SPOKANE, Wash. — We often hear about ‘N-95 masks’ and ventilators being used for Coronavirus patients, but some might not know what they even do or why they are so critical for medical professionals.
Providence Sacred Heart Hospital is one of many hospitals in the region tasked with treating COVID-19 patients. The hospital invited the media in for an opportunity to show the steps they take to care for patients and their staff.
It might be hard to believe that just a couple months ago, there were just four Coronavirus patients in Sacred Hearts Special Pathogens Unit. Those patients are gone, and now the hospital is using sealed off ICU rooms to treat coronavirus patients from our region.
Of the roughly 600 beds at the hospital, about 80 are reserved for intensive care for now. The hospital said it has the ability to expand the ICU if the situation gets worse.
However, Sacred Heart officials expressed concern because some people are not calling for help during emergencies because they don't want to be near infected patients.
Dr. Dan Getz, the Chief Acute Medical Officer said that won't be the case.
"People are scared, and if you're having a heart attack, the last thing I want you to do is wait at home. We want you to call 911 and come get the care, if you fall and break your hip we don't want you to suffer at home before you finally decide to come in and get seen,” Dr. Getz said.
About 20 percent of COVID-19 patients require hospitalization, and 5 percent may require the ICU. Sacred Heart didn't say how many COVID-19 patients its treating, but said the hospital has plenty of space and is not overwhelmed or near capacity.
"We wear this (N-95) mask in a COVID-19 patient room when there could be an aerosolized procedure in place, so if somebody is having a breathing tube put in or if somebody's having a breathing tube taken out, those are examples of an aerosolized procedure,” explained Christa Arguinchona, RN.
The N-95 masks that have been in the news are just one piece of the Personal Protective Equipment hospital staff need. The steps to put on all the gear they wear is extensive. It starts with hand hygiene, putting on a pair of gloves, wearing an isolation gown, an N-95 mask, a face shield and another pair of gloves.
Taking the gear off is even more extensive, medical staff have to wash their hands after taking off each piece or equipment.
While most COVID-19 patients require oxygen through a mask, Wade Scoles, a respiratory therapist and coordinator, said others may need more help to breath.
"So there's been a lot a talk about how important mechanical ventilators are because they are essentially our breathing for our patients that can't breathe on their own,” Scoles said.
Respiratory therapists run the machines and sets each machines to the needs of each patient.
