Swine Flu: How Do You Stay Calm When Health Care Providers Panic

Posted on May 2, 2009
Filed Under Personal | 1 Comment

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The media, the President, and the Centers for Disease Control are all advising that we stay calm, take reasonable precautions and continue life as usual but how are we supposed to stay calm when health care providers are panicing? A small hospital and nursing home in Georgia quarantines itself, refusing to allow visitors to patients and nursing home residents.

How do I know this? Last night, my mother and daughter went to visit my father who has recently been admitted to a nursing home with terminal cancer and dementia. When they arrived at BJC Medical Center and Nursing home, the doors were locked and there was a sign on the door stating that the hospital and nursing home is closed due to the Swine Flu outbreak in GA.

There have been no reported cases in their area. The swine flu cases that have been reported in GA are on the other side of the state. Even if they had an active case, CDC is recommending that normal precautions be taken in limiting visitors to that patient not the entire hospital.

Facility access control

Facilities should have signage at entry points instructing patients and visitors about hospital policies, including the need to notify staff immediately if they have signs and symptoms of febrile respiratory illness. Facilities in communities where swine influenza transmission is occurring should limit points of entry to the facility..

There is no mention on the CDC website about quarantining an entire facility or refusing to allow visitors. Isn’t this the exact kind of panic that health care providers should be trying to prevent? They are, after all, the professionals. If they are going to close hospitals and nursing homes, should the schools all close? Should we stop going to work? What about riding the bus or the subway?

So my father is locked in a nursing home. He doesn’t remember where he is or why he is there all the time. My mother has been there every day to sit with him. We don’t know how long he will live, his doctor has given him from a few weeks to a few months to live and now we are unable to see him. My mother is home in near hysteria from worrying about whether he will be upset because she isn’t there. Will he think she has deserted him or forgotten him?

I sincerely hope that BJC Medical Center has come to their senses by the time that I am writing this. I hope that they have followed CDC recommendations and informed visitors of the need to follow precautions and limit their movements within the facility and to stay home if they are sick.

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Comments

One Response to “Swine Flu: How Do You Stay Calm When Health Care Providers Panic”

Joey Logano Fan (11 comments.) on May 2nd, 2009 7:28 pm

I think we should take the advice that the president has given us. I think it’s best to stay calm, and not overwhelm ourselves with worry over the Swine Flu.

I don’t think we should stop going to work or anything like that, we just gotta keep rolling along, and hopefully things will work out in the end.

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