State Stats: Louisiana has 31,815 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 2,242
deaths. There are 1,310 people in the hospital, with 157 on vents. Both
hospitalizations and vent usage continues to trend downward. There are
22,608 patients in Louisiana who are presumed recovered.
North Oaks Stats: We have 21 COVID-19 positive patients in-house and 0
PUIs. We successfully discharged another two patients yesterday, bringing
our total to 145. Unfortunately, we had one death of a COVID-19 patient
who was on comfort care measures only.
We have done 2,295 COVID tests at North Oaks; 471 have been positive and
we have 118 test pending.
Employee Wellness reports 11 employees home monitoring; 1 employee was
cleared to return to work yesterday and another is scheduled to be cleared
to return today. Please remember that you must be cleared by Employee
Wellness before you return to work. As we return people to work, those
with concerns due to underlying conditions can choose to be evaluated
by a physician in the Return to Work clinic for recommendations.
Population health reports 50 calls yesterday, with 12 video visits. We
did 40 tests in the drive-through testing station yesterday, and testing
is closed today.
Walk-in clinic volume increased Monday to 53 patients, and physician clinic
visits continue to increase.
The big news from yesterday was the Governor’s press conference,
during which he announced Louisiana would be moving into Phase I reopening
starting Saturday, May 16th through June 5th. We will be in Phase I through June 5th. The Governor’s next scheduled announcement is June 1st. There was no announcement about any change to the order regarding the
types of health care procedures that can be conducted. We are still operating
under the “time sensitive” mandate until further notice.
While we are in Phase I and II, we will not be allowing visitors with the
exception of non-COVID-19 patients at end of life. We will allow one immediately
family member at a time to be with the patient; immediately family members
may swap out. They must mask and stay in the patient’s room. Nurses
should call down to the signature building entrance to give authorization
for family members to visit these patients.
Leaders are working with their officers on plans to ramp up. Plans are
due Thursday. We will take a phased approach that allows patient care
areas to flex staffing to volume. Non patient care areas should flex as
needed, but ensure maintenance of social distancing requirements. Priority
will be placed on operation that increase overall volume, patient access,
reputation and commercial volume.
Employee classes will resume June 1 with social distancing. Community Education
classes will be deferred until Phase II.
Volunteers will not return to North Oaks until we reach Phase III.
The cafeteria dining room will reopen at 25% of capacity on Monday, with
10 feet between tables and limited people at one table. Remember that
masking IS REQUIRED in the building.
The Employee Engagement Survey that was planned for September will be a
Pulse Survey, with the comprehensive survey rescheduled for spring 2021.
Travel for educational purposes will remain suspended through December 31st. If you feel an exception should be made, please talk with your supervisor/leader.
Vacancies that were pulled down due to the crisis will be reposted and
recruitment to fill these positions will begin Monday, May 18th.
Michele is forming a committee to plan a September celebration for all
the parties we missed this spring: Volunteer Week, Hospital Week, Nurses
Week, Anniversary Picnic, Blue Ribbon Reception.
The finance team is working on finalizing the FY2020-2021 budget. The Board
will review the proposed budget on June 17th, and vote on approval June 24th.
Today is the last day of the Raising Cane’s Neck Gaiter fundraiser.
FINALLY: THE BLOOD SUPPLY IS AT CRITICAL LOWS. Please donate if you can,
and encourage friends and family members to donate as well.
ADDITIONALLY, PLASMA FROM RECOVERED COVID-19 PATIENTS IS NEEDED. If you’re
a confirmed COVID-19 survivor, please consider donating. You no longer
need to travel to New Orleans – The Blood Center in Hammond is able
to take donations.
There are two options to find out if you qualify as a plasma donor: You
can enroll online with the American Red Cross via a national portal at www.uscovidplasma.org/donate. Once the Red Cross determines that you are eligible to donate, they will
send your contact information to the collection site nearest you to schedule
your donation. (The collection site may be a non-Red Cross site, such
as The Blood Center.)
The Blood Center has also partnered with Oklahoma Blood Institute and Bio-Linked
to help identify potential donors. Potential donors can answer a few questions
and register online with The Blood Center at
www.thebloodcenter.org. The Blood Center will contact all those who register to determine eligibility.
The Blood Center indicates that donors may be able to be drawn at the
nearby Hammond Blood Center as opposed to the downtown New Orleans location.
Units of convalescent plasma will be sent to participating hospitals, like
North Oaks Medical Center, to administer to seriously ill COVID-19 patients
with their consent as North Oaks Infectious Disease Physician Stacy Newman,
MD, and her colleagues determine appropriate.
