nortex97 said:
I suggest that people get a grip on the fact that ICU capacity is always near what actual need is, and there is flexibility to add to it when needed (TMC uses 3 tiers collectively for the facilities there). No one benefits by nitpicking numbers/statistics/fears. It will be ok.
That's a technically accurate statement, but not really accurate.
Yes, when ICU beds aren't in use, ICU nurses don't come to work, and those rooms are closed off. As need arises, beds open and more nurses come in. When the surgical/trauma ICU fills up, surgical patients are shifted to the medical ICUs and vice-versa.
When all ICU beds are full, patients board in the ER and step down units are converted to ICU units. When those are full, you start taking up general floor space. But general medical floors aren't designed to be ICUs. They're set up for nurses to manage 4+ patients with a nursing station far away from patient rooms. Some lack the ability to hook up telemetry and monitors in the room.
Additionally, as everyone points out, critical care nurses aren't as common as general floor nurses. And critical care nurses are getting squeezed right now. It's great to say it'll all be ok while we continue to expect them to work more and more hours and take care of more than 2 patients at a time. But that's like throwing a cigarette onto dry grass while firefighters are fighting wildfires, and and just being like "it'll be ok, if a fire starts, the over worked firefights will figure it out." Maybe they will. And I'm sure they'll flex and give up their time off to stop the fires. But is that the right way to look at it?
Maybe you think it is. I don't. I doubt we'll agree on this.
