On coronavirus ICU front line: A Thai nurse's story

[webfact]

On coronavirus ICU front line: A Thai nurse's story

By Jiraporn Kuhakan

 

Doctors and ICU nurses wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) perform a CT scan for a COVID-19 patient at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - At the end of every 12-hour shift working with critically ill coronavirus patients, Thai nurse Suparvadee Tantrarattanapong has to disinfect herself before going home, where she sleeps in a separate room from her husband to avoid infecting him.

 

The 36-year-old nurse in the intensive care ward at Bangkok's King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital says it's a gruelling time, but saving lives is the most important thing - along with protecting her own loved ones.

 

"I’m scared of getting infected and the virus leaking from the hospital," said Suparvadee, who has worked in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 14 years.

But, despite her worry, she encourages patients to have hope.

 

"I keep telling patients that they are not fighting alone," she said.

 

Suparvadee's job involves knowing every detail of each patient's condition. The novel coronavirus outbreak had also forced staff to learn a new workflow because none of them has experience with this kind of virus, she said.

 

Since March 9, her hospital has treated nearly 200 coronavirus patients. Staff pride themselves on having not lost a single one.

 

The hospital also pays close attention to preventing infections among staff.

 

While fully suited in protective gear, Suparvadee guides her junior nurses on safety measures through their 12-hour shifts.

 

On Wednesday, Thailand reported nine new coronavirus infections but no deaths, taking its tally to 2,947 cases and 54 deaths since the outbreak began in January.

 

Suparvadee's husband, Udomsak Tantrarattanapong, 37, said he understood and supported her work.

 

"I told her to keep on fighting because whenever something new happens she gets through it just fine - and I’m sure she will this time as well," said Udomsak.

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-30

 

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[spiekerjozef]

A big applause from me for all the medical staff in Thailand.

You are all fantastic. Thank you very much.

[lee b]

1 minute ago, spiekerjozef said:

A big applause from me for all the medical staff in Thailand.

You are all fantastic. Thank you very much.

True, but not just in Thailand, all medical staff worldwide deserve a huge thankyou for all the work and effort they have put in. Well done to them all ????

[DrTuner]

Can't be true, according to the infallible TVF social networks the hospitals are empty.

[Cake Monster]

2 minutes ago, lee b said:

True, but not just in Thailand, all medical staff worldwide deserve a huge thankyou for all the work and effort they have put in. Well done to them all ????

Plus 1 for that sentiment

[graemeaylward]

Every Sunday, Christ Church Bangkok rings it's bell at 18:01, after the National Anthem, as a mark of appreciation to all Healthcare workers from cleaners to porters to nurses and doctors. They have asked that people throughout Thailand clap their hands or bang a cooking pot, at the same time 18:01, outside their own homes as a mark of solidarity.  Let's see if we can make this happen as it does in the UK ????

[SidJames]

3 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Can't be true, according to the infallible TVF social networks the hospitals are empty.

They are.

Go & have a look for yourself

[DrTuner]

11 minutes ago, SidJames said:

Go & have a look for yourself

Yeah I'll just stroll into the COVID ward, casually whistling on my way.

[Sheryl]

9 minutes ago, SidJames said:

They are.

Go & have a look for yourself

The article report 200 patients over 1 month. Not a huge number.

 

The outpatient depts, which is what people readily see, re pretty empty in most hospitals, people are staying away if they can.

 

The number of COVID pts currently in hospital is reported regularly by the MoPH. Currently only 213 nationwide (but might not include some in private hospitals)

 

 

[potless]

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

4 hours ago, potless said:

Twelve hour shifts wearing all that gear in a stressful environment. Awful. Elsewhere on T.V.F., hundreds of posts from members seething that they cant get a bottle of beer.

This is your ridiculous attempt to incite,with your high and mighty comment......I'll bite ..take a minute and explain your comment....why would you even compare one to the other?

Edited 39 minutes ago by mok199

Nothing high and mighty or an attempt to incite anything at all. The O.P. draws attention to the sacrifices that hospital staff make on a daily basis whilst some posters treat the alcohol ban as a major sacrifice. It isnt. Got a friend who is alcohol dependant. Thats different.

 

53 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Wow, that's a pretty high moral horse you are sitting on. At least 16 hands.

 As above. No offence intended. Not about morals, but keeping things in perspective. 

[Xi Tha Virus]

What is she afraid of? According to Thai gov't there are no virus infections in the Thailand.

[metisdead]

Off topic baiting posts and replies have been removed. 

[JAG]

20 hours ago, potless said:

Twelve hour shifts wearing all that gear in a stressful environment. Awful. Elsewhere on T.V.F., hundreds of posts from members seething that they cant get a bottle of beer.

The work of nurses such as these, and indeed of all medical staff absolutely deserves our gratitude and admiration.

 

I'm not exactly seething, but am annoyed that I cannot buy a bottle of beer.

 

Elsewhere in the country millions, perhaps tens of millions, are sitting stranded amidst the wreckage of their lives and businesses, destroyed by the heavy handed inchoate actions of a regime, very obviously more concerned and determined to wield power, and as individuals to demonstrate their power, than about the effects upon the population, and on the epidemic, of there actions, which are more and more often now superfluous and irrelevant to containing the virus.

 

No real effective relief provision for those who are sitting amidst wreckage, but astronomical sums to bail out a failed airline, and generous bonuses to reward the "stressful times" of the uniformed agents of this government

 

No apparent sensible or coordinated plan to manage let alone ameliorate the restrictions, but plenty of individuals seemingly competing to devise new restrictions, and duplicating efforts to impose them.

 

Two months in, we are told we must wear approved masks and use sanitiser gels, but still none are readily available for the general population; yet a civil servant, resplendent in medal ribbons and shoulder braid announcing from behind a desk that the ones her department will supply are excellent quality. Similar peacock like officials will be lining up to announce the policies on golf (in which I have absolutely no interest), tennis (at which I am absolutely useless), and swimming, (which I do enjoy); none of which have any relevance to fighting the virus. Think about what peacocks do - impressive displays, lots of noise, no discernible effect on anything really.

 

These are all things to seeth about: lost livelihoods, wrecked futures, lost lives even, not being able to buy a beer or go for a swim; at the same time as admiring and being grateful to people such as Suparvadee Tantrarattanapong and her colleagues. The two feelings are not mutually exclusive!

Edited May 1, 2020 by JAG

[bodga]

On 4/30/2020 at 6:58 PM, Sheryl said:

The article report 200 patients over 1 month. Not a huge number.

Some sense at  last.

[DavisH]

On 4/30/2020 at 9:47 PM, Xi Tha Virus said:

What is she afraid of? According to Thai gov't there are no virus infections in the Thailand.

Are you really that ingnorant...or maybe just plain stupid?

[JeffyInBkk]

Oh Pleeze! Considering that there are over 1,847 hospital in Thailand and also few cases as reported by the Thai government and most of the infected already recovered and cured and very few in critical conditions, the healthcare staff should be enjoying themselves and shaking their legs right???? Please no need to credit them for doing a job that they are paid to d so and they are not under any stress or in overwhelming or overcrowded situation as reported by the Thai government the situation is not serious. .Lets reserve support for the healthcare professionals sufferring in countries lile Japan, Spain, US, Italy, Belgium, Brazil etc.

 

Now if the healthcare professionals are telling otherwise, tehn they should come out and tell the truth. Reuters should hire decent reporters!

[Sheryl]

A video clip from unaurhorized source has been removed. Please review Forum rules re posting clips from Social Media.

[Grumpy John]

I think it's great we have doctors and nurses we day after day treat people with a disgusting disease from Wuhan China....as well as some regular recurring diseases we have on a yearly basis.  If anyone needs an alcohol drink at the end of the day....or 2, it's these people.  

[unblocktheplanet]

On 4/30/2020 at 3:30 PM, DrTuner said:

Can't be true, according to the infallible TVF social networks the hospitals are empty.

Talked to my daughter in the BC Ministry of Health. BC's hospitals are well & truly empty--they've cancelled all elective procedures. That means a lot of patients left in pain and will be a nightmare backlog if we get through this.

[anto]

On 4/30/2020 at 12:58 PM, Sheryl said:

The article report 200 patients over 1 month. Not a huge number.

 

The outpatient depts, which is what people readily see, re pretty empty in most hospitals, people are staying away if they can.

 

The number of COVID pts currently in hospital is reported regularly by the MoPH. Currently only 213 nationwide (but might not include some in private hospitals)

 

 

Thats tiny in a population of 70 M .Hardly worth closing down the whole Country .How many have commited suicide already ? Nobody can tell but i would guess a 10 times multiple of those who died from Covit.