Ventilators

[MoonlitKnight]

I keep hearing about the limited number of these in the country. Not sure if it’s the correct kind, be they go for $30 to $50 grand each - or about what the Pentagon pays for a wrench.

Could someone in Congress please introduce a bill to buy a billion dollars worth? Sure production will take a while but let’s get what we can so they can be deployed. And if not needed we can give them to hospitals around the world that do need them.

[RockRaven]

1. It's true that mechanical ventilators are a limiting factor. But if you need *that* you also need

a bunch of other infrastructure and high intensity nursing care -- which are not as easy to scale-up even if at the moment they are slightly more plentiful in terms of reserve capacity.

But it is a good idea to get Congress to stomp on the gas in terms of ramping up production NOW and figuring out how to best make them useful later.

[Massacure]

4. On the bright side, the U.S. is better prepared than many other countries in this respect

I posted this in another thread, but the United States has 20.5 ICU beds per 100,000 people. Germany has 25, Belgium 23, Canada 8.7, Australia 5.4.

I've read that Italy has about 3,000 ventilators, which is about five per 100,000 people. I'm not sure how apples and oranges that is compared to number of ICU beds.

Sources:
https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/cc11140
http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/events/2018_clade_x_exercise/pdfs/Clade-X-ventilator-availability-fact-sheet.pdf

[procon]

2. It's not just the equipment shortage, but also the

shortages of trained staff, and ancillary support services, needed to ensure good patient care. I'd also say the number of skilled nursing beds available is probably in short supply as well.

Remember all the hospital closing we've read about? All those facilities failed because of our chaotic, piece meal, for profit healthcare system. If we had universal coverage, by whatever means, no hospital would be forced to shutdown. All those beds would be available, as would basic medical equipment like ventilators.

[area51]

5. This.

[GulfCoast66]

3. Nurses will also be a limiting factor. We don't have enough. And they will get sick, fast.

[MoonlitKnight]

6. All good points about staffing and facilities.

Which also need to be addressed.

Mobilize the national guard. Augment nurses with medics and military nurses. Have rest assume other trainable duties.

Utilize nursing students- a lot already have to intern.

Ease restrictions on foreign trained healthcare workers.

Build more hospitals. You increase acute care capacity at existing hospitals, and lesser care moves to the new facilities. And you can remodel existing buildings for that. Finally, set up intake centers for triage to keep that traffic out of the hospitals.

It’s a start.

[Maru Kitteh]

7. You can't just "utilize" nursing students. They must be proctored responsibly by a licenced

(usually registered) nurse. If a student nurse works on my floor, I am responsible for any medication errors or any other errors that he/she makes. It falls on MY licence and my ability to earn a living. Permanently. If a family sues when the student causes harm, they will be suing the facility and ME because quite simply it is MY responsibility to supervise that student closely to ensure he/she is performing duties assigned to me, properly. Students may be delegated tasks, but the accountability lies entirely with the registered professional.

A better idea may be to incentivize experienced nurses who have left the field (there are MANY) to return.

[MoonlitKnight]

8. Great idea

On getting nurses who left to come back.

[JCMach1]

9. Exactly, there is damn good chance we get a Summer lull

Followed by a huge Fall spike

[MoonlitKnight]

10. Still no action

But China and Italy are buying them.