Survey Results: To Quarantine or not to Quarantine

We surveyed our nursing community to see what you thought about the issues over the Kaci Hickox situation as well as its impact on nurses and healthcare workers. We also asked about your thoughts on quarantining all healthcare workers who have cared for Ebola patients. These issues have certainly generated lots of discussion within our allnurses community. We've read what some of you have said in the public threads......now you can see what more than 3,800 said in private.

Published

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

To Quarantine or Not to Quarantine......That is the Question that we posed last Thursday. We just want to thank the 3800+ of you nurses who took the time to participate in the latest survey. Your voices have been heard and here is what you said about Kaci Hickox and other healthcare workers who have cared for Ebola patients.

Many posters felt that nurses who took care of Ebola patients should voluntarily quarantine themselves and not run the risk of infecting others....we should err on the side of caution. Some thought quarantine should be mandatory. Many comments were made that we don't know enough about Ebola, and that is causing a lot of discomfort. Some felt that quarantine was not necessary since she is asymptomatic, and some interesting comments pointed to hysteria and reactionism to the possible need for quarantine. Other comments included that the nurses should get paid for this time and several others weren't quite sure of the need for quarantine or not and wanted more information. Some felt "this nurse should be setting a good example for others."

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There were 581 comments on this question

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The second question garnered 441 comments.

Many comments were made to the effect that this nurse needed to more closely monitor her interactions with the media. Nurses usually have no public relations experience and for this nurse it was the cause of much negative publicity. "Kaci has turned this into a media frenzy." While many agree with her position, they feel she has handled this poorly.

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Summary of comments

There were over 2300 comments:

Most responders said that until we know more we should quarantine with pay. Many felt that education and following CDC guidelines was the way to deal with healthcare workers exposed to Ebola. Another commonality was to provide more information to the public so that hysteria and panic was averted. Many posters felt that self-quarantine was the way to go and others felt that these healthcare workers should be monitored in a CDC facility.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Thanks.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Responses are interesting ....wonder if you would have that same # stating self quarantine after Maine court rulling:

LaVerdiere said Friday that Hickox should continue daily monitoring and coordinate any travel with public-health officials, but said that her movements did not have to be completely restricted.

Limiting her movements to the degree requested by the state is not necessary because Hickox has no symptoms of Ebola and is not symptomatic, LaVerdiere wrote. He ordered her to alert public-health authorities if any symptoms emerge.

Judge says nurse who treated Ebola patients does not have to be fully quarantined - The Washington Post

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

The survey just ended today......after the court ruling. The percentages have stayed pretty much the same throughout the survey period.

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Is it just me, or do the survey questions not show up on a mobile device?

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

I can see them on my iPhone.

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I'm on an iPad, which I'd assumed to be the same as my iPhone. I opened it up on my phone for giggles and I see it there, but not on iPad. I'm up to date with software and the app. Weird. Thanks!

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When this survey was initially posted my initial though was; this won't be pretty. I was right. The result doesn't portray the scientific acumen of the nursing profession in a favorable light.

Th result was even worse tha feared it might be. Four people out of five think that important medical policy decisions should be based on emotions and unfounded beliefs, rather than on science.

Since there is no way to verify that all respondents are indeed nurses, it's realistic to assume that a portion of them aren't. Still, enough probably are, to make this result deeply troubling.

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i didn't even see the survey, i dont ordinarily respond to such but i would have to that. in the negative.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

I am really surprised and disappointed by the nursing response to this. It shows a poor understanding of the scientific process as well as the logistics required to effectively treat this disease.

Sent from my iPhone.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
I'm on an iPad, which I'd assumed to be the same as my iPhone. I opened it up on my phone for giggles and I see it there, but not on iPad. I'm up to date with software and the app. Weird. Thanks!

I took it on my iPad and just viewed the results from the same...I make it a point to not touch my phone on my days off (ringing or not).

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When this survey was initially posted my initial though was; this won't be pretty. I was right. The result doesn't portray the scientific acumen of the nursing profession in a favorable light.

Th result was even worse tha feared it might be. Four people out of five think that important medical policy decisions should be based on emotions and unfounded beliefs, rather than on science.

Since there is no way to verify that all respondents are indeed nurses, it's realistic to assume that a portion of them aren't. Still, enough probably are, to make this result deeply troubling.

….and even if only half of the participants are nurses, the gap is way too much. Realistically, the survey says it all...

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