Help me bring this into the public!

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There's a petition on a website to have nurse Kaci Hickox's license revoked for refusing quarantine after working directly with Ebola patients in West africa.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I get the feeling that since Ebola Virus Disease is relatively new on most people’s radar and they don’t know much about it, they automatically assume that the experts don’t know anything about it. This isn’t correct.

There's also the civil rights issue, how could it possibly be legal or acceptable to deprive people of their right to move around freely and work, when there is no scientific rationale to support the decision.

There's cautious, and there's refusing to let oneself to be calmed by the available scientific evidence. This quarantine decision is more than cautious, it actually isn't rational from a scientific point of view.

Do you honestly regard a person who voluntarily travels to a third-world country to help people in need, an entitled person?

Well, given the experience Amber Vinson had with the CDC, it might be correct to assume that the "experts" have their collective heads in their collective orificees. However, a person who voluntarily travels to a third world country to help people in need does not fit my definition of "entitled." That would be folks who sit back in their armchairs and insist that things should be the way they want them to be because that's the way they want them.

Perhaps we ought not to endorse imprisoning folks who have done nothing wrong, and for no good reason and without due process . . . lest they come after ignorant armchair folks one day just for being ignorant.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.

NO WAY! I'll give her a medal, though.

She wasn't symptomatic, and she was testing negative. She posed NO threat to the general public.

They had no right to quarantine her. She wanted to go home, she wasn't trying to go around licking people.

SO SICK OF THE PANIC.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.

You are aware that no one has spread Ebola to a member of the general public in the US and there is only one active case in the entire US, right now. Right?

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What I want to figure out is, if she is the only medical professional that return from the outbreak areas. It don't make any sense to quarantine one person when other are running around free.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I am here just to express my opinion, not to get into a debate. I'm expressing my opinion because it is not the popular one here. I just heard on the news (unless this is "old news" already) that she is now fighting her home-quarantine in Maine, and heads are rolling. While I agree that this disease is not nearly as contagious as once believed (or as the public and media believe it to be), why take the chance? Why so defiant, kacie? Her colleague Dr. spencer (whether or not they actually worked together) was in a similar working condition and contracted the disease. Her Texas colleagues suffered the same fate. I just believe she is making too much of a public stink about it. She was not on a NYC subway or the bowling alley (where she may have been in remote contact with Spencer). She was in direct contact with patients with the disease.

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Specializes in LTC & home care.

"We've had a rash of drunk driving accidents in our city recently. As a result, we're requiring everyone in this Applebee's to refrain from driving for the rest of the evening because you MAY have ordered something from the bar."

- But I work here, I'm not drinking, and I have a 0.0% BAL.

"Your background and statistics don't impress me. I need to show that I'm doing something about these drunk drivers. Hand over your keys, now."

There's no scientific basis for her quarantine. There may be a more politically-correct way for her to handle it, but I support her in her decision and her fight against ridiculous pandering to overcompensate for a nearly non-existent risk. Kaci, if you're ever in Ohio, I'll buy you a drink at Applebee's - but I'd feel better if you sat in a tent outside while you drink it. You know, just to be safe. :sarcastic:

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Did you read far enough to get to the end of your own link? I see why you posted it (the title of the piece suggests it supports your position), but the actual article concludes with the following statement:

"On the plus side, this pattern of infection also explains why people infected with Ebola aren't a risk to others until they actually fall ill with symptoms."

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Did you read far enough to get to the end of your own link? I see why you posted it (the title of the piece suggests it supports your position), but the actual article concludes with the following statement:

"On the plus side, this pattern of infection also explains why people infected with Ebola aren't a risk to others until they actually fall ill with symptoms."

And if I read/hear/see another quote (not necessarily here, but in the general discussions I've seen around the internets) that infers she is "selfish"...I'm gonna scream. MSF and the like are some of the most unselfish giving people I've ever known. Choosing to accept a proven scientific view and self monitor is not selfish in and of itself.

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I'm not a fan of her choices but I also don't like taking away people's choices either. I especially don't want government more involved in the health field. Government is too involved already. I think she's already proven that she's not very willing to follow protocol and it will bite her back later. However, I refuse to sign a petition to take away her license and her livelihood. That's bullying and the nursing field needs less bullies in it.

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So, I read this over. I'm sorry but there isn't any way I'd find myself in support of this petition. I did find it to be interesting viewing the locations of people who had signed the petition however...

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
Are her 21 days up yet? Nope. Theres your science.

Has she become symptomatic within the past 21 days?

THAT is your science!

No, I will not petition against a nurse advocating for herself

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I think she's already proven that she's not very willing to follow protocol and it will bite her back later.

"Not very willing to follow protocol" how?? She was treating Ebola patients in W. Africa and came home healthy, so she must have been pretty good at the protocols there. Are you referring to her refusing to comply with an asinine, pointless "quarantine" protocol concocted by non-healthcare people pandering to the irrational fears of the public?

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