Lhe epidemic of bronchiolitis, which has been described as early, is proving to be particularly virulent. It was the maddening figures of the last week that turned everything upside down. The Regional Health Agency (ARS) of New Aquitaine has taken over the reins to…
Lhe epidemic of bronchiolitis, which has been described as early, is proving to be particularly virulent. It was the maddening figures of the last week that turned everything upside down. The Regional Health Agency (ARS) of New Aquitaine has taken over the reins to avoid leaving hospitals in the doldrums and find alternative solutions. The level 2 white plan has been triggered, which affects all health establishments, public or private, in the region, in particular their pediatric medicine and intensive care unit.
An alarm signal suitable for mobilizing the troops. Céline Etchetto, director delegated to the organization of the care offer of the ARS testifies to this: “The indicators are carried away; the passage to the emergencies of babies under 2 years old, went from 23% to 29% in a few days, she begins. In the Landes, for example, or in Gironde, we went up to more than 50%. Over 40% at the Périgueux hospital in the Dordogne, at the Pau hospital, at the Limoges university hospital. In short, everyone is affected. »
Doctor Brigitte Llanas directs the pediatric center of the Bordeaux University Hospital.
Jean Maurice Each/ “SOUTH WEST”
The indicators on which the health authorities rely to observe the situation concern not only the increase in the number of emergency room admissions, but also the hospitalization rate after the passage to the emergency room. In this case, it currently stands at 44% for babies under 2 years old. “More than 55% of them are hospitalized for bronchiolitis, continues Céline Etchetto. Day by day, these figures are progressing, so that this Monday morning, out of the 55 intensive care beds in the entire New Aquitaine region, there are only three left available! As of 10 a.m., still on Monday, only four out of 46 continuous monitoring beds remained in the region, and only 27 out of 117 existing intensive care beds. In the Landes, in Lot-et-Garonne and in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, there are no longer any beds available in intensive care. ” Never seen.
A “scaling up” plan
At the Bordeaux University Hospital, the unions have been very mobilized for many months. Sud Santé, in particular, is asking for “lasting solutions to solve a long-standing problem linked to the understaffing of nursing staff”. But the situation is national and the epidemic of bronchiolitis is currently raging, to which we must respond urgently.
“Appointments for examinations, surgeries or day hospital care are postponed”
According to the latest data from Public Health France, “the share of activity relating to bronchiolitis is now significantly higher than that observed during the peaks of the last ten seasons”. For the ARS, the generalized white plan makes it possible “to proceed with the development of a plan for increasing the capacity to streamline the care pathway for small patients”, an elegant way of presenting the fact of “sorting” patients. . “First, we split the individual rooms, explains Céline Etchetto, this saves a few beds in addition to continuous care. Then, we deprogram certain ambulatory activities. Appointments for tests, surgeries or day hospital care are postponed. “Surgeries are already deprogrammed,” she admits.
Five tips for parents
1 Respect for barrier gestures: wash your hands before touching baby, put on a mask before holding it if you have a cold, air the rooms several times a day.
2 Avoid walking baby in crowded supermarkets, public places.
3 In case of rhino, fever, first call the attending physician or pediatrician.
4 Dial 15 before going to the emergency room.
5 Go to the emergency room if baby vomits, no longer feeds, breathes poorly, loses tone.
“The Limoges University Hospital has recalled staff on leave, to allow bronchiolitis beds to be opened, continues Céline Etchetto. Liberal nurses are mobilized to help hospital paediatrics. In Libourne, the hospital was able to count on the reinforcement of nursery assistants to increase the number of staff. The tension is everywhere and everywhere, we manage to find solutions. The regional white plan makes it possible to coordinate all City-Hospital and interregional actions. And I do not forget the general practitioners on the front line. »