Miami VA Tells Employees ONE Mask @ Week?

[JJ_BPK]

I'm having a real hard time creating a list of those in the hospital that MAY BE LESS exposed?

Clerks and Secretaries??

OR or ICU nurses, doctors, & respiratory equipment technicians will indirectly contact everyone in the halls, elevators, office, & dining areas.

As a large percentage of the VA patients are in the most sensitive age group, I do not see this ending well..

Miami VA Hospital Employees Being Told to Wear, Reuse One Surgical Mask Per Week

30 Mar 2020
Miami Herald | By Ben Conarck

Healthcare workers at the Miami VA hospital are being told to reuse one surgical mask for a week at a time starting Monday, guidance issued after a federal report on VA hospital preparedness for the novel coronavirus pandemic found the facility had shortages of personal protective equipment.

Administration officials at the Miami VA told employees to check out a surgical mask and return it at the end of each week in order to receive a new one, according to people familiar with operations at the hospital. A spokesperson for the facility confirmed the guidance on Sunday but said it applied only to employees who are not dealing directly with patients suspected of having COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Shane Suzuki, the Miami VA spokesperson, said the guidance was issued out of "an abundance of caution."

"Staff who need replacement masks are instructed to contact their supervisor," Suzuki said.

A report by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, released Thursday, examined all VA facilities for their preparedness to combat the highly contagious respiratory disease. In Miami, Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center had "inadequate supplies" of N95 masks, air-purifying respirators, gloves, gowns, as well as face and eye protection, the report said.

I was active with my VFW post in the '80s & '90s. We visited the VA hospitals in the South Florida areas monthly. The Miami site was the largest and saddest. At that time, I'd guess over 60% of the patients were geriatrics and/or indigent drug/alcohol dependent.

[Badger52]

Anecdotal intel but a gent running a radio net I know down in Gulfport MS advises me that he took a family member to the VA with some symptoms. Maybe a week, 10 days ago. Zero masks in evidence worn by any staff; no gloves in use, no hand sanitizer, nothing. The only 2 masks in evidence were being worn by himself & the family member; the ones they arrived in from home.

[Pete]

Brother has been locked up in a VA hospital for about 6 weeks now. Going to get released in around a week. My mom was going to pick him up but they said they would drop him off. That's about 120 miles one way.

I would assume that would be a service organization volunteer?

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by Pete

Brother has been locked up in a VA hospital for about 6 weeks now. Going to get released in around a week. My mom was going to pick him up but they said they would drop him off. That's about 120 miles one way.

I would assume that would be a service organization volunteer?

South Florida VA units HAD service reps with offices on site. One of their features was transport to/from service.

As a lot of the "vet" patients were snowbird transient walk-ins. "Yeah, I was a super-secret SEAL Beret" they earned their volunteer stripes. God love'm :[

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by Pete

Brother has been locked up in a VA hospital for about 6 weeks now. Going to get released in around a week. My mom was going to pick him up but they said they would drop him off. That's about 120 miles one way.

I would assume that would be a service organization volunteer?

Probably so. The VAMC here in town regularly runs folks down to the one in Madison for bigger procedures, surgical stuff & special consults, etc. Also, to area private facilities where care agreements have been reached (local dentists, quick CT). VA vehicles (leased G-rides) and often drivers from their on-board volunteer program. I'd be surprised if most VAMC's didn't have a similar program running.
Edit to add: or could be volunteers from a local DAV chapter working with the VA.