- NOW FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT A WISCONSIN STORY THAT HAS ITS
ROOTS IN PUERTO RICO.
SPECIFICALLY, THE DAMAGE DONE IN PUERTO RICO IN THE WAKE OF
HURRICANE MARIA LAST FALL, WHEN MAJOR MANUFACTURERS OF IV BAGS
WERE DESTROYED, HALTING THE EXPORT OF THOSE FROM PUERTO RICO
TO THE U. S. AND WORLD.
SUPPLIES ARE STILL LIMITED.
STATE HOSPITALS ARE TAKING STEPS TO CONSERVE IV SOLUTION.
THE WISCONSIN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION REPORTS THAT SOME
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ARE NOW RATIONING IV SOLUTIONS BAGS.
ANN ZENK IS AN RN. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
- THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
- THIS HURRICANE HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER AND THERE HAVE BEEN
SHORTAGES SINCE THEN, GETTING WORSE BIER THE DAY.
WHAT IS IT LIKE RIGHT NOW?
- RIGHT NOW HOSPITALS ARE CONTINUING TO BE ABLE TO COPE IN
WISCONSIN WITHOUT IT IMPACTING DIRECTLY ON PATIENT CARE.
BUT THAT MEANS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A LOT OF CONSERVATION
EFFORTS.
- AND SO IT'S DESCRIBED AS CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND
RATIONING.
WE KIND OF TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT HOSPITALS ARE GOING TO HAVE
ALL OF THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT ARE NEEDED.
BUT HAVE HOSPITALS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS?
- WE'VE SEEN MEDICATION AND IV FLUID SHORTAGES IN THE PAST.
I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS SHORTAGE IS IT'S BEEN OF SUCH
LONG DURATION.
- HAS THE FLU SEASON MADE THINGS WORSE?
- IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO.
IT HASN'T SEEMED TO HAVE IMPACTED IT YET.
BUT JUST LIKE THIS SHORTAGE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG
DURATION, IF FLU SEASON IS EXTENDED, THAT COULD IMPACT IT.
- THE CONSERVING.
WHAT ARE HOSPITALS DOING AS ALTERNATIVES TO IV SOLUTIONS?
- THE ORIGINAL SHORTAGE STARTED WITH IV MINI BAGS, THOSE LITTLE
BAGS YOU SEE HANGING FROM THE IV POLE THAT WE PUT THE MEDICATION
IN.
HOSPITALS AREN'T USING THOSE.
THEY'RE USING SYRINGES INSTEAD OR THEY'RE USING BIGGER BAGS.
- AND SO WHAT IS THAT LIKE FOR BOTH THE PROVIDERS AND THE
PATIENTS?
- SURE.
SO FOR THE PROVIDERS IT'S MUCH MORE LABOR INTENSIVE.
INSTEAD OF HANGING A BAG AND THEN GOING TO CHECK ON OTHER
PATIENTS, PERHAPS, A NURSE HAS TO REMAIN BY THE BEDSIDE.
FOR PATIENTS THEN THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE IT AS STAFF BEING AT
THEIR BEDSIDE FOR LONGER PERIODS.
IF YOU'RE A CANCER PATIENT WHO'S GETTING CONTINUED CARE, INSTEAD
OF A NURSE COMING IN AND HANGING THE BAG, YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHY ARE YOU DOING WITH A SYRINGE INSTEAD?
- IT'S GOT TO BE DIFFICULT IN BUSY HOSPITAL CARE CENTERS WHERE
THE NURSES AND STAFF ARE REALLY HAVING TO SPEND
SO MUCH MORE TIME.
WHAT'S THAT LIKE ON THE FLOOR?
- YEAH. ON THE FLOOR WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IS THAT, YOU KNOW,
NURSE MANAGERS MAYBE HAVE TO SCHEDULE DIFFERENTLY, SCHEDULE
MORE NURSES ON A SHIFT.
IN OUR PHARMACIES, THE PHARMACY TECHNOLOGIST AND THE PHARMACIST
MAY HAVE TO WORK LONGER HOURS, USE DIFFERENT SUPPLIES.
IT'S BEEN LABOR AND SUPPLY-INTENSIVE.
- HAS IT GOTTEN TO THE . WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO RESCHEDULE
PROCEDURES OR GO TO DIFFERENT HOSPITALS OR FACILITIES?
- NO. I THINK OUR HOSPITALS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB
PREVENTING THAT FROM HAPPENING.
- YET WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
- THEY'RE SAYING WE SURE HOPE THIS IS OVER SOON.
THE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES -- AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON
THAT WE DID DO THIS SURVEY.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS ARE
BEING ABLE TO COPE WITH THOSE SHORTAGES WITHOUT HAVING TO
DELAY TREATMENT OR RESCHEDULE CARE.
AND SO FAR WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COPE.
- MEANWHILE, WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS?
- RIGHT. RIGHT.
AT A LOCAL LEVEL, AT THE BEDSIDE LEVEL, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE
THOSE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE PATIENTS GET
THE CARE THEY NEED.
KIND OF AT THE NEXT LEVEL UP, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING
WHAT WE ALWAYS DO IN WISCONSIN, AND THAT'S HELPING OUR
NEIGHBORS.
SO HOSPITALS SHARE SUPPLIES TO MAKE SURE THAT LASTS.
- WHAT ABOUT THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL?
ARE THEY DOING ENOUGH, IN YOUR MIND?
- RIGHT.
THE FDA CONTROLS THE IV SUPPLIES AND WHO CAN MANUFACTURE THEM.
AND WE ARE SEEING KIND OF THE END IN SIGHT BECAUSE THE FDA HAS
APPROVED ADDITIONAL MANUFACTURERS OUTSIDE OF PUERTO
RICO AND NOW THOSE MANUFACTURERS EITHER AS WE SPEAK OR VERY SOON
ARE GOING TO START SHIPPING THOSE SUPPLIES.
- COULDN'T COME SOON ENOUGH, I'M ASSUMING.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SHORTAGE GETS WORSE?
- AS THE SHORTAGE GETS WORSE, I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE
HOSPITALS CONTINUE TO BE CREATIVE, HOSPITALS AND HEALTH
CARE PROFESSIONALS CONTINUE TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT THE MITIGATION
STRATEGIES THAT THEY USE.
I THINK THAT IN THAT CASE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY URGE ADDITIONAL
ACTIONS BY THE FDA TO NOT JUST SOLVE THIS CURRENT SHORTAGE, BUT
ALSO WE NEED TO STABILIZE THIS FOR THE FUTURE AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN THE GREAT HEALTH CARE THAT WE HAVE
IN WISCONSIN, THAT WE ALSO HAVE READY SUPPLIES IN A RELIABLE
FASHION.
- ABSOLUTELY.
ALL RIGHT.
ANN ZENK, THANKS VERY MUCH.
- THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.