Is it fair for the media to blame the RN in Texas for contracting Ebola?

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  1. Is it fair for the media to blame the RN in Texas for contracting Ebola?

    • 15
      Yes
    • 448
      No

463 members have participated

I am watching cnn outfront hosted by erin burnett. Throughout this program she has said the most offensive things about nurses that are outrageous. This journalist has no medical experience. Has never worked as a nurse. However, she is actively critizing somone as they fight for their life. This nurse made a huge sacrifice by caring for someone who had ebola. The head of the cdc blame the nurse, doctors are doing inteviews blame the nurse, people who have never worked in a medical setting blame the nurse. We as nurses need stand up and demand the truth be told.

Liberia, of course, could never follow through their indictment of Duncan but I hope this second nurse survives without any sequelae because she also, should face charges. It's embarrassing to the profession as a whole that an RN chose to get on an airplane before the 21 day window. My local hospital's plan is to go on complete lockdown if a case comes in. No one in, no one out. I don't know the length of time since someone on the staff told me this as a favor. This is just September 11 all over again. Our government is the only organization large enough to impose the measures to protect us and once again, it's failing to protect us again through adamant stupidity. NO ONE in this country is an expert on ebola - they're all in Africa. Don't flame me - I'm a registered Democrat. But King Obama is not declaring another fiat to observe pandemic protocols.

This is above party lines at this point it is a matter of life and death. We as NURSE'S must be responsible and accountable for our actions. Who know why the other RN took the flight. My point is we need to ensure everyone in the health team is properly treated. I KNOW SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO AGREE WITH ME BUT THESE INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE ON A NO FLY LIST FOR NOW TO PROTECT THEM AND THE PUBLIC. WE AS RN MUST DEMAND BETTER EDUCATION WHEN IT COMES TO TREATING SOME ONE WITH EBOLA.

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Fox news also replayed the CDC video blaming the nurse for not following protocols.

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I don't recall the name of the nurse interviewed on MSNBC who said there are two levels of PPE. The one used by CDC and one typically used in hospitals. I use PPE in dialysis outpatient, but I don't think our PPE would stop Ebola. we are instructed to use out lab coats multiple times. I wonder if this was the case in the Texas hospital. Could be there is a problem with the type of PPE in use and the training or protocols used for PPE.

This is a valid point. Does the pre good enough to protect us from getting this illness or any other illness.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I haven't been following the media because of their inaccurate reporting; I rather follow AP and Reuters, and NPR rather than corporate media outlets with "talking empty heads" :no:

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Yes, there was something wrong with the protocol ~

For the first few days, the nurses took care of Mr. Duncan using everyday universal precautions garb. Yellow gowns that weren't waterproof. Their heads and necks were uncovered, along with their lower legs and shoes.

And "when the nurses treating Duncan complained that their necks had not been covered by the gear, they were told to wrap their necks with medical tape, Burger told CNN.

"They were told to use medical tape and had to use four to five pieces of medical tape wound around their neck," she said. "The nurses have expressed a lot of concern about how difficult it is to remove the tape from their neck."

Hazardous waste also piled up while Duncan was being treated.

"There was no one to pick up hazardous waste as it piled to the ceiling," Burger told CNN. "They did not have access to proper supplies."

Nurses Union Head: 'No Protocols' at Dallas Hospital

In addition, they were assigned to take care of other ICU patients while caring for the Ebola patient.

I have suspected that the "breach in protocol" may end up being a breach in the protocol the CDC recommends or that Emory used (e.g. space suits) vs the actual protocol that the Texas hospital had their staff use. The nurses involved may not have removed PPE incorrectly, they may not have had the correct PPE. This is purely speculation on my part, but we don't know the entire story and maybe never will.

As a staff nurse, you can only use what your facility supplies as far as PPE. Walmart doesn't sell space suits--yet. Most of us trust that when dealing with something as potentially lethal as Ebola, our employer will take the necessary measures to protect us. What we don't know can hurt us.

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Fox news also replayed the CDC video blaming the nurse for not following protocols.

I am beyond disgusted the media. They have an amazing platform. They should be honest. this is such a major disappointment what happen to journalist integrity.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

My hospital hasn't even mentioned Ebola preparation and care to us so far, not at all! However the city is supposedly preparing and a top level trauma center is speaking out that they are prepared. So only one hospital out of a dozen or more has even spoken up about Ebola so far. Sad!

The NNU has spoken out. The only union so far that has spoken out for nurses safety and protection. They relayed that some nurses from Texas spoke about issues at the hospital re care and were warned they would be fired if they spoke to the press about it. Sounds about right, how hospitals treat workers with the threat of being fired. Just wish I could retire already and not have to deal with the nightmare that nursing is becoming!

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I haven't been following the media because of their inaccurate reporting; I rather follow AP and Reuters, and NPR rather than corporate media outlets with "talking empty heads" :no:

Most people have cnn or fox always playing .

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Most people have cnn or fox always playing .

There are a percentage of common sense people that are totally tuned off and don't watch both; I know I'm not alone in that camp when it comes to information gathering, especially with the Internet with so much information at people's fingertips and palms.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
This is above party lines at this point it is a matter of life and death. We as NURSE'S must be responsible and accountable for our actions. Who know why the other RN took the flight. My point is we need to ensure everyone in the health team is properly treated. I KNOW SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO AGREE WITH ME BUT THESE INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE ON A NO FLY LIST FOR NOW TO PROTECT THEM AND THE PUBLIC. WE AS RN MUST DEMAND BETTER EDUCATION WHEN IT COMES TO TREATING SOME ONE WITH EBOLA.

The bottom line is we need to close the borders and stop flying into and out of West Africa! Period! If that was the case then these two nurses wouldn't be fighting for their life! But political and economic BS is more important than the health and safety of American healthcare workers. I feel this is just a giant experiment with us as the lab rats!

Why is no one speaking up about closing the borders! I haven't heard anyone mention this the most obvious way to prevent Ebola from spreading!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Parish Nurse, Hospice.

Just wondering, what happened to her HIPPA rights? She is a patient, why is her medical info including name, age and other info all over the news? I have been a nurse for many years and beleive that "the nurse" is blamed often for problems. The nurse is an easy term for someone to use. I wish all those who are involved in any way for the care of ebola patients, only the best.

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Specializes in ICU, APHERESIS, IV THERAPY, ONCOLOGY, BC.

CNN and Erin Burnett should be requested to issue an apology for sensationalism using a deady virus and nursing as a scapegoat. The media are at fault for putting their feet in their mouths without adequate proof, in-depth knowledge and the punitive knee jerk reaction to immediately ** blame the nurse** !! how many of us are really fed up and disgusted with the continuing negative picture that is instantly sourced to attract viewers and the public when nursing remains a red flag to viewers.

Ebola presents enormous challenges to every health care professional involved. The primary fact is that it is highly contagious and this element increases with the longevitiy of the disease in any infected patient, thus placing everyone at risk. If sensationalism is the only objective, then CNN need to present their facts to educate the public, not point fingers.

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