allnurses Ebola Preparedness Survey Makes the News.

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For those who participated in the Ebola Preparedness survey, your voices are being heard.

In a survey of more than 3,000 nurses across the country, more than 70 percent say they are unprepared to deal with the Ebola crisis. The survey was conducted by allnurses.com after a nurse contracted the disease in Texas from contact with an infected patient.

Ebola is quickly becoming one of the more important stories in the world news. For nurses, the most frightening aspect may be the lack of preparation. More than 70 percent of staff members said they still hadn't spoken about the issue with their nurses.

However, most nurses do feel like there are solutions to these problems. Only about 7 percent didn't know what would be helpful with the threat or reality of Ebola. Almost a third thought "better communication about preparedness at [their] facility" could help them. Even more helpful, according to the allnurses.com survey, would be "Live (in-person) training sessions or practice drills," which over 40 percent thought would aid the most.

Even though these resources aren't being provided now, most nurses surveyed still believe there are ways to be better informed, and to better help their patients.

Nurses Say They are Unprepared to Deal with Ebola

AOL Original October 14, 2014

Here is a segment of another news story published in the MedCity News.

Responding almost immediately to the news of the Dallas nurse who contracted Ebola - the first person to do so within the U.S. - nurses across the country are adding to the growing chorus of concern over how hospitals and front-line healthcare workers deal with any possible exposure.

The "vast majority" of nurses nationwide "don't feel prepared or safe" for treating any such patient, according to a recent survey of 3,000 nurses from allnurses.com.

For the full story, go to:

Majority of nurses, front-line health workers 'don't feel prepared' for Ebola

Specializes in Critical Care.

Dr Gavin Macgregor-Skinner has been speaking out about the need for a national training program for Ebola and that the CDC has got it wrong with the instructions that a gown, mask and goggles is enough. He flat out said it is unsafe and that all the skin needs to be covered and they need a buddy system where another coworker watches everything they do and a way to decontaminate them if they make a mistake. There has been nothing about this mentioned in Dallas. Whereas there was a video about Emory hospital that used a buddy system and decontamination before and after taking care of the patient and the buddy was watching the nurse at all times. I can't get the clips but you can do a google search about Dr Skinner and Ebola and see a couple videos from CNN. If somebody is more computer savy maybe they could attach the clips.

Specializes in Rehab, Med/Surg.
Dr Gavin Macgregor-Skinner has been speaking out about the need for a national training program for Ebola and that the CDC has got it wrong with the instructions that a gown, mask and goggles is enough. He flat out said it is unsafe and that all the skin needs to be covered and they need a buddy system where another coworker watches everything they do and a way to decontaminate them if they make a mistake. There has been nothing about this mentioned in Dallas. Whereas there was a video about Emory hospital that used a buddy system and decontamination before and after taking care of the patient and the buddy was watching the nurse at all times. I can't get the clips but you can do a google search about Dr Skinner and Ebola and see a couple videos from CNN. If somebody is more computer savy maybe they could attach the clips.

From another thread...

https://allnurses.com/showthread.php?t=954177

and here's the video that's also in that thread...

Nurses show how they prepare to treat Ebola patients:

http://www.wcnc.com/story/news/health/2014/10/14/nurses-show-how-they-prepare-to-treat-ebola-patients/17272963/

I can just see it now, administration taking advantage of an overabundance of nurses in general to work even MORE in their favor:

"Hey, brandy-new shiny-new nurse, you want a GREAT job? We're now hiring into our special, elite EBOLA TEAM!! What an opportunity...!!"

Specializes in icu, er, pcu.

I do not think 'we' are prepared for this particular infectious disease. Not yet.

I do believe that we Nurses can adequately take care of an Ebola patient AFTER proper training, right protective gear, assistant to help gown and un-gown. Universal guidelines to follow much like we have in place that meet the criteria for say MRSA, measles, AIDS.

Throughout the country certain hospitals should be chosen to care for Ebola victims, and others quarantined due to exposure . Those hospitals and Nurses that are qualified to care for an infectious disease such as Ebola with added training would be successful in stopping the spread of that virus.

Hey CDC, get those guidelines out and also help distribute adequate PPE.

Specializes in icu, er, pcu.

Hey we are all Nurses here. Each has their own expertise. I value all Nursing personnel including CNA's. I am a RN and have been for over 30 years. I always listen to my co-workers, have assisted the team in anyway that I could, for the patient's sake.

You are valued. You are needed. I was you a long time ago and know the challenges facing you.

Thank God for LPN's, and CNA's and RN's. We can't be proactive without each other.

Patients come before all others... NO?

It is a concern that facilities are not prepared, but it is also a professional responsibility of nurses to get prepared on their own initiative. Be proactive and start learning what you need to know and presenting your Infection Control people with the new information. Don't worry about offending or treading on toes. If they are so incompetent, their toes need a little treading on.

As nurses we have an obligation to refuse to care for patients we have not been adequately trained to take care of. This is a public health issue. Until we are properly trained up to established standards. Remember the CDC puts out recommendations. Those recommendations are then used by the front line experts to develop standards. We need to look to those who have been managing this disease for decades. Aid group has set the gold standard on Ebola safety - LA Times

This is the proven method to contain this deadly contagious disease. Until we are trained in this standard how can we protect ourselves families and the general public.

I think as healthcare workers we need to not only think about our nursing staff, but all the workers that need to be educated. Yes, we are at the bedside, but there are lab personnel, therapists, and housekeeping that can also be exposed. Mr. Duncan exposed over 70 people while he was hospitalized, that would devastate our critical access hospital.

Thank you for the article. It was very informative. My heart goes out to those people that has been affected by Ebola...especially, those doctors, nurses, volunteers, etc who is doing everything to combat the disease are amazing human beings.

I am reading The Hot Zone now , highly recommend it. Really good story and information!

Of course LPN's are nurses. I was one for four years prior to my ADN.

I only mentioned the ADN vs BSN because there are 2,196.5 posts on the subject on AN.

It's nice to see them disappear for awhile.

Add I said, we are ALL in this together

No worries, with all the Medicare changes and budget cuts hospitals are going to be desperate for LPN's to save money. I have been fortunate to work on a med/surg tele unit (where I have more then proved myself through knowledge, experience and dependability,) where they depend on and support me, I have been charge nurse and when really desperate have stepped in as supervisor, and now am moving to wound care department. I still want to finish school but have never really been made to feel less as a nurse, my co- workers constantly use me as a knowledge resource and I am so grateful for them!!!!

Please don't forget to add LPN into that. I tried defending nurses & advocating for more education in comments on boards (CNN, huffington post etc) and I was told to "Shut up because I'm only a Little Pretend Nurse and I was not allowed to speak as a nurse because I wasn't a ®eal (N)urse"

- It honestly really hurt my feelings (I know I need a thicker skin) but it stung. And quite a few people agreed with the person who said that. I went to an accredited school, graduated with great grades,and received a practical nursing diploma. In September I took the nclex, passed and received my nursing license from the N.Y state BON. My amazing RN teacher(s) always drilled into our head not to be bullied by the above statements (if anything we were "low paid nurses") but far from "pretend", and they taught us a curriculum that is still unmatched by any other LPN program.

-I'm sorry, for getting carried away, I know this is way bigger than my feeling insulted. However, please don't forget about us too. We support you, and I wish and was hoping all the nurses could come together and unite right now.

I've worked along side many LPNs/LVNs throughout my career. Yes, they are nurses. I'm sorry you were treated this way. Your voice counts. Keep talking. Most likely they didn't like what you had to say so they found any way they could to discredit you. Try not to take it personally but realize that what nurses collectively have to say is not very popular or reassuring right now. Don't allow them to quiet your voice. Keep speaking up for what is right.

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