Serious reality of nosocomial infection: Nurse testified - New coronavirus

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

院内感染の深刻な実態 看護師が証言 新型コロナウイルス

2020年4月24日 17時18分

新型コロナウイルスの深刻な院内感染が起きた疑いが強い、東京都内の病院の現役の看護師が、患者だけではなく、医療従事者にも次々と感染が広がった状況を初めて証言しました。現場が混乱する中、残された看護師の負担は増し、「院内は、日々のシフトも決まらないような状態だ」と明らかにしました。

証言したのは、先月から今月にかけて、新型コロナウイルスの深刻な院内感染が起きた疑いが強い、東京都内の病院の現役の看護師です。

医療現場の実態を多くの人に知ってほしいと、ＮＨＫの取材に応じました。

それによりますと、看護師は、院内感染の発生について、「病棟の患者さんが感染し始めて、調べたら、どんどんどんどん感染していった感じだった。どのように広まったのか、自分たちもわからない状況の中で働くという恐怖感があった」と話しました。

この看護師は、ウイルス検査の結果陰性だったということですが、「手洗いやうがいを徹底していても感染が広がった。自分たちが感染したことに気付かず、いろいろなところを行き来して、感染を広めてしまったということもあるかもしれない」と述べ、医療従事者も自身が感染に気付かないまま、患者と接し、感染拡大につながった可能性があると指摘しました。

そして、医療現場の現状について、「以前は患者ごとに交換していた防護服も、現在は１日に使える数が限られている。雨がっぱを代用したり、袋をつなぎ合わせて頭からかぶるようなものを作っている」と述べ、医療従事者の感染防止のための防護服などが依然として不足しているということです。

一方、新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大で、病院内のほかの診療科の業務は、事実上行えなくなり、通院治療中のがん患者には、別の病院への転院などで対応してもらっているということです。

これについて、看護師は、「病院自体が回らない状況になっているのが事実だ。通常だと救急車もかなり来るが、いまはそれも受け入れられない状況で、地域の人たちにとっても大変だ」と述べ、地域医療にも影響が出ているということです。

また、「１人でも看護師が陽性になると、その周囲にいた看護師も２週間の待機に入るので、どんどん足りなくなり、１人の勤務日数が増えていき、かなりきつくなっている。日々のシフトも決まらないような状況で、すでに院内は医療崩壊をしているように感じる」と述べました。

さらに同僚の中には、自身の家族への感染を懸念し、やむをえず仕事を辞める看護師もいるということです。

ただ、現在の仕事について看護師は、「仕事をいつ休んでもおかしくないくらい先が見えない状況だったが、元気に退院する患者を見たり、同僚と一緒に励まし合って頑張り続けることができている。支援物資や地域の人たちからの温かいメッセージに励まされている。憧れて就いた仕事なので、簡単に辞められないという思いもある」と述べました。

Translation

A nurse on active duty at a hospital in Tokyo, who strongly suspected that serious nosocomial infections with the new coronavirus had occurred, testified for the first time that not only patients had been infected, but also medical professionals. While the worksite was confusing, the burden on the remaining nurses increased, and it was made clear that "the hospital is in a state where daily shifts cannot be decided."

The testimony was made by a nurse on active duty at a hospital in Tokyo who strongly suspected the occurrence of a serious nosocomial infection with the new coronavirus from last month to this month.

The nurse responded to NHK interview as many people would like to know the actual condition of the medical scene.

According to that, about the outbreak of nosocomial infection, the nurse said, " The patients in the ward started to get infected, and when I investigated, I felt getting more and more infected. There was a sense of fear due to working in a situation where one didn't know how the infection spread."

The nurse was tested negative for the virus, but said, "Even though thoroughly washed hands and gargled, the infection spread. We had not paid attention to whether we were infected, we went back and forth in different locations and that might have spread the infection", and pointed out that the health care workers might have come into contact with patients without realizing that they themselves had been infected and thus led to the spread of the infection.

Then, regarding the current state in the medical scene, said that “Previously protective clothing was changed for each patient, now the number of this item that can be used per day is limited. Rain coats are used as substitute, healthcare workers are making things like binding bags together and putting it on from the head down.” There was still a shortage of protective clothing and other items for healthcare workers to prevent infections.

On the other hand, due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the work of other clinical departments in the hospital could no longer be performed, and cancer patients who were undergoing outpatient treatment were dealt with by transferring them to another hospital.

Regarding this, the nurse said, "It is a fact that the hospital itself is in a situation where it is not functioning well. Ambulances usually come in a lot, but now they could not be accepted and this is a difficult situation for the local people.” It could be said that there was also an impact on the community medical service.

  

In addition, “If one nurse is tested positive, a nurse around may need to standby for two weeks, so nurses become more and more insufficient, and the number of working days for each person increases, conditions become quite tight. I feel like the hospital is already collapsing in a situation where shifts cannot be decided.”

In addition, some co-workers were unavoidably quitting their jobs because they were concerned about infecting their family.

However, regarding his current job, the nurse said, “Even taking a break from work, you still can't see a future situation to the extent of without ridicule, but as I see patients are being discharged from the hospital in good spirits, this encourages me and my colleagues to continue working hard. I'm encouraged by the relief supplies and warm messages from the local people. I have a feeling that I can't quit easily because it's a job that I have yearned for. "

              So, during the pandemic several phenomena stand out in the medical field globally. There is a shortage in medical supplies such as face masks and PPE, and a delay in treating non-life threatening cases by hospitals. The delays would affect the medical service of  local communities. Another common phenomenon is that medical teams in all countries are working hard to save life to the extent of sacrificing their own. To their professionalism, bravery and devotion, I salute them.