The front page of the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Saturday May 23,2020 features a story on the number of ICU beds currently being utilized in Minnesota. The hospitals, especially in the West Metro are nearing capacity and are anticipating that the "surge capacity" ICU beds will need to be activated very soon. We could start seeing community patients coming to our facility in the near future. This comes at the same time that the facility is preparing to move to "recovery mode". We knew this would come, it was a matter of when.
The All Employee Calls from senior management this week included information on how the Minneapolis VA will be sending some employees to help at other facilities who are in desperate need. Volunteer RN's and NA's will be going to help care for patients in hard hit Long Term Care Facilities in the metro area. A group of ICU nurse volunteers will be detailed to VA's in Chicago to help with their staffing needs.
There continues to be much discussion about the availability of adequate PPE. There are reports from staff that needed PPE is not available. AFGE continues to push for PPE for front line employees. There will be an informational picket (with appropriate physical distancing) in the near future. Watch for more information from your Union Representatives.