Stocking Up for Peak Flu Season
If there is one thing I learned in my six years as an administrator at a Florida east coast hospital center, it was to stock up on supplies prior to hurricane season. Every year around May, we would load up on disposables.
The one thing we created that worked out great for our department was a "hurricane cart." This was a large, tall crash cart that was stocked with hand-helds, cannulas, masks, regulators, portable air compressors and oxygen keys. I think you get the idea.
Every time a hurricane came through, we would wheel this cart down to our auditorium, which could function as a temporary "mash" unit. We were ready and sharp!
We even found this cart useful during our peak flu season in the winter months a couple of times during an "internal" disaster when an influx of patients from the emergency room overwhelmed us.
Now with the fears of the peak flu season coming up amidst threats of having 40 percent of our staffing out, it's time to "stock up."
We may not use all the ventilator circuits or breath-actuated nebulizers on hand during the winter, but we will before the fiscal year is over. At least we won't need to worry about back orders! Anyway, that's the plan.
The problem for many hospitals in disaster planning is they have never been through a disaster. Therefore, it is difficult for the powers to be to finance the items needed for any "impending" disaster.
It's not like a hospital that goes through a hurricane every other year and staff will use its excess generators, ventilators, concentrators, cots, bedside commodes, and stand up curtain dividers and then store them in a warehouse when not in use.
So many hospitals document a "perfect plan" but never invest in the items needed to carry it out until it's too late.
It's a waiting game; however, your respiratory care department can be ready by making a few minor preparations now.