“The nurses are bringing the babies down first."

February 10, 2013 10:21 AM

The night Hurricane Sandy hit New York, New York University Hospital evacuated 204 patients, down the stairs
posted by roomthreeseventeen (12 comments total)

My wife, sister in law and numerous friends are all doctors and nurses at NYU Langone Medical Center. Nobody had an easy time during that storm, that's for sure. An odd twist to the whole thing - I recently found myself in the newly relocated Emergency Dept at the hospital, which is now on the 11th floor. It was funny to see the staff marveling at having windows for the first time ever and nice high ceilings. One MD commented that the previous ED had been a dungeon (It certainly was) and that the confined, depressed environment affected patient care in his opinion.
posted by blaneyphoto at 10:28 AM on February 10, 2013

I recently found myself in the newly relocated Emergency Dept at the hospital, which is now on the 11th floor.

I'm sure smarter people than me have very good reasons for it, but why is an Emergency Department on the 11th floor?
posted by Etrigan at 10:58 AM on February 10, 2013

The hospital was totally flooded - chest high water in the lobby. The ED was totally destroyed, and that was the only place to put it. They're running express elevators up there.
posted by blaneyphoto at 11:00 AM on February 10, 2013

Also worth noting is the use of MedSleds in the evacuation, which I know some people there had just been re-trained in using prior to the storm.
posted by blaneyphoto at 11:23 AM on February 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Ah, okay. I somehow read your comment as the new ED being a more intentional relocation. Entirely my fault.
posted by Etrigan at 11:31 AM on February 10, 2013

the confined, depressed environment affected patient care in his opinion.

What? Was he saying that blinking fluorescent lights, plastic, ubiquitous beeping technology, lab coats, paper forms, cinder blocks, hanging ceiling tiles, pervasive industrial odors in stale air and linoleum floors aren't conducive to the natural healing process? What could ever make a modern doctor think that?
posted by Twang at 2:13 PM on February 10, 2013 [7 favorites]

The biggest misconception about catastrophes is that there are people with answers present. That there’s a plan. That despite years of half-assed fire drills, staff can locate the second, or third, set of stairs when the elevator’s down. That there are extra batteries stashed in closets. That things move quickly.

This. The hospital where I work supposedly has plans for major events like this. Weather disasters. Total power failures. Shooters in the building. I don't know anyone among my coworkers who knows what those plans are. Some of the managers do drills every couple years, and a congratulatory email goes out to all the staff saying that most things went smoothly and we learned a lot from what didn't go according to plan. I hope those 15 people are all working in case anything ever goes wrong.
posted by vytae at 2:31 PM on February 10, 2013 [3 favorites]

“And Staten Island’s a shitshow,” he added poignantly, though I hadn’t thought to ask.

Heh. Great piece, thank you. We had to do some similarly-hurried scrambling at work but nobody was going to die if we dropped a server.

Also god it's "cords" not "chords". Why does that bother me so much?
posted by Skorgu at 7:21 PM on February 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

The biggest misconception about catastrophes is that there are people with answers present. That there’s a plan. That despite years of half-assed fire drills, staff can locate the second, or third, set of stairs when the elevator’s down. That there are extra batteries stashed in closets. That things move quickly.

I think about this every time we do a disaster drill. "Who is the floor captain? I thought it was Agnes. No, it used to be Agnes but she didn't want to do it anymore. It's Mary now. Mary's out today. Isn't Tom the backup? He is, but he's at meeting in the other building."
posted by shoesietart at 7:49 PM on February 10, 2013

Con ed? Isn't it Com Ed?
posted by stormpooper at 7:06 AM on February 11, 2013

Consolidated Edison IIRC
posted by probably not that Karen Blair at 9:31 AM on February 11, 2013

What? Was he saying that blinking fluorescent lights, plastic, ubiquitous beeping technology, lab coats, paper forms, cinder blocks, hanging ceiling tiles, pervasive industrial odors in stale air and linoleum floors aren't conducive to the natural healing process? What could ever make a modern doctor think that?
posted by Twang

Umm... no.
He was saying (accurately) that the previous space was dark and cramped. It was not inadequate, unhealthy or unsafe as you seem to be insinuating. Lab coats? Yep you're gonna see lots of those in a hospital, sorry. Scrubs too. Paper forms, not so much now that NYUMC uses EPIC. His main point was that the new location improved staff morale, which in turn improved bedside manner - facilitating better care.
posted by blaneyphoto at 5:49 PM on February 11, 2013