|
CHINA> Focus
![]() |
|
The warm hearts behind cold masks
By He Na, Wang Zhuoqiong, Xin Dingding and Ju Chuanjiang (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-21 10:11 Feeling an urgent need to use the toilet is the last thing you want when you are wrapped in a heavy-duty protective suit that takes you at least five minutes to put on and take off. The nurses working at the No 2 infection subdivision at Beijing Ditan Hospital can tell you all about it.
Since the morning of May 2, when 14 people were quarantined after coming into close contact with an A(H1N1) influenza patient, cutting down on their daily water intake has been just one of the challenges they have had to endure. The disposable protective outfits medics must wear include an insulated anti-exposure body suit, two pairs of gloves, a mask, shoe covers and eye protection. "Each time I peel the suit off after a day's work, it is glued to my skin with sweat," said nurse Liu Xin, who is tasked with regularly checking on the patients under observation and reporting any changes in their temperature or blood pressure to the health authorities. As more suspected cases of the H1N1 virus come to light, more and more people are put in quarantine to stop the spread of infection among the general population. Ditan Hospital is regarded as having the capital's best quarantine facilities and equipment, and also played a major role after the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, as well as deals regularly with cases of hand-foot-mouth disease. And compared to the devastating SARS epidemic, Liu said the new strain of the H1N1 flu was a piece of cake. "I would be lying if I said we are not tired, but the difference between treating SARS and this is that most people under observation are healthy, so more of our time is actually spent alleviating their psychological burden and anxiety," she said, explaining staff at the hospital had tried various ways to cheer up their charges. "One girl was so depressed she refused to eat and drink when she first arrived," said Liu. "She would just stare endlessly out the window of the observation room. But a nurse chatted with her for almost a day and, after that, she got much better." Their hard work has not gone unnoticed. Patient Yang Wei, who was discharged from quarantine on Tuesday, told China Daily: "I have been deeply moved by the medical staff's behavior during my three days under observation. They did more than a nurse or doctor normally would.
![]() "They were not only concerned about my physical condition, but also took care of my daily meals and even bought newspapers and fashion magazines for me." |
平武县| 同德县| 祁连县| 百色市| 安图县| 咸阳市| 永仁县| 沿河| 邯郸市| 泸州市| 繁昌县| 新密市| 堆龙德庆县| 镇江市| 武鸣县| 余庆县| 旌德县| 土默特左旗| 雷山县| 株洲县| 辽源市| 蒙阴县| 福建省| 和林格尔县| 余姚市| 长岭县| 黄山市| 漳州市| 文化| 平舆县| 鹤峰县| 嘉定区| 马龙县| 卢湾区| 芦山县| 集安市| 汾阳市| 新巴尔虎右旗| 汉阴县| 遵义县| 集安市|