Update: April 14, 2020
Updated 10:41 a.m., 4/14/2020
- Today is Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
- Governor Edwards has closed schools the rest of the academic year. As of
this morning, the stay-at-home order is in effect through April 30. At
this time, employees on furlough should expect to be home through that
date. We are hoping we will be able to gradually ramp up in May –
but that is to be determined.
- State Stats: Louisiana has had 21,016 COVID-19 positive diagnoses in 64/64
parishes, with 884 deaths. Yesterday there were 2,134 patients hospitalized,
with 461 on vents.
- North Oaks Stats: We have 39 COVID-19 positive patients, 3 patients under
investigation and 5 vented patients. Altogether we’ve performed
1,400 tests, 323 of which were positive and 106 are pending. Yesterday
we admitted 3 new patients under investigation and discharged 5 recovered
COVID-19 patients. There were no changes in the number of patients intubated.
Two COVID-19 patients passed away.
- As of this morning, we have discharged 72 patients who have recovered from COVID-19!
- Employee wellness reports 36 employees home self-monitoring; 17 returned
to work yesterday.
- Population health received 130 calls to the COVID-19 line yesterday and
performed 35 video visits. The drive through performed 89 tests yesterday,
and as of this morning have 60 on the books. Incidence of flu in the community
has dropped, so we will no longer be screening for flu in the COVID-19
drive through.
-
Supplies are still adequate. We are low on duckbill N-19 masks and will
be transitioning to another mask soon. Fit testing of the new masks will
begin today on the 5th floor tower lobby. Look for additional information from Employee Wellness
on times and dates.
- Volume in non-COVID units is starting to increase as doctors find that
some care/procedures cannot be delayed further. We continue to need additional
nurses – please consider taking advantage of our financial incentives
and pick up extra shifts.
- Use of the infrared temperature scanners are expediting visitor access
and employee monitoring.
- Dr. Peltier reports closing the ICU to critical care physicians went smoothly
yesterday.
- Criteria for the use of rapid COVID-19 testing was distributed yesterday.
Use of these tests must be approved by Drs. Peltier, Newman or J. Ducombs.
- Amanda reminds everyone that hospital-supplied masks (not homemade) should
be worn by all staff when walking through the hospital. (Visitors may
wear homemade masks.) Be sure to wear yellow masks appropriately –
they should cover your nose and mouth, and should not be worn as a “beard.”
Please try to not touch the mask, and dispose of it property. Please let
her know if you have any questions about the appropriate donning and doffing
of PPE. In the safety huddle today, it was recommended that everyone have
a “PPE Buddy” to facilitate proper wearing of PPE.
- The Blood Center is working with Mayo Clinic on the use of convalescent
plasma to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients. This is a technique
that has been used for more than 100 years. People who have been diagnosed
as COVID-19 positive and have been symptom-free for 28 days, OR have been
symptom-free for 14 days and have had a negative second test may be eligible
to donate. Currently, the Blood Center on Canal Street in New Orleans
is able to take donations; the Hammond Blood Center will have that capability
at some point in the future. Contact the Blood Center for more information.
Mayo will be collecting data on patients treated with convalescent plasma
for research purposes.
- Kanna reports that more primary care physicians are up and running with
video visits through myChart. Public response to the offering has been
lukewarm to date.
- The Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce and Le Fleur de Lis Catering are partnering
to provide boxed lunches for all staff today. Distribution will be at
11:45 from the cafeteria. They will be scheduling a future date to feed
the evening shift.
-
The second order of Health Care Hero signs will be available for distribution
this afternoon between 2-4 p.m. in the Tower Lobby. We have 1,000 signs
to give out, and we want to make sure that each department gets a supply.
We ask that staff display the sign outside of their homes to encourage
their friends and neighbors to respect the state’s Stay at Home
Order. The better our community is at staying home, the more successful
and quicker we will be at flattening the COVID-19 curve. Please send a
picture of you with your sign to
social@northoaks.org.