Elective Surgery is resuming Nationwide
The dangers that are lurking for patients from staff they will encounter
This is the view I’ve had for the past 32 years, at the head of the operating table. Over 70,000 cases to be exact.
On March 14, 2020 United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged all hospitals and surgical facilities nationwide to consider suspending elective surgery amid the outbreak of COVID-19.
His recommendation came from the American College of Surgeons who were warning health officials that elective surgeries could put a strain on the healthcare system. In his tweet, Dr. Adams outlined why this was necessary:
This was in fact done nationwide. My own hospital included.
This past week elective and non-essential surgery has resumed full speed ahead. I am worried for all the patients coming for their surgery. Having any kind of surgery places a major insult to the human body. In addition to the actual surgery itself, there is the anesthesia which comes with it. A myriad of drugs are administered to render you into a comatose state, a breathing tube is placed down into your trachea, and you are then placed on a ventilator which takes over your breathing throughout the surgery. At the conclusion of surgery as you are waking up the last dressing is applied to the surgical site. The endotracheal tube is removed by your anesthesia provider, an oxygen mask is put over your nose and mouth, and you are then transported to the recovery room.
All along the perioperative phase the patient is in contact with staff. It is somehow assumed that all these staff are safe from being carriers of COVID-19. It is assumed that all medical providers have been practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
But what if even some of those staff the patients encounter have been partying, hanging out in large groups, hugging, kissing, and being all clustered together? I ask this question because I see this very thing happening. I am seeing staff who work in the operating room posting photos for the world to see, of this very thing. I realize they think this coronavirus is a hoax, something that only happens to old people. That is obviously the mentality. It is all about themselves. Not a care in the world about others, including the lives of all the patients they will be providing care for. Yes, these staff are young, mostly 30’s and 40’s. And they all think they are immune to picking up the virus.
This is only one operating room. Of course, I don’t know is this is going on at other places. But it only takes one person to create an epicenter for the virus. I am hoping with all my heart that it does not happen here. Most every patient that comes for surgery has underlying health conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease and more. These are the most vulnerable people, coming for surgery which will compromise their immune system even more. I am worried. Very worried.
Thank you for listening.
Anita Lesko, BSN, RN, MS, CRNA