Young. Everytime I'm updating my team on the happenings and process changes in the COVID unit of late, I am having to tell them "and they're all young."/1
One patient didn't believe COVID was that bad. Now he's lying on his belly to avoid ICU.
One patient could not get sick time. But also lives with generations of family members. And now they all have COVID./2
One patient is a front-line worker, still not vaccinated. They now need oxygen and supplemental feeds.
One patient hasn't seen their family abroad in 16 months, and is pleading with me to make sure they will one day get to see them./3
The point of all of this, of HCW sharing these stories- is not to fear monger. It is to share the reality that is happening in hospitals around the world. I don't know the right answer on how we make this go away. /4
I just know that every patient could be me, you, your family member. And so we continue. To value life in our actions. /5
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Thread: For the last 11 months, our GIM group has taken care of Covid patients. In Spring 2020, we had one dedicated team, and thanks to strict lockdown and Albertan support, we never had to open another team. By mid June, we were down to single digits covid patients. /1
We continued to look after (lower) numbers of COVID patients in the summer, and as more restrictions loosened and school started, late August and early September began to see steady rise, so we had to open our second COVID inpatient team. /2
And a quick note: each team that opens up requires myself as lead to revamp our work schedule, go into our back up pool, ensure safe night time coverage, and often asking my MD colleagues to work a 3rd or 4th week in a row without a day off /3
A thread. Day in The Life of a COVID ward doctor.
Wake up, anxious of the unpredictability of the day. Start day, 7:30am. Survey ward, check how many new admissions, ward transfers, and deaths occurred overnight. Receive handover from overnight covering doc. Ensure PPE in check.
Start rounding. Get interuppted for more handovers of new admitted patients. Coordinate with other COVID teams as to who will become MRP (most responsible provider) for new patients as they come in. Continue rounding.
Get urgent call to see patient suddenly needing 60L of oxygen. Try to quickly but safely put on all appropriate PPE, including N95. While in room, someone yells in that patient across the hall is also desaturating. Ask nurse to call rapid response team to help.