We are 21 days since our first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Connecticut. 1291 confirmed cases (up from 1012 yesterday), 173 hospitalized, 27 dead.
Kiowa Kelly, a nurse in New York died and we lost our first AFT members, a member of our higher Ed NY FIT family and a healthcare transporter from our NJ HPAE family. Our prayers are with our sisters and brothers.
I’m frustrated tonight. I told Jan after a very frustrating call with state officials that I feel like I’m yelling but no one is listening. She said to keep yelling. I have to thank her, she understands and she cares and that means so much. Randi does too. Thank you both.
At some point I realized that the frustration I was feeling was what you have been feeling. What Sheri and Bill tell me on our phone calls, what Janice says in her emails, what Melanie says in her text.
Please hang in there and know you are not alone.
These are frustrating times and our employers may not care, and sometimes our government may not care, but WE care. We care for our members and we care for our patients. And remember, your members are frustrated too, and many of them scared.
So.....lets get to it.
This is why we need N95s for ALL suspected and confirmed Covid-19 patient's.
Kiowa Kelly, a nurse in New York died and we lost our first AFT members, a member of our higher Ed NY FIT family and a healthcare transporter from our NJ HPAE family. Our prayers are with our sisters and brothers.
I’m frustrated tonight. I told Jan after a very frustrating call with state officials that I feel like I’m yelling but no one is listening. She said to keep yelling. I have to thank her, she understands and she cares and that means so much. Randi does too. Thank you both.
At some point I realized that the frustration I was feeling was what you have been feeling. What Sheri and Bill tell me on our phone calls, what Janice says in her emails, what Melanie says in her text.
Please hang in there and know you are not alone.
These are frustrating times and our employers may not care, and sometimes our government may not care, but WE care. We care for our members and we care for our patients. And remember, your members are frustrated too, and many of them scared.
So.....lets get to it.
From AFT (file is at the end and you can print and distribute)
Take Action to Address the Worldwide Shortage
of Respirators and Face Protection for COVID-19 Response
This alert is a call to action to address the shortage of PPE and respirators needed to protect healthcare workers who are assigned to care for patients who are suspect or confirmed COVID- 19 cases. We know from past pandemics that frontline healthcare workers have a high risk of exposure. Historically and in the current pandemic there have been reports of large numbers of healthcare workers being infected and some deaths. Protecting our healthcare workers is not only a moral imperative but essential to maintaining the necessary professional staff to provide care to the infected and diseased during this crisis.
Why do healthcare workers need respiratory protection?
Short-range aerosol transmission is likely an important means of transmission of COVID-19. Multiple studies have documented aerosol transmission for influenza, SARS, and MERS. These pathogens show many similarities to COVID-19. The precautionary approach requires preventing aerosol exposure to healthcare workers.
Have you ever seen dust particles traveling through the air in a beam of light? Some of these eventually deposit on surfaces, but many remain airborne for long periods. Have you ever used hairspray or aerosolized cooking oil? Many of those droplets remain airborne nearby as you inhale particles and smell hairspray and cooking oil for several minutes. The same thing happens when someone coughs or sneezes. Talking, breathing, coughing, and sneezing create an aerosol containing particles in a range of sizes, with some viable infectious
What is an aerosol?
Simply defined, it is tiny particle, or a droplet suspended in air.
organisms present in both small and large particles.
Contrary to popular belief, the larger particles (5 to 15 micrometers [μm]) will not immediately drop to the ground but will remain airborne for several minutes. Smaller particles (less than 5 μm) will remain in the air for many minutes or even hours.
All particles will immediately begin to evaporate because mucus contains a lot of water which means the range of particle sizes will decrease overall. Smaller particles are more likely to remain airborne. In the absence of air currents, airborne particles will disperse slowly throughout a space.
Remember, if someone wants to donate PPE
We had a conversation with DPH about what its really like on the floors. She was pleasant and all and said she’d really like to hear from us if we have a complaint.
So......I’d like you to encourage your members to use this webpage and file a complaint EACH AND EVERY SHIFT that they work with either a rule out or confirmed Covid-19 patient without full PPE, including N95s. It would help if they also emailed you and me Jbrady@aftct.org
We’ll get somewhere if we push back.
The webpage is
A reminder from our attorney
The short answer to your questions is
YES. Any nurse who contracts COVID-19 should file a Workers Compensation claim- Form 30C (attached). You should also complete the employer’s incident report.
Being told to stay home is a little different. Our position is that a directive to stay home when someone is NOT sick should be considered paid leave and not charged as PTO. The person is not sick, not on vacation, etc.
If the person becomes sick with the virus, file a claim right away.
Hope this helps and thank you for what you and your members are doing.
CHS Local, our Federally Qualified Health Center is negotiating terms because they have slowed down in this pandemic. They could get busy again. They serve the most needed and are located right int he community of north Hartford.
Our good friend Joanne Chapin, President of New Milford RNs has decided to retire. She was going to wait till the end of the year, but Covid closed her surgical unit. Today was her last day. She will stay on as president until elections can e held (they were interrupted by the pandemic) Joanne has offered to help in any way she can. (I’m making a list) Joanne served as an AFT Connecticut Vice President and on the AFT PPC.
I want to thank you. I was frustrated this afternoon but that helped me understand probably a tenth of your frustration, so it served some good. I’m tired, but you are too.
The truth is, you give me strength.
Your dedication to your members rejuvenates me and is an inspiration.
We are family.
I feel that with you, with the folks from around the country, the folks in other divisions, and with the people at AFT.
Be safe, be well.
John
John Brady RN
Vice President
AFT Connecticut
Vice President
AFT Connecticut
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