So I mentioned in the last post the impact of our first suspected H1N1 flu case in the state (the proper term is no longer "swine flu" in honor of people who do actually eat pork and those who sell it -- go Iowan farmers!).
Thursday morning, we received the breaking news of 3 suspected cases of H1N1 flu, including one in a child and one in a pediatrician.
That day, the Emergency Department saw 184 patients. For comparison, our average caseload a day is in the 80s or 90s, and last year, on the same day/time of the month, we saw 88. It has been dramatic. Our infection control adherence has stepped up enormously.
On Monday, any fever/cough patients had to have traveled to Mexico or San Diego to be considered H1N1 flu-material. By Thursday, anybody with fever/cough was automatically put in our "strict isolation." Strict isolation means that we had to wear gowns, gloves, and special filtering masks (like the PAPR masks I've described before, for tuberculosis).
We've also now shut down some of our operations -- some entrances are closed, staff cannot work for seven days if they have any indication of a cough/cold (I saw a poor coworker sent home after an entrance screening for just sniffling, despite her protestation that she had no fevers whatsoever). Our snack cart in the Emergency Department was removed, and our families are not allowed out of the rooms, H1N1-suspect or not.
This is insane! And exciting!
