The radiology department administrator at a Mississippi hospital is calling for volunteers to assist his staff of radiologic technologists, many of whom are exhausted after working multiple shifts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane has overwhelmed the hospital's RT staff, which is caring for the sick and injured even as their own lives have been upended by the disaster.
Terry Goforth, director of radiology at Ocean Springs Hospital in Ocean Springs, said that his 156-bed hospital is dealing with an influx of patients with injuries and illnesses both related and unrelated to the hurricane. Originally there were nine hospitals in his region along the Gulf Coast, but now just five are operational. Goforth's RT staff is working triple and quadruple shifts to deal with the heavy patient volume, and many are exhausted, he said.
The hospital is most urgently in need of ultrasound and nuclear medicine technologists, Goforth said. The hospital can put volunteers up in the facility's education center, but isn't able to offer much more than a cot and three hot meals. The hurricane destroyed all of the hotels and restaurants in the city, he said.
"You need to bring your own sleeping materials," Goforth said. "It will be rough conditions, there's no question about that. But there is a tremendous need."
Goforth said that he spent the hurricane in the hospital after the facility activated its hurricane response teams at 6 p.m. Sunday, just before the storm made landfall. The eye of the storm was 18 miles away from Ocean Springs, and Goforth described the experience as "horrendous" -- "It sounded like there were 40 freight trains headed this way."
The facility lost its regular power and shifted to backup diesel generators, which kept the facility operating. Goforth said he was worried that the hospital's MRI scanner might quench due to its loss of power for five days, but he said the facility was able to avoid this with the assistance of engineers from the system's manufacturer, GE Healthcare of Chalfont St. Giles, U.K.
Another worry was the hospital's PACS network (McKesson Information Solutions - Medical Imaging Group, Richmond, British Columbia), which Ocean Springs Hospital had installed in July. Goforth said that despite his concerns the PACS remained online throughout the crisis.
In addition to the heavy workload, the hurricane has been a major catastrophe for the hospital's staff. One nuclear medicine technologist has yet to be accounted for. Goforth said he has a home in New Orleans that he hasn't visited since the storm hit, and he most likely won't know its status for another two weeks. Goforth evacuated his family prior to the storm, and is currently staying at an apartment he has in Ocean Springs.
The staffing needs at Ocean Springs Hospital aren't likely to get any better as the region begins its long recovery, Goforth believes.
"A lot of hospitals lost a lot of staff," he said. "They may never come back. There's nothing to come back to."
To volunteer, call the Ocean Spring Hospital's main switchboard, at 228-818-1111, and ask for Terry Goforth, or send e-mail to [email protected].
By Brian Casey
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
September 8, 2005
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