COVID ICU day #7
Although our sleepy ICU has been busy, things are still manageable here at the moment.
I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some key take-away observations from my first week.
May not have time to do this when I return in a few weeks.
Although our sleepy ICU has been busy, things are still manageable here at the moment.
I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some key take-away observations from my first week.
May not have time to do this when I return in a few weeks.
1.I am inspired...by the people I work with in the ICU, hospital, military, and all of you on #Medtwitter.
It’s just awesome watching everyone rally around a singular mission of preserving as many lives as possible globally and defeating COVID19.
It’s just awesome watching everyone rally around a singular mission of preserving as many lives as possible globally and defeating COVID19.
2.We work with some incredibly selfless individuals.
Sometimes, we have to protect people from themselves.
Make PPE corrections.
Don’t let people jump in w/o the right PPE, no matter how emergent the situation.
Need to take it upon ourselves to look after one another.
Sometimes, we have to protect people from themselves.
Make PPE corrections.
Don’t let people jump in w/o the right PPE, no matter how emergent the situation.
Need to take it upon ourselves to look after one another.
3.Families are starving for info.
They are incredibly grateful when they receive updates.
You should see the faces I’ve seen when we video call to ask them to join us on rounds.
We have the tech.
Make an effort to connect with families.
They are incredibly grateful when they receive updates.
You should see the faces I’ve seen when we video call to ask them to join us on rounds.
We have the tech.
Make an effort to connect with families.
4.The COVID ICU is like Hotel California. People come in but they don’t seem to leave.
None of the patients we admitted this week are close to being transferred out.
I could see how ICU beds and vents can get short. We need to figure out how to cut the number of vent days.
None of the patients we admitted this week are close to being transferred out.
I could see how ICU beds and vents can get short. We need to figure out how to cut the number of vent days.
5.Limit the number of HCW in the room for any given procedure. D/C any unnecessary labs or tests.
Today we d/c’d all daily ECGs...can track Qtc on the tele.
Change the way you manage insulin drips....relax the Q1 hour checks and shoot for ‘reasonable’ Glucose targets.
Today we d/c’d all daily ECGs...can track Qtc on the tele.
Change the way you manage insulin drips....relax the Q1 hour checks and shoot for ‘reasonable’ Glucose targets.
6.Sometimes we get labs out of ‘academic curiosity’.
For these early patients, it’s ok.
Daily IL-6, TNF, ferritins, ATII levels, etc.
We are drawing these so we can learn as much as possible during our early experience so we can help inform management of the next 100.
For these early patients, it’s ok.
Daily IL-6, TNF, ferritins, ATII levels, etc.
We are drawing these so we can learn as much as possible during our early experience so we can help inform management of the next 100.
7.Those in Academics.
We’ve had different residents and interns every day.
Need a standard data collection form that optimizes data collection efficiency and standardizes the ICU presentation.
This will become vital when we start seeing a lot of patients.
We’ve had different residents and interns every day.
Need a standard data collection form that optimizes data collection efficiency and standardizes the ICU presentation.
This will become vital when we start seeing a lot of patients.
8.Finally.
Many lessons of the past have been forgotten.
This is clear.
However, HCWs can collectively to relearn things very quickly, improvise, and just plainly get the job done.
For these reasons, there is hope.
We will get through this.
We will defeat COVID.
Many lessons of the past have been forgotten.
This is clear.
However, HCWs can collectively to relearn things very quickly, improvise, and just plainly get the job done.
For these reasons, there is hope.
We will get through this.
We will defeat COVID.
Info about average vent days on this thread.
