• Thank you all very much for sharing your time with us in 2025. We hope you all have a safe and happy 2026!

Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that Dave, if there's anything I can do to help let me know.
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...

Not a situation anyone wants to have to deal with in 'normal' times... Everything just seems doubly difficult presently... Take care...
 
Hobbit said:
Disposable is cheaper. And from a Control of Infection perspective you take the gown/mask/gloves off, put them in a yellow bag and off they go to be incinerated. That said, every hospital has a sterilising dept which is huge but won't be kitted out for those type of items.
Click to expand...
Understand its cheaper.

I think the point i was trying to make was that, in going for cheap / disposable / convenience have we put ourselves over the barrel?

We're now at the mercy of a disrupted global chain that can't, for obvious reasons, cope with unprecedented demand.

So, do we continue to plow that furrow, or throw away convenience and think about other ways to solve the problem? I'd rather use time/energy to look at ways to solve problems than sitting there pointing the finger.

I was asking about re-use as I can't think, other than cost / convenience, of any good reason why a large percentage can't be reused (washable gowns instead of paper).

If not an option now, hopefully there are other options i can't think of then!

Looking to the future nations might hopefully think carefully about their ability to be self sufficient for items required to defend against threats.

It's not like this one wasn't on the risk register!
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear. Stay strong
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...


Sorry to hear :(
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...

My thoughts are with you and your family at this awful time Dave.
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...
Awful news Dave and thoughts with your family
 
huds1475 said:
Understand its cheaper.

I think the point i was trying to make was that, in going for cheap / disposable / convenience have we put ourselves over the barrel?

We're now at the mercy of a disrupted global chain that can't, for obvious reasons, cope with unprecedented demand.

So, do we continue to plow that furrow, or throw away convenience and think about other ways to solve the problem? I'd rather use time/energy to look at ways to solve problems than sitting there pointing the finger.

I was asking about re-use as I can't think, other than cost / convenience, of any good reason why a large percentage can't be reused (washable gowns instead of paper).

If not an option now, hopefully there are other options i can't think of then!

Looking to the future nations might hopefully think carefully about their ability to be self sufficient for items required to defend against threats.

It's not like this one wasn't on the risk register!
Click to expand...

A decent mask, with filter, could be issued to each individual as their personal equipment. Only the filter would need to be changed. These have been issued to the engineers working for my last employer - I know one of them was in Excel Nightingale today.

Gloves; I think would have to be disposables. Two things on that one, 1) how thick they'd have to be to last being cleaned, and 2) having only one pair of gloves would mean only dealing with one patient. Thinking of how many staff are needed to roll a ward full of patient, and the change of gloves required.

Gowns; there are reusables available but, again, its how thick they have to be to last.

And then its equipping the hospital with more sterilising units. Bigger buildings... for one global pandemic every 100 years. Its worth looking at, along with all the options, e.g. bigger stock holdings of current types & local manufacturing.
 
Hobbit said:
A decent mask, with filter, could be issued to each individual as their personal equipment. Only the filter would need to be changed. These have been issued to the engineers working for my last employer - I know one of them was in Excel Nightingale today.

Gloves; I think would have to be disposables. Two things on that one, 1) how thick they'd have to be to last being cleaned, and 2) having only one pair of gloves would mean only dealing with one patient. Thinking of how many staff are needed to roll a ward full of patient, and the change of gloves required.

Gowns; there are reusables available but, again, its how thick they have to be to last.

And then its equipping the hospital with more sterilising units. Bigger buildings... for one global pandemic every 100 years. Its worth looking at, along with all the options, e.g. bigger stock holdings of current types & local manufacturing.
Click to expand...
Some very good points especially regarding the face masks.

On the plus side we have received a consignment of gowns. Enough, given the number of patients (still bucking the trend and up to 27 Covid) to last until Wednesday. Hopefully the involvement of our matron, Clinical Director and Chief Exec today will see some results and sort out the issues we are having.
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that mate, stay safe!
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Some very good points especially regarding the face masks.

On the plus side we have received a consignment of gowns. Enough, given the number of patients (still bucking the trend and up to 27 Covid) to last until Wednesday. Hopefully the involvement of our matron, Clinical Director and Chief Exec today will see some results and sort out the issues we are having.
Click to expand...

Have you placed any emergency orders through NSDR who send out prepacked kits of 100 of each item, and you can request multiple packs/ kits.
 
huds1475 said:
Understand its cheaper.

I think the point i was trying to make was that, in going for cheap / disposable / convenience have we put ourselves over the barrel?

We're now at the mercy of a disrupted global chain that can't, for obvious reasons, cope with unprecedented demand.

So, do we continue to plow that furrow, or throw away convenience and think about other ways to solve the problem? I'd rather use time/energy to look at ways to solve problems than sitting there pointing the finger.

I was asking about re-use as I can't think, other than cost / convenience, of any good reason why a large percentage can't be reused (washable gowns instead of paper).

If not an option now, hopefully there are other options i can't think of then!

Looking to the future nations might hopefully think carefully about their ability to be self sufficient for items required to defend against threats.

It's not like this one wasn't on the risk register!
Click to expand...
Maybe say10% of kit should be reusable and used when stocks are low.
That way you can’t run out completely.
And wouldn’t need so much storage space.
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...

Thinking of you and this must be so tough. In normal times it would be hard enough but with all the constraints at the moment it's multiplied. Take care.
 
A friend of mine was walking out yesterday and on her daily exercise. A young moron on a bicycle was coming down the pavement and wouldn't move out of the way. She asked him to keep his distance and he swore at her and said he had Covid. She responded by saying that's fine, I'm an ICU Nurse in a Covid ward (which she is) and maybe she has it as well. He promptly headed in the opposite direction. This is the kind of mentality that is still out there.
 
Papas1982 said:
Well up until today it had been an inconvenience.

Unfortunately I've just had the call I didn't want. My uncle (father figure in formative years) has hours left.
Having been admitted 8 days ago his kidneys has subsequently given up the ghost as well as other functions.

My cousins a mess and I've now got an evening of phones calls ahead as she's in not fit state to pass the news.

Dreading calling mum tbh. Seriously considering taking a permit to travel Form from the office and driving to soton tbh.
Click to expand...
So sorry to hear that. Did he have Covid?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top