Sunday, November 15, 2009

Stuck

So on Friday I got my H1N1 vaccine. Score!

I know there are a few out there who are skeptical of either the vaccine itself or the over-hype of the flu itself. I get it. I respect it. But respect me my views too.

I work in healthcare and I see its impact. I see how it is affecting healthcare workers, who would normally be taking care of ill non-healthcare folks. I see how our ICU utilization is through the roof and if you are in need of a ventilator due to respiratory illness (say, like due to H1N1) you might not be getting that cubicle/room.

My frustration lies with the vaccine distribution. Grocery stores and community centers got it before hospitals - at least here. We would get only enough that it would be gone in 45 minutes - and that was just for the direct patient care folks. Yes, workers got it before patients, because, if there is no one well enough to take care of the patients - everyone is kind of screwed.

Finally at the end of last week, we got a huge shipment - but not without our Chief Medical Officer traveling to Columbus and DC to basically beg for it. Since we got so much, they relaxed the tiered approach. Technically, I am not in the first three tiers. But enough came in where it was allowable for any hospital employee who wanted one to get one.

And for all the hoo-ha of low supply and high demand - do you want to know how many people were waiting to get inoculated when I was there at 14:00 on a Friday?

Me, myself and I. That's it. No one in front of me, no one behind me.

It took longer to complete the paperwork than it did to get the shot.

I'm not over-hyping the flu, but it's one of those things I do not need. So, I got my seasonal and H1N1 shots. I wash my hands - a lot - and I really am watching what I touch (do I really need to grab the hand rail on a public stairwell? Je think not).

So all I have left to do is make sure Denton gets it - the shot, not the flu. Me getting the shot only covers me so far. ...and let's face it, it is all about me!


Song by: Stacie Orrico

5 comments:

Jonny said...

My place of work-ship has a calendar of when H1N1 shots are given. So I goes down to the little room of shots and there's a nurse reading a Baldacci novel.
Lo and behold, no flu shots. Don't know when they'll get them...Employee health has none. blah blah blah.
I call Dr. Bill (my M.D.) and it's all "Sure do sugar!Come on down! Tell your friends!" (They actually said that)
I'm glad I got the shot as I don't want to be on a ship next week with 2k people w/o it. But come on...my little MD office got tons of the vaccine before an 800 bed Level 1 Trauma hospital??

A Lewis said...

Nice bandage. Didn't they have something sassy....say, with a cartoon character or naked man or something?
I have taken the seasonal flu...but not H1N1 yet. I may, or I may not. And who in the world is casting demonic judgment on you for getting It? For god's sake.....

Larry Ohio said...

"...make sure Denton gets it - the shot, not the flu." I love your writing style. This is why you are my first read in the morning. Except on Mondays -- Sean's #1 on that day!

Curtis said...

Our little hospital here in MO has been hit pretty hard, but we are managing. Finally did get our shipment of vaccine, but not enough for everyone, just front line workers and the three microbiologists that are testing for the virus. It promises to be a long winter.

cb said...

I'm pretty sure I'm just getting over the H1N1. It kinda sucked. And I'm still coughing a bit.