Health Headlines - 3-31-20

In today's health headlines we talk about how not only are ventilators needed but also Respiratory Therapists are needed to run the machines.

Some states the lack of ventilators makes them have to make decisions on who will and won't get one.

CPAP machines may spread the virus if you share them.

VENTILATORS TOHANDLE A SURGE OF CRITICALLY ILLPATIENTS... BUT THE LACK OFMACHINES ISJUST PART OF THE PROBLEM.AS SCOTT FRIEDMAN TELLS US..THERE'S ALSO AN URGENT NEED FORRESPIRATORYTHERAPISTS TO RUN THOSEMACHINES.THEY ARE SOME OF THE UNSUNGHEROS OF THE I-C- U.RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS HELP KEEPTHE MOST CRITICAL COVID-19PATIENTS BREATHING."WE ARE FRONTLINE.

I MEAN, WEARE OFTENTIMES A PERSON THATSTICKS THE TUBE INTO THE LUNGSTOINTUBATE THE PATIENT.

SO WE'REFRONTLINE WITH THESE PATIENTS."TOM KALLSTROM IS A RESPIRATORYTHERAPIST -- AND HEAD OF THEAMERICAN ASSOCIATION FORRESPIRATORY CARE HEADQUARTED INIRVING.FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS CAREERHE'S CONFRONTING QUESTIONS ABOUTWHETHER SOME CITIES -WILL HAVE THE STAFF FOR THENUMBER OF VENTILATORS NEEDED.:33-:39"I'M HOPING THAT THIS WON'T GETTO THAT POINT.

I DON'T KNOW.

IGUESS IT'S ANYBODY'S GUESS AS TOHOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN."ACROSS THE COUNTRY - THERE AREABOUT 155,000 RESPIRATORYTHERAPISTS.

ABOUT 14-HOUSAND INTEXAS.KALLSTROM IS TRYING TO CREATE AVIRTUAL STRIKE FORCE -- SURGINGSTAFF TO CITIES IN CRISIS.HE'S REACHING OUT TO RETIREDTHERAPISTS -- EVEN LOOKING ATWAYS TO PUT STUDENTS TO WORK.."WE JUST PUT A SURVEY OUT TOEVERY SCHOOL IN THE NATIONYESTERDAY TO FIND OUT WHAT DOTHEY HAVE,THE CAPABILITIES OF SENDINGSTUDENTS TO THE HOSPITALS ASWELL." HOSPITALS SAY THEY HAVEPLANS TO SHUFFLE VENTILATORS TOPLACES THAT NEED THEM MOST--AND TO FIND MORE STAFF TO RUNTHEM."TRUST ME, OUR HUMAN RESOURCELEADERS AT ALL.

OUR HOSPITALSAND SYSTEMS ARE WORKING 24/7TO LOOK AT EXISTING STAFF WHEREWE'RE SHORT ON STAFF AND WHAT WECAN DO TO BEEF UP THAT STAFF."IN I-C-U'S RESPIRATORYTHERAPISTS OFTEN MOVE BETWEENPATIENTS -- CARING FOR MORE THANONE AT A TIME.BUT THE CURRENT CRISIS ISALREADY TESTING THEIR LIMITS."IT'S IT'S IT'S EXHAUSTING.

IT'SHARD WORK.

IT'S MENTALLY ANDPHYSICALLY HARD.

EVEN WITHOUT APANDEMIC..."IN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK...DOCTORS ARE GETTING CLOSER TOMAKING LIFE AND DEATHDECISIONS... ABOUT WHO WILL GETA VENTILATOR.IN RECENT DAYS... THERE'S BEENTALK OF PUTTING TWO PATIENTS ONTHE SAMEVENTILATOR.KALLSTROM'S GROUP... AND GROUPSREPRESENTING CRITICAL CARENURSES ANDANESTHESIOLOGISTS... OPPOSETHAT IDEA... SAYING IT CAN'T BEDONE SAFELY.PEOPLE WITH C-PAP MACHINES AREWONDERING IF THEIR DEVICES COULDBEUSED TO HELP WITH THE SHORTAGE.BUT EXPERTS SAY... THERE'S NOWAY THAT WOULD WORK.VENITLATORS BREATHE FOR YOU...WHEN YOU CAN'T BREATHE ON YOUROWN --WHILE C-PAP MACHINES GIVE YOU AGENTLE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF AIRWHILE YOU SLEEP.A SLEEP MEDICINE DOCTOR ATBAYLOR SAYS... THE MACHINES CANALSO POTENTIALLYSPREAD A VIRUS... LIKE COVID-19.DR. PHILIP ALAPAT - SLEEPMEDICINE SPECIALISTCPAP DEVICE HAS A PERSISTENT AIRLEAK WHICH COULD POSSIBLYINCLUDE SOME OF THESE AIR CELLS,THESE LITTLE SMALL BITS OF MUCUSAND IN THE SAME WAY THAT, THESPREAD OF THOSE AEROSOLS TONEARBY INDIVIDUALS IS POSSIBLEIF YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVECORONAVIRUS... DOCTORS SAY...YOU SHOULD NOT SLEEP NEXT TOANYONE... AND TALK TO YOURDOCTOR RIGHT WAY... ABOUTWHETHER OR NOT YOUSHOULD KEEP USING YOU C-PAPMACHINE.