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Pittsburg’s Via Christi Hospital as of 1 a.m. Monday has received 46 patients with injuries related to the tornado that flattened much of Joplin, Mo., Sunday evening.
The tornado put St. John’s Hospital in Joplin completely out of commission, which meant victims were sent to Joplin’s Freeman Health System and other hospitals in nearby communities. In two southeast Kansas hospitals, it meant taking on many new patients.
Via Christi officials said they got the call to enact the hospital's emergency plan, which allows medical centers throughout the southeast Kansas and Four State regions to assist each other in handling just such a disaster, at about 6:20 p.m. Sunday. Via Christi spokesperson Michael Hayslip said the hospital had called in about 140 clinical and non-clinical – employees who do not perform essential medical services – staff to prepare for the possible influx of patients. Hayslip said there also were additional staff members who came to work after they heard about the devastation in Joplin and showed up to help.
Hayslip continued, saying ambulances and medical transport helicopters had been arriving with victims of the tornado regularly throughout the evening and into the morning hours. Ambulance sirens could be heard headed to the hospital after 2 a.m.
“We’re talking anywhere from minor lacerations to major trauma and major breaks,” Hayslip said.
The hospital had not received an estimate for how many patients it could expect, Hayslip said. Via Christi has 127 beds, 47 of which are open after the victims had arrived.
“We’re expecting them, and we’ll be here,” Hayslip said. “No one has been able to give us an approximation of how many patients that’s going to be. We’re prepared as a staff for the hospital to be full. We have not reached that point, but we’re prepared to take on that size of a load.”
Hayslip said the hospital was ready for additional patients.
“We have rooms open and we’re ready for anyone who needs to be helped,” Hayslip said, adding that the hospital also relies on communication with local hospitals such as Girard Medical Center to assist with extra patients.
Joe Cobb, a registered nurse in Girard Medical Center’s emergency room, said the hospital was on standby but had not yet received any tornado-related patients.
“We’re still waiting for an influx,” Cobb said. “We’re prepared if anything comes up. We have rooms open, and we’re ready for anyone who needs to be helped.”
Officials at St. John’s Maude Norton Memorial Hospital in Columbus said they were swamped with patients and had not had a chance to count the number of Joplin victims that had been routed to the hospital.
Pittsburg’s Via Christi Hospital as of 1 a.m. Monday has received 46 patients with injuries related to the tornado that flattened much of Joplin, Mo., Sunday evening.
The tornado put St. John’s Hospital in Joplin completely out of commission, which meant victims were sent to Joplin’s Freeman Health System and other hospitals in nearby communities. In two southeast Kansas hospitals, it meant taking on many new patients.
Via Christi officials said they got the call to enact the hospital's emergency plan, which allows medical centers throughout the southeast Kansas and Four State regions to assist each other in handling just such a disaster, at about 6:20 p.m. Sunday. Via Christi spokesperson Michael Hayslip said the hospital had called in about 140 clinical and non-clinical – employees who do not perform essential medical services – staff to prepare for the possible influx of patients. Hayslip said there also were additional staff members who came to work after they heard about the devastation in Joplin and showed up to help.
Hayslip continued, saying ambulances and medical transport helicopters had been arriving with victims of the tornado regularly throughout the evening and into the morning hours. Ambulance sirens could be heard headed to the hospital after 2 a.m.
“We’re talking anywhere from minor lacerations to major trauma and major breaks,” Hayslip said.
The hospital had not received an estimate for how many patients it could expect, Hayslip said. Via Christi has 127 beds, 47 of which are open after the victims had arrived.
“We’re expecting them, and we’ll be here,” Hayslip said. “No one has been able to give us an approximation of how many patients that’s going to be. We’re prepared as a staff for the hospital to be full. We have not reached that point, but we’re prepared to take on that size of a load.”
Hayslip said the hospital was ready for additional patients.
“We have rooms open and we’re ready for anyone who needs to be helped,” Hayslip said, adding that the hospital also relies on communication with local hospitals such as Girard Medical Center to assist with extra patients.
Joe Cobb, a registered nurse in Girard Medical Center’s emergency room, said the hospital was on standby but had not yet received any tornado-related patients.
“We’re still waiting for an influx,” Cobb said. “We’re prepared if anything comes up. We have rooms open, and we’re ready for anyone who needs to be helped.”
Officials at St. John’s Maude Norton Memorial Hospital in Columbus said they were swamped with patients and had not had a chance to count the number of Joplin victims that had been routed to the hospital.
