Ebola - do you have the right to walk away?

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I just want your insight... would you or would you not accept the assignment if they gave you a patient positive for Ebola. Can you or do you have the right to walk away? :down:

Specializes in NICU.

Oh yeah, Dr. Gupta did it wrong. He completely misses doing handwashing or alcohol gel. You certainly wouldn't touch your face mask or goggles without hand hygiene-ing (and perhaps donning new gloves) first. But it is rather good at showing the public how easy it is to contaminate yourself, especially when you're covered in yuckiness.

If they are using it, they sure hand gel is effective on Ebola?

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
I probably wouldn't refuse the assignment but I want a HAZMAT suit. I have 2 children at home....I probably would find somewhere else to sleep until they had a vaccine or meds to treat and have more information about how it is spread. Right now I am leary about all the intangibles and the look on the CDC spokesperson face like he wants to vomit...there is something he isn't telling us.

Esme posted this on the 13th.

It's even more appropriate today.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

Thankfully, our brilliant ID chief has implemented field-like precautions along with in-person training for Ebola preparedness at my hospital. And, knowing him, I'm quite sure he would be alongside any nurse in an isolation room.

Given how how brilliant and thorough he is, I would do it at my workplace. But ONLY with precautions like he has implemented...and, oh, yeah, I'm bunking at the hospital.

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I probably wouldn't refuse the assignment but I want a HAZMAT suit. I have 2 children at home....I probably would find somewhere else to sleep until they had a vaccine or meds to treat and have more information about how it is spread. Right now I am leary about all the intangibles and the look on the CDC spokesperson face like he wants to vomit...there is something he isn't telling us.

I don't work in a hospital but I agree. I'm very susceptible to illness. If there's a stomach bug or cold going around at work, I never fail to get it despite frequent hand washing and cleaning my equipment religiously. I would need the best PPE offered. And I would probably suggest dressing it and staying in that room until the end of my shift...ideally there would be some kind of "window" that medications, etc. that another nurse drew up, could pass through so I didn't have to leave and risk removing and applying my PPE frequently.

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Wrap your neck w Tape?? That would trigger a feeling of strangulation in me… and seriously, how are you supposed to get it off? I can literally see the flecks of the virus spread with the removal of THAT tape. I mean, SERIOUSLY!!! GEEZ! What a stupid recommendation!

Did you see that lady in Africa who treated her whole family… she used trash bags to wrap herself in… not a bad idea actually. LOL

Take a trash bag, cut out eye and mouth holes, then put on a mask with eye shield and a mask. Whalla! you're covered with something you can remove easily and it would be cheap.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

I have to agree with Bezoars. I'll take care of my loved ones if something were to happen. (They all live locally). I'd totally understand if someone refused to care for them...it's scary. I don't feel comfortable enough to care for ebola patients. My safety and that of my family comes first. Give me the full blown AIDS patient any day...I care for them all the time. However, hearing about healthcare workers being infected despite PPE...quite frankly it's terrifying. Every nurse has the right to accept or refuse an assignment...in the same manner, I can refuse to care for someone on a ventilator if I'm not trained to handle a ventilator. I have received no training on the PPE for ebola or the care of infected persons. Thus, I would refuse the assignment. Hospitals providing 5 minute online presentations on PPE don't cut it...I want a live in-service with the opportunity to practice. Give me the same gear and training as the CDC workers...and let the hospital CNO and CEO join me in the room. I also think separate living quarters should be provided for those who care for ebola patients and fear bringing it home. Plus, if the worker should contract the virus, they should be paid for their time out, and their hospital bills paid in full. Until certain guarantees are in place, quite frankly.....no.

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I'm not speaking as a nurse, as I only *just* got my acceptance letter for nursing school. That said, I have been fascinated by Ebola for the past 15 years. I've read everything about it I could get my hands on during that time. I've checked on the WHO's DON's and CDC reports periodically for years now. I'm hoping to get an internship with NIAID next summer. I just can't get enough of emerging infectious diseases. I've met a few Ebola researchers, and it was like meeting celebrities, to me. I'm a total nerd about it. That's where my passion is. Honestly, it's one of the biggest reasons why I decided to become a nurse, and this is what I want to do more than anything. Countless times, I've envisioned myself joining MSF, heading to Africa, and suiting up. Looks like now, I'll be able to stay in the states to work with it. And maybe even before I finish nursing school. (I know they won't intentionally put us in danger or allow us to be in a position of such responsibility, but it could happen accidentally.) So I hope to be the one heading into the outbreak areas!

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I don't work in a hospital but I agree. I'm very susceptible to illness. If there's a stomach bug or cold going around at work, I never fail to get it despite frequent hand washing and cleaning my equipment religiously. I would need the best PPE offered. And I would probably suggest dressing it and staying in that room until the end of my shift...ideally there would be some kind of "window" that medications, etc. that another nurse drew up, could pass through so I didn't have to leave and risk removing and applying my PPE frequently.

You would eventually need bathroom breaks and lunch hence needing to remove PPE.

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Ultimately, I would do it. However, I'd want a HAZMAT suit , a buddy system, and a chemical shower before removing it.

I will not do it with complete head to toe protection with chemical shower and proper decontamination or I am will refuse. I will ask my director to demonstrate care first to the patient. If they won't then I won't.

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As I posted yesterday on another thread, I am a Dialysis RN, and I could not, in good faith, refuse to care for an Ebola patient, I would demand a full HazMat get up, and invite some of the CEO's and others who claim it is safe, to join me in the room. We should be okay, right?

How is the equipment used in dialysis terminally cleaned.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I would still take care of an Ebola pt; don proper PPE, including shoe and hair covering, take off gloves, wash hands with Clorox solution, don gloves again, and remove gown, repeat disposal of gloves and Clorox solution, then removed rest of PPE, removing googles and mask last (I'm sure I will removes gloves and repeat Clorox solution before removing those.

How would I get the Clorox solution? ask housekeeping to bring it.

I am willing to stay in a quarantine for 21 days, Especially with a good book-would be a bunch of ebooks and be on AN, since these items can be cleaned down. :yes:

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See my thread of June 22.

My answer is still no.I don't need to be deemed right or wrong... I'm not going to take the risk.

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