Hospital Rounding Update: How COVID Affects Patients Without COVID-19, Excerpt From A 9-hour Cardiology Shift

Hospital Rounding Update: How COVID Affects Patients Without COVID-19, Excerpt From A 9-hour Cardiology Shift Posted By:
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My day started with learning that heart surgeries were on hold for 3 patients because there were no ICU beds for recovery; another patient could not get transferred to the university hospital for a rare cancer surgery because they have no available beds.

Next, I ran to clinic to see a work-in appointment (my colleagues all have full schedules) to triage a patient who was having chest pain in cardiac rehab, so they would not have to wait 6 hours in the ER. Later, there was a patient I have seen over several admissions who is quadriplegic after polio, scared that COVID will be the end after surviving this long on a portable ventilator. We both teared up over our shared perspective on COVID and disbelief that people would not take advantage of a vaccine.

My last patient of the day had a hemoglobin of <8.0 g/dL—but because of blood shortages, the criteria for a transfusion changed to <7.0 g/dL over the weekend. It's hard to believe that the pandemic does not have something to do with the decrease in donations; the fact is that the average age group of donors has the highest risk for COVID complications. There were some bright spots: I discharged a few patients who came in with heart attacks and left feeling "great" with open arteries, and I sang an old hymn with a retired church organist in his 90s as he prepared to go home with hospice, at peace with this next stage—more "medicine" for both of us than most pills.

It was surreal to still have the N95 lines on my face and drive by full restaurants on my way home, a complete dichotomy in this COVID surge. Ending the day, my neighbor shared an update about her daughter's 7-day hospitalization at the children's hospital with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a dangerous post-COVID illness that can affect the heart, liver, lungs, and GI system.

Although not perfect in preventing COVID, masks and vaccines can help avoid these situations and help patients, friends, and family members get the timely treatment they need in the hospital. Every single healthcare worker I know has these heartbreaking and heartwarming stories to share. We are tired, but still honored to do what we can.


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Filed under: Practice Management/Career , NPs & PAs

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