Liberia: Nurses Abandoned Redemption Hospital

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Liberia: Nurses Abandoned Redemption Hospital

The Ebola Virus outbreak is terrifying, I realize Liberia is far from home for most of us, but it most certainly can be transmitted anywhere.

"The Redemption Hospital workers said their colleague died after apparently coming in contact with an Ebola suspect due to the lack of protective materials."

Easily transmitted with a 90 % death rate.

Protective gear or not, I could not provide care to Ebola victims.

How about you?

[malenurse69, MSN, NP]

Hell no

[Nola009]

Unfortunately, I don't think I could sign up for that job. If the hospital didn't provide proper protective equipment, then it's their own fault staff walked away.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Thanhs, but my question is .. would you do even with a Hazmat suit?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I think with adequate protection, I would. The hospital in question has not the resources to provide the type of protection required for caring for victims of Ebola. We tend to lose perspective here in the states of what it must be like to practice in a third-world country.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

Nope, not likely.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Self preservation is more important than any patient in the hospital

[Dranger]

Since the mortality is almost 100% I would be out of there fast. Call it abandonment or whatever, a jail sentence or fine is not worth my life especially in terrible working conditions

[Dranger]

That being said I feel really bad for these people afflicted. They did nothing wrong unlike most of the patient's in the US who are in the hospital for reasons exacerbated by their own choices.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

CDC: Ebola Prevention

CDC, in conjunction with the World Health Organization, has developed a set of guidelines to help prevent and control the spread of Ebola HF. Entitled Infection Control for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers In the African Health Care Setting, the manual describes how to:

• recognize cases of viral hemorrhagic fever (such as Ebola HF)
  
• prevent further transmission in health care setting by using locally available materials and minimal financial resources.
  

[TheGooch]

Wonder how long it will be before a case pops up in some non-African country. That is a scary disease and can you imagine the panic if it did manage to get out of Africa which would be easy considering how easy it is to travel these days.

[Nola009]

Thanhs, but my question is .. would you do even with a Hazmat suit?

At this time, with the info I have, no. As far as I know, there are still unanswered questions as to modes of transmission of the different strains and all of the precautions necessary to avoid transmission. Would a hazmat suit be 100% effective at stopping a virus as virulent as ebola? Plus, there is a 90% death rate amongst those who have been infected.