will have a ripple effect across the nation.
What have you done to prepare for a collapse?
I'm attaching a list of supplies I have been collecting here at my place, and wanted to share with you all. Feel free to add something I've missed (which is entirely possible!)
Med Kit
AED/defibrillator
CPAP/BiPAP (if you can get now)
Portable O2 concentrator
Nasal cannula + face masks
Bag/valve mask
ENT kit
Dental kit
Box of nitrile gloves (different sizes)
IV catheter starts (can get on amazon)
IV tubing
IV bags - normal saline or lactated ringers
Potassium iodide
4 x 4 sponges
Abdominal pads (very absorbent)
Coban
Silk tape
Non adherent dressings
Sterile dressings
Bottles of sterile water/normal saline (for irrigation of wounds)
Silver nitrate sticks (can stop small bleeders)
Trauma dressing
Quick clot
Petroleum gauze (chest wound dressings)
14 ga IV cath - for needle decompression
Sutures and suture kit (needle drivers)
Suture removal kit
Hemostats
Scalpels (many different sizes)
Butterfly bandages
Newskin/glue for wounds
NG tubes
Eye wash solution
Antibiotic ointment
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Alcohol wipes or rubbing alcohol
Band aids (all diff sizes)
Q-tips
Cotton balls
Activated charcoal
Petroleum jelly (for lubrication)
Lidocaine (1%)
Needles 20 ga-27 ga 1/2 in to 1 1/2 in. The larger the gauge the smaller the diameter - so the 27 ga is smaller, and you would want 1/2 inch - can use that to start infiltration of lidocaine at a superficial level. The longer length ones and bigger gauge (20ga) would be for injection of medication
Syringes (all sizes from 1cc-40 cc) both leur lock and slip tip (For use with the NGT)
Diabetes syringes
Oral rehydration powder/electrolyte solution
Glucose monitor
Blood pressure monitor
Pulse oximeter
Thermometer
Meds:
(Make sure to have a stockpile of any prescription meds you take)
Steroids (dexamethasone or prednisone pills)
Antibiotics - good ones to have: azithromycin, ceftriaxone, ampicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin
Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen
Anti-diarrheal
Monistat 7 (or any type - to treat a female yeast infection)
Pantoprazole (protonix)
famotidine
Diphenhydramine
Allergy meds: allegra, claritin (etc)
Epi pen
Anti-venom
Ondansetron (zofran) (oral dissolving tablet)
Glucose tabs
Laxative
Aspirin (chewable 81 mg best)
Anti-histamines/cold medicine
Benadryl cream
Hydrocortisone cream
Topical lidocaine cream
Sunburn cream, sunscreen
What is the implication of this?
According to the standards, patients could be given a priority score based on a number of factors.
For example, if the demand for ventilators is exceeding supply, hospitals could put into place universal “Do Not Resuscitate” orders. That means if an adult patient goes into cardiac arrest, they could “receive NO attempts at resuscitation,” according to Health and Welfare’s strategies for scarce resource situations.
“The likelihood of survival after a cardiac arrest is extremely low for adult patients. As well, resuscitation poses significant risk to health care workers due to aerosolization of body fluids and uses large quantities of scarce resources such as staff time, personal protective equipment, and life-saving medications, with minimal opportunity for benefit.”
You can read the local article here:
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/sep/17/its-idahos-first-time-activating-crisis-standards-/
This thread is not about vax vs no vax - this thread is about the very possible collapse of our healthcare system this winter (when we historically have higher numbers).
Healthcare providers are walking off the job at record numbers, and with the looming mandate in many states, we will be without many more healthcare workers - leading to even worse staffing issues and compromised care - further justifying implementing crisis standards of care.
What is happening in Idaho is now spilling into Washington state, with many of the residents of Idaho coming to Eastern WA to seek care, further increasing numbers hospitalized and in the ER. This will have a ripple effect across the nation.
What have you done to prepare for a collapse?
I'm attaching a list of supplies I have been collecting here at my place, and wanted to share with you all. Feel free to add something I've missed (which is entirely possible!)
Med Kit
AED/defibrillator
CPAP/BiPAP (if you can get now)
Portable O2 concentrator
Nasal cannula + face masks
Bag/valve mask
ENT kit
Dental kit
Box of nitrile gloves (different sizes)
IV catheter starts (can get on amazon)
IV tubing
IV bags - normal saline or lactated ringers
Potassium iodide
4 x 4 sponges
Abdominal pads (very absorbent)
Coban
Silk tape
Non adherent dressings
Sterile dressings
Bottles of sterile water/normal saline (for irrigation of wounds)
Silver nitrate sticks (can stop small bleeders)
Trauma dressing
Quick clot
Petroleum gauze (chest wound dressings)
14 ga IV cath - for needle decompression
Sutures and suture kit (needle drivers)
Suture removal kit
Hemostats
Scalpels (many different sizes)
Butterfly bandages
Newskin/glue for wounds
NG tubes
Eye wash solution
Antibiotic ointment
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Alcohol wipes or rubbing alcohol
Band aids (all diff sizes)
Q-tips
Cotton balls
Activated charcoal
Petroleum jelly (for lubrication)
Lidocaine (1%)
Needles 20 ga-27 ga 1/2 in to 1 1/2 in. The larger the gauge the smaller the diameter - so the 27 ga is smaller, and you would want 1/2 inch - can use that to start infiltration of lidocaine at a superficial level. The longer length ones and bigger gauge (20ga) would be for injection of medication
Syringes (all sizes from 1cc-40 cc) both leur lock and slip tip (For use with the NGT)
Diabetes syringes
Oral rehydration powder/electrolyte solution
Glucose monitor
Blood pressure monitor
Pulse oximeter
Thermometer
Meds:
(Make sure to have a stockpile of any prescription meds you take)
Steroids (dexamethasone or prednisone pills)
Antibiotics - good ones to have: azithromycin, ceftriaxone, ampicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin
Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen
Anti-diarrheal
Monistat 7 (or any type - to treat a female yeast infection)
Pantoprazole (protonix)
famotidine
Diphenhydramine
Allergy meds: allegra, claritin (etc)
Epi pen
Anti-venom
Ondansetron (zofran) (oral dissolving tablet)
Glucose tabs
Laxative
Aspirin (chewable 81 mg best)
Anti-histamines/cold medicine
Benadryl cream
Hydrocortisone cream
Topical lidocaine cream
Sunburn cream, sunscreen