LocumLife - December 2008 - (Page 29)

room was waiting for me. I considered myself very lucky because I knew the majority of people in that area were sitting in the dark and the heat with no water.” The next morning, Dr. Andrus reported to the prison and was relieved once again. “Backup generators were providing power, and there was very little damage. Patient care was a bit different after the storm, however, because we were short of staff and medication. Before Ike, we had been seeing the prisoners in our 15-bed infirmary. But afterward, we loaded a supply cart and treated the inmates in their cells, accompanied by guards, of course. We did have some medicine that we could dispense, but not always enough. So we just did the best we could and the prisoners seemed grateful.” Dr. Andrus saw approximately 15 patients a day, from about 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. “There were many cases of hepatitis, HIV, and methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus, in addition to all the regular illnesses and fights. I remember one man who had been on IV vancomycin for 2 weeks. Right before the hurricane, he developed a large abscess on his lower leg. Given the triaging necessary during evacuation efforts and the limited resources, staff at the local hospital was unable to surgically drain it. So I drained it in our treatment room as best I could after the storm.” By Friday, the last day of Dr. Andrus’ scheduled contract, phones and electricity were back on, and the regular prison physician had returned. “Though I was ready to move on, I felt good about being able to help out in a time of need.” FINDING A WAY Meanwhile, north of Houston, radiologist Francisco Menendez, MD, was also dealing with the fallout from Hurricane Ike. “I was scheduled to fly into Houston on Sunday, www.LocumLife.com “People worked together, stayed positive, and helped in any way they could.” —Francisco Menendez, MD September 14, to relieve another locum tenens physician who was providing services at a regional medical center. Because of the treacherous conditions, however, my flight was cancelled.” Thanks to Dr. Menendez’s perseverance, he caught the first available flight and was able to report to work by Monday. “I was not sure what to expect, however, and even from the plane could see that everything was dark, with entire neighborhoods flooded.” Once Dr. Menendez reached his destination, he realized the full extent of the damage. “Everything was pitch black. The only electricity came from the hospital, thanks to a large semi-truck generator that was parked outside. There were no hotels open, so the hospital had cleared out half a wing where select people could set up house. I stayed there for the duration of my 6-day stint, alongside other medical personnel and several law enforcement officers.” Since the hospital was the only building providing electricity, airconditioning, and meals, normal access was locked. “People could enter through one door only, which was manned by a receptionist at all times. Though there was little damage to the facility, the town did not fare as well. Many houses had trees and electrical poles through them, and there were countless downed trees and power lines on the roads.” REPAIRING THE DAMAGE When Dr. Menendez first arrived, he found a backlog of cases awaiting him. “Throughout the week, I averaged DONATION RESOURCES FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ Avoid Hurricane Scams and Fraud http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicSafety/Hurricane_ Katrina_Recovery/Fraud.shtml FAQs about Charitable Organizations Providing Disaster Relief http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/ article/0,,id=149908,00.html InterAction http://interaction.org/haiticuba Network for Good http://www.networkforgood.org/ Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmyusa.org DECEMBER 2008 LocumLife 29 http://www.redcross.org/ http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicSafety/Hurricane_Katrina_Recovery/Fraud.shtml http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicSafety/Hurricane_Katrina_Recovery/Fraud.shtml http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=149908,00.html http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=149908,00.html http://interaction.org/haiticuba http://www.networkforgood.org/ http://www.salvationarmyusa.org http://www.LocumLife.com

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LocumLife - December 2008 Editorial Contents From Nalto Stat! The Basics Last-Minute Luxury Mixing Business &�Pleasure Med Ec-cerpts Neonatology Advertiser Index Opportunities Direct On Location Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - December 2008

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