HONOLULU – Hawaii nurses and hospital experts are providing insight into the efforts to treat and transfer burn patients injured in a New Year’s fireworks explosion in Aliamanu.
According to the CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, one or two patients at a time may fly by air ambulance, but six on a military plane is unprecedented.
Meanwhile, there has been an extraordinary effort by bedside nurses.
“I know the evening it all happened, there was a need for assistance everywhere. “Wherever they went, the nurses heard the call,” stated Rosalee Agas-Yuu, president of the Hawaii Nurses Association.
Agas-Yuu responded to the death of a three-year-old boy, Cassius Ramos-Benigno. Governor Josh Green stated that he was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center in critical condition following the New Year’s fireworks explosion.
“Any loss of a loved one is painful,” explained Agas-Yuu.
“I know the Kapiolani nurses cared for that family. I know the entire staff was there for that family because I know their personalities,” said Agas-Yuu.
Agas-Yuu has worked with burn patients throughout her career and says they frequently require round-the-clock care, with two or three nurses per shift to assist with burn dressing changes, fluids, and medication.
“Pain is a significant factor. You must be capable of feeling pain. Agas-Yuu explained that sometimes the patient is unable to communicate, but nurses are aware of this.
Hilton Raethel, CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, stated, “My wife and I have lived in Hawaii for 25 years.” Nothing like this has happened before, so having to transport multiple patients is truly an extraordinary event.”
He described Saturday’s transportation of six burn patients to the mainland by military plane as unprecedented.
He claims that while all of Hawaii’s major hospitals can stabilize and care for patients, they lack the resources and capacity to care for so many people for weeks or months at a time.
Some may be in the hospital for a year or longer.
“Because of the long periods of time of the long-term care that’s required in a hospital for these patients, the decision was made to relieve some of the burden on Hawaii’s hospitals,” Raethel claimed.
“In terms of burns, this particular incident had a greater impact than that of the Lahaina fire,” he noted.
