Ebola - do you have the right to walk away?

caliotter3 · Oct 17, 2014

It does not matter what the circumstances are, a whistleblower can count on being blacklisted. If a person feels so strongly about a situation, it is better for them to flat out resign from the job without causing trouble for themselves in the future.

suzil · Oct 17, 2014

Unfortunately for nurses it is a total no win situation. I am certain most nurses working today are doing so because they have bills to pay. I for one, would NOT being doing this job if I had another source of income. No way!

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Oct 17, 2014

My comment is directed towards the folks who are upset with the ones who are firm against taking care of an Ebola patient.

My philosophy is: "Never bring a knife to a gunfight".

That is to say, would you send an officer into a dangerous situation without proper backup?

Would you tell that officer "sorry, Ted, but your number came up, and it's your turn to 'take one for the team'".

It's the same to tell a nurse: "Here's your knife....go fight Ebola for the next 4....8.....or 12 hours".

From what we have observed over the past several months alone, more and more facts have come to light. Facts about how the Ebola virus is transmitted, and it's virulence in someone who is projectile vomiting and having explosive diarrhea.

Is it really fair to judge someone else based upon a sentence or two written in an online forum in regards to their personally held beliefs about whether or not it's ethical to refuse to take care of an Ebola victim?

I've said it before and I'll repeat myself; If I had the same level of protection AND BACKUP that the director of the CDC would have in spending hours at the bedside of a person suffering from Ebola, you bet your bippy I'd take care of that patient.

Some people just aren't willing to place themselves in danger without the proper equipment.

"Ebola Central" in Texas has done more to damage the people's confidence in the system than a lot of the talking heads that you see on TV.

I WOULD NOT take care of an Ebola patient in that kind of a system.

Darth_Tigerlily · Oct 17, 2014

If I were an experienced nurse who practices putting on PPE effectively, I'd probably work extremely slow because I'd fear of making a mistake. I definitely would not work by myself. I would like to have two others with me.

But then, I'm inexperienced, a first year student, so I would walk away and run from a distance just so I won't be infected and infect everyone else. Certainly do not want to bring ebola home.

If I had the time, the money, and resources to take part of an intro rapid response team, I'd go for it.

But nope. I'm sitting on my butt all day reading a textbook for nursing school that paints an ideal world in my imagination.

Darth_Tigerlily · Oct 17, 2014

I like that, "Never bring a knife to a gunfight."

suzil · Oct 18, 2014

No one is upset at those stating they would refuse to care for them. The reality in a right to work state is, you refuse to care for them, you are considered insubordination. They don't care. How many times are we NOT given proper equipment in nursing? Lots! I need to work. Believe me, if I didn't I would be gone from this horrible job. Yes, I said job, not career! This is no longer a career to me. I'm told what to do every step of the way. Hate it!

Girlafraid13 · Oct 18, 2014

I would like to believe that I would be brave enough to accept the assignment, but until I'm put into that situation it's pretty much "all talk" for now. All the nursing who volunteer working with Ebola patients you the real MVP

jaad · Oct 18, 2014

In general, when you walk away from a patient, you walk away from your job. A big consideration in today's employment market.

At least a job you can walk away from.

Racer15, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2014

We've been discussing this a lot at work as I am in the ER. I would, with the understanding that the hospital is going to provide room and board for me until I am no longer a risk to others. I have a 15 month old nephew that lives with me, I am not willing to put him at risk. Now, the risk within the US at this point is realistically only for health care professionals providing direct pt contact, seeing as how the only people that have contracted Ebola were nurses and not family living with this guy in close quarters. But I'm still not going to put my nephew's health at risk. And I certainly would not be traveling anywhere.

dek1953 · Oct 21, 2014

This question has been asked before when AIDS first was heard of we were all so afraid to care for the patients with the disease with no cure that no one really understood. Ebola does seem worse to me, but I have psoriasis and my first line of defense is compromised already. My answer is no for this reason.

Thimbalina · Oct 21, 2014

I would as long as I had a hazmat suit with a respirator… and a buddy to spot me… and I didn't have any other patients.

I think nurses should get a giant bonus though for putting their lives on the line...

The problem is… what if it takes a while before the dots are connected and ebola is even a consideration. People are notoriously poor historians… and I know you know what I mean… and you know how some patients tell the nurse one story and save the juicy parts for the doctor… or just flat out lie. Isn't that one of the 'rules' of E.R. nurses 'Everybody lies'...

sigh. Hopefully it will be contained and no more cases in the US ever. Hoping this is so...

loriangel14, RN · Oct 21, 2014

I would care for the patient. It's my job.