5 ms·
If we had 10x as many ventilators, and 100x as much protective equipment, this would be less dangerous. Only up to some point, then you run out of specialized
by danieldk 7y ago
If we had 10x as many ventilators, and 100x as much protective equipment, this would be less dangerous.
Only up to some point, then you run out of specialized personnel who know how to properly treat each patient (including controlling said ventilators). (Re-)training personnel probably takes months to years.
- SpicyLemonZest 7y agoThe value of specialized personnel isn't as large as I think you're expecting. Most hospital care boils down to "put them in bed and deliver medication and food at the appropriate times", and patients who need more are likely to die no matter what care they get. It's tragic that some people will die who could have been saved with intensive specialized intervention - but once everyone can be intubated, there's probably no "overload threshold" where lots of people die when they would have otherwise left in good health.
- adrianN 7y agoMost hospital care is not ICU care. There are special ICU nurses for a reason I assume.
- ADefenestrator 7y agoIt's not just intubation but varying other protocols for treating sepsis, ARDS, etc depending on the exact set of symptoms. Even the ventilator itself is far from "hook it up and leave it" - there has to be a careful and up-to-date balance between getting enough oxygen into the bloodstream and not damaging the lungs more than absolutely necessary. The people on a nasal cannula of oxygen probably only need limited skilled intervention and supervision, but once they're intubated it's pretty intensive.