Hospital readiness for Ebola

[aspiration]

I am wondering, with all the news on Ebola and the CDC saying it is going to come to U.S on a plane without isolation, what are your hospitals doing to prepare? Has your hospital set up where the patients will go? Will the nurse caring for that patient have that patient only? Where will body fluids be disposed? If the patient recovers will they go to a new isolation area until they are no longer infectious? Will your hospital offer incentive to work with these patients? If there is an exposure what will be the protocol? Thanks for input.

[aspiration]

I am asking this because I am out of the loop right now because I have cancer and on short term disability.

[theothers]

My hospital has not implemented anything yet....

[laKrugRN]

We haven't implemented anything yet, but we have been getting emails with CDC articles on Ebola and were told to read up on it. Scary stuff

[toomuchbaloney]

I am asking this because I am out of the loop right now because I have cancer and on short term disability.

Good luck to you on your personal health journey!

I was just at a party yesterday and interacted with health professionals from the east coast and the midwest. None of them were aware of any special preparations being made in their hospital settings. That doesn't mean it is not happening, but it does mean that IF the hospitals are make plans they are not yet sharing them with the staff.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

double post

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I am also receiving those public health dept. emails that describe only the symptoms - I think that they are trying to prevent a panic. The risk in my area is extremely low. I think it is wise to learn as much as you can about an infectious disease that has been declared an International Health Emergency by the World Health Organization.

We need information about the care required and CDC biohazard level 4 precautions. There are only 4 facilities in the country capable of that level of containment.

A BHL4 facility has a separate ventilation water and sewer system for each pt. A guard at each pt door to ensure compliance with donning and disposal of PPE. Impermeable PPE including pants shoe covers hat goggle and full face cover. No aerosol generating procedures. standard ammonia based disinfectants or bleach are recommended.

So to answer the original question, hospitals are ill equipped, mine does not have the PPE, or any guidelines that I know of. So I will be handing the doctor the number for the CDC so that they can come and get this patient.

Again, the risk in my area is extremely low.

[aspiration]

Well, that is what I was afraid of. Hopefully it will get contained in Africa but sooner or later it will come here and I have read Ebola is an RNA virus so creating a vaccine may be difficult because it mutates.

[smellyterror]

Keep in mind, Ebola has been brought under control time and again in central Africa, particularly by Uganda, in the absence of first world biohazard facilities (outside the lab in Entebbe). Bog standard barrier nursing has been shown over and over to be essentially 100% effective with Ebola.

The current outbreak reflects the absolutely awful state of west-African healthcare - even the DR Congo (!) have been able to control their outbreaks, under some pretty terrible conditions out east. Unfortunately, a big part of the problem in this new region is a lack of education or experience. Even in Uganda we see people leaving or avoiding hospital in favour of traditional medicine (read: witchdoctors), and they're GOOD at this, with a lot of experience. They should know better - and mostly do.

But now in west Africa we get the combination of people who don't know anything about Ebola, who are extremely distrustful of the government (for good reason) and outside organisations (for less good, but still justifiable, reasons), and who only have access to absolutely bare-bones medical care. It's perfect for Ebola.

But in a first world country, I can say with certainty, it would be absolutely gob-smacking to see it get past a second generation, and frontline healthcare workers (who follow proper barrier nursing protocols) should be fine.

And yes, I'd bet my life on it.

:)

[aspiration]

Agreed, the conditions in Africa are horrible. I have read everything I can on Ebola since this outbreak. I do find it fascinating but scary at the same time. I looked up videos from Sierra Leone to see what living conditions of some of the people were like. It almost made me cry. Some of the poorest live near rivers filled with trash that washes down from the town above them into their huts during the rainy season which is this time of year. Sanitation is very very poor. I have to give my respect to the healthcare workers in that area trying to make it better.

[elkpark]

My employer (large, urban academic medical center) included a piece in this week's employee newsletter that it has updated its existing Ebola policy.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

contact isolation procedures and universal protocol may be all we need to do. I remember when people with AIDS were frist being treated - same fears. Fear can lead to bad decisions.