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Sapphire Silk
04-28-2011, 03:14 AM
My head is just spinning from this one.

The area where I live got slammed with some pretty intense thunderstorms this evening. Several tornadoes touched down in my area, one only a few miles from the hospital where I was having my OB clinic with my students.

We were at dinner when the hospital called a "Dr. T", which is the hospital's code for a tornado warning. We immediately went back to the floor to help the staff, since there were only two nurses and a CNA on duty tonight. On the way, we ran into the house supervisor, who I used to work with when I worked in the ED there. He told me a tornado had touched down in the NW part of town. He wanted all the units to close blinds in the rooms, and keep patients away from windows, though we didn't have to actually move patients into the hallway . . . yet.

The Nursery staff came out and took all the babies back to the nursery during the emergency, since it is a well shielded part of the hospital. My students and I closed all window blinds on the unit, closed the doors to empty patient rooms, and told patients and visitors to stay away from windows, and be prepared to move into the hallway if necessary.

In spite of this, the Nursery got a spate of calls from parents wanting the babies returned to the rooms. It wasn't that the parents were worried. In fact they weren't; they just wanted the baby because they wanted the baby (wanting the baby BECAUSE it was an emergency is understandable--but no one said that). They just acted like there was nothing at all going on. :headscratch:

:wtf: people. We just took your newborn to the safest place in the whole damn hospital, and you're complaining because you want to play with the baby? Are you even thinking?

Then there were the visitors who were complaining because hospital security wouldn't let them leave the building. Again, people, :wtf:! You're safer where you are!

This only a few days after tornadoes ripped through this same state and killed 24 people. I don't get people some times.

Seshat
04-28-2011, 03:50 AM
To be fair, did the patients know there was a tornado warning? Or were their babies just taken back to the nursery without explanation?

That's the only sane, rational reason I can think of for that behaviour.


As for the people who were upset they weren't allowed to leave - :eek:

Dammit, folks. In an emergency situation, a hospital is probably the SAFEST place in the whole city to be! If something does happen to you, you're right where there's expert assistance and supplies!

(Mind you, I'd probably move to the hospital cafeteria or some other not-needed part of the hospital, unless staff directed me otherwise.)

Sapphire Silk
04-29-2011, 01:45 AM
To be fair, did the patients know there was a tornado warning? Or were their babies just taken back to the nursery without explanation?


Yeah, they were told. It was announced over the intercom, and the staff explained to the parents what it meant.

I could have understood "It's an emergency and I'm staying with my kid." What we got was "we're bored and we want to play with the babies" That's the part I couldn't wrap my head around.

trailerparkmedic
04-29-2011, 02:13 AM
Does your area normally get tornadoes?

I never appreciated tornadoes until one touched down less than 1/4 of a mile from the building I was in. I'm terrified of them now.

Silly ladies. It's ok to admit you want kids with you when you're scared, especially when you're a new mom.

jedimaster91
04-29-2011, 01:48 PM
Ugh. Tornadoes. You do NOT mess with tornadoes. They pop up out of nowhere and tear up anything they want.

Glad to hear you survived Mother Nature's hissy fit, Pancea. Hopefully with your home and property intact.

Sapphire Silk
04-30-2011, 01:11 AM
Yeah, they were told. It was announced over the intercom, and the staff explained to the parents what it meant.

I could have understood "It's an emergency and I'm staying with my kid." What we got was "we're bored and we want to play with the babies" That's the part I couldn't wrap my head around.

North Carolina is prone to them, but not the way the Mid West is. I lived in tornado alley for awhile (North Dakota). I watched a funnel form right over my car as I drove down the highway, once. Scary stuff. :shudder:

Syriilord
04-30-2011, 11:38 AM
Dammit, folks. In an emergency situation, a hospital is probably the SAFEST place in the whole city to be!

Except during Zombie Outbreaks. Then you'd wanna stay faaar away from there. :p

Seshat
04-30-2011, 12:24 PM
I could have understood "It's an emergency and I'm staying with my kid." What we got was "we're bored and we want to play with the babies" That's the part I couldn't wrap my head around.

Yeahhhh....

Even 'it's an emergency and I'm staying with my kid' .. well, that's the instinct. But being told the nursery is deliberately built to be the safest part of the hospital? I'd fight my instinct. But yeah, some people can't fight that instinct very well.

But 'I'm bored?'
You do not risk your baby's life because you're BORED, you TWITS!

bsaana
05-02-2011, 02:55 AM
North Carolina is prone to them, but not the way the Mid West is. I lived in tornado alley for awhile (North Dakota). I watched a funnel form right over my car as I drove down the highway, once. Scary stuff. :shudder:

The only time I ever saw my dad speed was when we were retuning from a baseball tournament, and funnels were forming overhead. A sheriffs vehicle was speeding in the opposite direction and never turned around. I'm in the middle of Nebraska, I got called out to sites last year only to arrive to a tornado warning.

Rena_Muffin
05-02-2011, 05:36 PM
Except during Zombie Outbreaks. Then you'd wanna stay faaar away from there. :p

Indeed, and remember to remove the head or destroy the brain.

chainedbarista
05-11-2011, 08:42 PM
i've been under 'tornado threat/sightings,' but have only seen them on tv (not the movie, twister, btw) and those scare the straight out bejeesus out of me. that much destructive force is not something to laugh at.

bainsidhe
05-17-2011, 01:59 AM
I'm from Nebraska originally and while I lived near tornado alley, I didn't live IN tornado alley. Tornado watches or warnings meant I'd better run my errands before it started raining. No one worried until we were told tornadoes hit ground (which seldom happened). Now that I live in the Northeast, we rarely get tornado warnings. But when we do, you better believe I stay home and avoid unnecessary travel.