Just had a 2 hour call with high school best friend.

[Miigwech]

Last edited Mon May 11, 2020, 04:43 PM - Edit history (1)

She is Medical Doctor. She teaches at a University and runs a cancer treatment facility. Now, she is required to report for service in in the ER, Covid wards, or intensive care units with all Covid patients ... 2 week on 2 weeks off (in case Covid infected). She is a single mother with 2 daughters and a mother in a nursing home.

WELL GUESS THE FUCKING WHAT? The hospital just cut her pay by 20%. YES< THESE FUCKERS THAT RUN HOSPITALS ARE CUTTING PAY TO OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS>

She told me that she was very afraid to show up to work because she only has flimsy surgical masks that will never protect the wearer from this virus. But, she shows up every day. FUCK PENCE< FUCK TRUMP.


I have to edit post because my friend wears a surgical mask when entering the hospital and at her clinics. She did say to me that the folks in ICU, emergency rooms, wards do have PPE's ... she said that those folks are more protected in these Covid units than she is.

[Faux pas]

1. Kickin' with disgust!

[Miigwech]

9. I am over the FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF panic, so now, I am really woried about her

and the rest of us

[mucifer]

2. OMG no N95 in the ER or the Covid ICU?? Holy crap. That's horrible !

[Miigwech]

31. Yes, so fucking absurd

I know, we don't care to protect our Doctors and nurses in this WAR?????

[orleans]

69. she needs to report this. to a local news station. to the department of health for the state

this is horrible!

what state is she in?

[BComplex]

71. Rachel Maddow started an email or website for people to report things going on.

She wants to hear from people like your friend. Can't remember the website/email. Maybe some other DUers will remember that and link it here.

[samnsara]

3. its happening everywhere...a friend is a pharmacist in a hospital...same cut...

..I do fear for our rural hospitals tho.

[Miigwech]

17. Yes, no one is tracking while trump is trafficking BS

[flamingdem]

4. A nurse in LA just died because she used a surgical vs ND95 mask

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-10/nurse-death-n95-covid-19-patients-coronavirus-hollywood-presbyterian

[FarPoint]

5. Why can't she say No?

Did she explain?

[Miigwech]

6. Because she will lose her job

[FarPoint]

7. Sounds like she's already busy with Cancer unit....

Plus, teaching....full schedule that really isn't going to change...I would refuse... especially with pay cut...She can find another job...

[Miigwech]

12. No she can't ...

find another job. Does anyone expect a Medical Doctor to run from their patients towards a safer place? I don't think so. She is dedicated and so are her fellow Doctors on the front lines. Can't we at least provide them the proper protection? She has not seen it yet.

[LisaL]

30. If she is not provided with proper PPE, why shouldn't she refuse?

[Miigwech]

21. I guess folks don't really know how the privatization of all our Hospitals

are going to fucking kill all of us .... profits for the bottom line.

https://hbr.org/1991/11/does-privatization-serve-the-public-interest

[LanternWaste]

42. Always someone ready to speculate what others should do.

[LisaL]

44. Isn't that what discussion boards are for?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

62. +1

[FarPoint]

54. Well...

I too am in healthcare...I can choose to refused...thus, I ask the question.

[SheltieLover]

8. K&R

This is happening all over the country! I posted about this some time ago.

I am sorry your friend is caught up in this!

[Miigwech]

14. Yes, are we going to sacrifice all our Doctors and Nurses

to this? WAKE UP FOLKS, this is deadly! I know DU community already knows how important it is to stay at a distance from the ones we love. So hard, but so loving! Stay strong in love, easy.

[SheltieLover]

18. Seems to be by design

Admin stealing PPE en masse from numerous states. 🤬

[Miigwech]

27. Thank you for your sentiments

.... but we are going to fight against trump giving trillions to .... not the sick, not the small business owners ... only to billion or million dollar businesses who are trump supporters

[Hav]

10. And then look at the video in this thread

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213419747

These are the selfish idiots endangering healthcare workers and to top it off, they aren't even provided with sufficient protection. Seems criminal.

[Miigwech]

58. They are just dying to die

[MuseRider]

11. We have 2 N95 masks.

My son does some construction work and he has a big mask that covers your face with filters and then one of the smaller masks. We cannot even get our hands on regular surgical masks, not that they do any good. We have been reusing the masks since this started. Not really smart but is the best we can do from here. We try not to ever go out but we wear them and use gloves all the time we are out.

Your story is sick. I worked in both ER and ICU and one 12 hour shift often was enough to make you want to sleep for a month. 2 weeks of that must be hell and to cut their pay on top of it? What doesn't one of the CEO's sell a few pricey cars or maybe a house or two to pay their staff during all of this? We are in this for the long haul. Anyone here who reads these posts should know that the mask and gloves are helpful but staying home as much as you can is essential. This thing is going to blow wide open as we open up. Please stay safe.

[Liberty Belle]

49. I have some surgical-type masks I can send you, not N-95.

PM me with your address and i can get you a couple; I bought a box of 50.

[MuseRider]

52. Oh dear, you are so kind!

We are doing OK. It is pretty easy to steam clean the small mask and the big one my son wears looks like he is fumigating something but the filters are really good so we always have that.

Thank you so very much. In the time between writing my first post a little bit ago a friend came by to get some manure from my giant pile by the horse barn and he had some masks that he gave to us.

Stay safe. Your generosity should hold you well in the hearts of many.

[Karadeniz]

13. This is incredible! How much have administration's pay been cut and if their pay was disproportionat

Then do a disproportionate pay cut. I know they're struggling due to cancelling elective procedures, but if I were in charge, I'd work for nothing to keep staff going. Maybe the hospital's run by some long distance company...we've read about that.

[mwooldri]

22. Cuts have been not exactly proportionate.

At a certain hospital system, salaried employees have taken a 10% cut. Hourly employees that work 40 hour weeks have had their hours cut to 32 hours - and proportionately cut for others (20%).

[thenelm1]

46. That would be my question as well.

Did the upper level administrators get the same pay cut? Particularly if, as you stated, the hospitals are part of a larger medical group? Most of them are in one form or another today. Surviving financially as a stand alone entity is virtually impossible.

[Celerity]

15. What was the rationale given for the large pay cut?

ffs, this is outrageous!!!!!

[Miigwech]

57. Yes, you present the truth. NO front line Doctors should get any pay cuts

trump, you pissed off almost 7 trillion dollars in bailouts and did not help one fucking hospital, doctor, nurse, EMT, police, firefighter ... well, if that money was spent on regular (tax payer) folks ... IT would be $300,000 per every man. woman and child in the USA ... ShOW US THE MONEY, our money, you fucking trump bastard!

[pbmus]

16. Elective surgeries are hospitals profit zone...without elective surgeries

Hospitals die...They have had to stop elective surgeries since Covid...

She should quit or Say no..

[theaocp]

25. Bazinga

And the crooked pile of shit that is our health care system reveals more ugly secrets. Degoutant.

[mwooldri]

19. The "elective" surgeries bring in the cash.

All hospital systems are hurting. Here in NC the major hospitals are mostly non-profit but there are layoffs and wage cuts. You would have thought medical lab techs are immune - nope, hours cut... Not as much work to do.

It's not as if the government owns all the hospitals.

Not just hospital workers, other "essential" employees are having their hours cut or lay offs because the "non essential" stuff that makes money isn't there. Truck drivers don't just haul groceries and toilet paper...

[tanyev]

20. Meanwhile, Jared's hijacking masks to replenish the national stockpile

and God only knows what else.

[smirkymonkey]

23. Arghhhhhhh!

This is so wrong! They should be getting extra pay for risking their lives! WTF! I just want to scream!

[Mosby]

24. How much does she make?

[Miigwech]

34. NOT ENOUGH

[Mosby]

43. You didn't ask?

Given that she wears multiple hats, dr, professor, director of a cancer tx center, I'm guessing 500-750 thousand per year.

[Miigwech]

51. Are you kidding? Hospital Doctors that teach

and train Doctors in a University setting do not make much money compared to MD's in private practice, maybe she makes 100,000 - 120 a year? Why is that even a question? MY friend never thought that she was going to get rich by being a MD. She is one of a kind beautiful loving human being. SURPRISE, like plenty of us , she never wants to monetize her position ... taking care of US

[Flaleftist]

26. There are N95s available on EBay, but they are pricey.

Aside from the bid items, some pop up every now and then as buy it now at about 20-25 a piece, but they usually sell quick. Then more will pop up.

[LisaL]

28. Some pop up on other websites too.

I am afraid to buy off ebay, but they do pop up on other websites at cheaper prices. Also go quick.

[Flaleftist]

32. With eBay, I would check their seller rating and reviews.

99-100% positive with thousands of reviews could probably be trusted to send the item they list.

[uponit7771]

29. K&R, ... add on top of that some PA and DA's aren't enforcing NPI

[Jarqui]

33. I'll just add my sickened reaction to the rest ... nt K&R

[Miigwech]

37. MY FRIEND HAS WORKED VERY HARD

thru many personal setbacks, to attain her position. She is no different than many America's ... but she is on the front lines to save the rest of us. Can't she even get her full paycheck?

[Jarqui]

50. For clarity, I'm with you

Chopping her pay at this moment?

She should be getting an increase for danger pay - especially since they're pressing her to work without proper PPE

I doubt I would show up because what sort of a doctor will I be after burying one of my kids due to the virus

The country should be up in arms saying to Trump "nobody is going to do anything until you get proper PPE and testing."

[Miigwech]

63. Exactly! Why cut her pay????

Treating our Medical Doctors like this? Fuck trump Et al

[stillcool]

35. I have been reading about Doctors and nurses..

getting let go, or having their wages cut. I can't imagine. Someone with the knowledge and skill to save a life, is less important than earnings, and stock prices. That's too effed up.

[Miigwech]

38. So true! Trillions to bail out business ?

WHAT About our front line workers?

[Miigwech]

65. So true, we need to get the message out that corp medical

is screwing us, as they screw our front line workers ... our Doctors and Nurses need us to stand up for them

[eilen]

36. I'm a nurse

They don't even have dedicated Covid floors anymore where I am. The Covid patients are put in isolation -- droplet isolation per the CDC unless they have aerosolizing procedures such as Bipap, cpap, ventilator, intubation, nebulizer treatments, lots of coughing... if they have those things, they go in a negative pressure room and staff gets the N95 masks. If they don't, we have those paper procedure masks, eye shields/goggles and plastic isolation gown + gloves-- this is all per the CDC who apparently think its fine to sacrifice us. Since the change, a few colleagues of mine have tested positive. I work in a different area now but that doesn't mean I have not been exposed. We still get Covid + patients who need testing. Most of our doctors are working remotely. There is one cardio in person for the entire hospital. Things may change rapidly with the elective procedures/surgeries starting back up. My work schedule/hours have been cut in half. I carry our health insurance. Part of me is tempted to quit because I'm over 50 and my age group has the highest incidence of infection.

[LisaL]

40. Are you allowed to use your own PPE?

[Miigwech]

41. i HEAR YOU, WHEN WILL TRUMP TASK FORCE?

[warmfeet]

39. Disaster capitalism,

rears its ugly head.

Anyone willing to do anything about it?

You are okay today.

What about tomorrow?

Posting on DU, will likely save us.

No worries mates.

Situation normal, all fucked up.

Do the best you can. Stay safe.

[Miigwech]

45. AGREED

[Locrian]

70. agreed 1000

and its NOT JUST TRUMP

Hopefully there will be no back to normal for a system that is willing to let people die for the "market" to even function

[colorado_ufo]

47. Where does she live?

Even if she doesn't live in New York, she should get in touch with Gov. Cuomo. I would not be surprised if he sent her masks.

[Evolve Dammit]

48. There has been a huge gobbling up of hospitals and clinics by a small number of corporate entities.

It is now "The Corporation." If you haven't seen the film of the same title; highly recommended. Won 36 internationasl awards. Corporations don't care about people, just profits.

[Renew Deal]

53. I think this entire thing will be used to cut pay

Demand is down, so salaries will go with it. You can leave if you want.

[BSdetect]

55. k&r

[Initech]

56. My brother just got his pay cut too.

Soulless fucking ghouls.

[Miigwech]

59. WTFFFFF, sorry for my French

All of our front line workers should not be getting pay cuts ... lets give them HAZARD PAY NOW, NOW, NOW.

[Initech]

61. Yeah it's completely insane.

Doctors and nurses should be getting hazard pay for this. And the people who run these hospital collectives like a business can go lick toilet seats.

[Joinfortmill]

60. This is so horrible.

[benld74]

64. Corporate owned

Corporate rules
BET CEO didn’t cut his pay

[AdamGG]

66. Wow, the pharmacists working at my local CVS in Boston have been given N95 masks

Can't believe people doing direct COVID patient care in a hospital wouldn't have them.

[Upthevibe]

67. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and the

horrible situation she's in....

[OhioChick]

68. I've been complaing about all of this from the beginning

Yet many didn't want to listen.

[Grins]

72. More evidence of the failure of "for-profit" health care!

Doctors from U of Florida and John’s Hopkins said the same thing a month ago to Katy Tur. And now this...