The Coronavirus had a huge impact on every radiology department across the country. Most likely even the world. None of us expected an event of this magnitude.
Many lessons have been learned as we watched the pandemic unfold. Here’s just a short list and we are continuing to learn daily.
Overtime
Once a common practice due to short-staffing models, this bankable commodity quickly became non-existent in most radiology departments.
If you were expecting to load up on some OT to make a little summer money or early Christmas shopping…you can forget that now.
But wait!
The day may be saved when facilities begin to slowly open the doors back up for the routine examinations. All of those non-essential exams may cause a big enough increase in volumes to merit bringing OT back.
Portable Chest Xrays
Sure, we all know how to do them. But when was the last time you were glad to see one? Glad indeed, if you think about shooting it portably versus having The Rona patient come to your department and cough on everything.
Then came what was once unthinkable…letting a nurse shoot our portables. At first, it seemed novel. Sure nurse, we’ll let you “try” to shoot a portable. <snicker snicker>
If it saves us from gowning up in space-suit PPE, give it a shot.
Damn if they didn’t start getting pretty good after a few tries. I’ve had the pleasure of watching a nurse attempt a lateral cxr portable. Nope. Frustration won out in that one. 2-view converted to a pcxr on the spot.
Personal Protective Equipment
Wear it all! No wait, only wear some of it! No, you wear some and the patient wears some. Crap…we’re running out. You wear a dish rag from home, nurses and docs get all PPE. What the…?
Lesson learned: the CDC can’t agree on anything. And something on your face is better than nothing on your face.
Personal Time Off
Hopefully you weren’t under the impression that PTO was EARNED by the employee so that the employee could take time off when THEY needed it.
Becuase, you know, that doesn’t benefit the company.
What does benefit the company is forcing you to burn your PTO if you want to get paid during a furlough. Furlough, which we learned is a new way for companies to say “If we don’t get paid, you don’t get paid…except the C-Suite, of course.”
Or you can apply for unemployment…they said. What they forgot to mention, in their lack of research, was that techs make just enough money to NOT QUALIFY even on part time hours.
Mammography
Save the Ta-Tas? Not during a pandemic. Apparently they aren’t “essential.” Sorry ladies. You’ll be allowed to come back after the powers-that-be figure out when that will be.
Most likely in time for us to ask for donations to Breast Cancer Awareness Week.
OR scrubs (them baby blues)
Remember the big push by Admin to stop everyone from pilfering the OR scrubs in order to save money? Only the operating room employees were “supposed” to wear them. Oh, and NEVER outside the facility.
Right.
Say hello to The Rona. Unsure whether officially titled airborne or droplet, everyone in patient care starts wearing baby blues either on top of their personal scrubs or in lieu of them.
The best way to ensure you don’t take this nasty bug home is by leaving in the dirty laundry bin at work. EVS must be hating the massive laundry volume increase.
What about you?
How did Corona affect your department? Leave you answer in the comment section below.