CSI in the News October 2011 - CSI Today

Nurses rose to the challenge during hurricaneSunday, October 16, 2011, 1:07 AMLetters to the Editor/Staten Island AdvanceByBy RUTH GALLEGOTOMPKINSVILLEIn the event of disasters, we count on hospital health-care professionals on duty (or volunteers) torespond and assist in medical care.In anticipation of Hurricane Irene, New York City hospitals and nursing homes in low-lying areas wereevacuated. In Staten Island, it led to the closing and evacuation of both Staten Island University Hospitallocations and South Beach Psychiatric Center (SBPC).Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC), the only hospital left open, admitted roughly 270 patients.It is amazing how facilities were able to orchestrate mass patient transfers within a short amount of time.Even more impressive is the work of staff, specifically the nurses.Being at the front line of care, nurses have to make critical decisions and execute complicated tasks toensure continuity of care with every transfer.Considering the amount of admissions that RUMC had received, it seems inevitable that nurses had towork more hours, float to different units, or take higher patient loads.As expected, these RUMC, SIUH, and SBPC nurses rose up to the occasion. Sadly, most of their hard workand sacrifices are easily overlooked.So I would like to acknowledge the great job that nurses have done during Hurricane Irene. It makes meproud to be a nurse.© 2011 SILive.com. All rights reserved.Page 29 of 154