Nursing and the Ebola Virus

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For those of us in unaffected countries, are you concerned about the ebola virus spreading? Would you care for ebola patients? I live in an area with a very high density of African immigrants and come into contact with these individuals regularly. We have a lot of African immigrants who bring back tuberculosis from their home countries and at my unit we end up caring for them. We take care of a lot of rare infectious diseases. I was reading an article and it dawned on me how plausible it would be for me to encounter this virus. And I admit, it's terrifying and I might refuse that assignment. Many healthcare workers in Africa are dying because of caring for the ill.

Specializes in Hospice.

No flames here, Miss Rose. As a veteran of the early HIV epidemic, I can tell you that it's the cases you don't know about that'll kill you.

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Specializes in ICU.
If I were your manager, I would send you packing, and report you to the BON in case I could get your license in trouble. I recall seeing people flatly refuse to care for AIDS patients back in the day, and I still don't understand why they weren't fired and stripped of their licenses on the spot.

My nursing license or risk loosing my life. Oh dear, what ever shall I do? To me, NO job is worth that and I know that I'm not the only one with that belief. Does that make me not 'worthy' of being a nurse? If I'm not willing to 'buck up' and put it all on the line? See 'ya!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Not to be picky, but the mortality rate is 55%, not 90%. Several countries have already shut their borders, lets hope all do until this is contained. It's a reality though that we will have to deal with at some point in our lives. We just do the best we can.

The mortality rate can be up to 90%!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
If I were your manager, I would send you packing, and report you to the BON in case I could get your license in trouble. I recall seeing people flatly refuse to care for AIDS patients back in the day, and I still don't understand why they weren't fired and stripped of their licenses on the spot.

Well if you feel so self riteous, I think you should be willing to take his place!

How are they going to protect the healthcare workers? Are they going to be housed and quarantined at the hospital to prevent a spread to family members if they unfortunately become infected too? I sure wouldn't want to have to go home to my family and worry about one becoming infected myself and two worrying about my family becoming infected from me.

I'm glad I don't work at Emory. I would be scared to death. I don't understand why they are bring Ebola to America in the first place. So the CDC can do more experimentations?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Very disturbing that they are introducing the virus in the US.

Placing millions at risk at the chance one healthcare worker isn't being as careful as they ought be.

So you think the doctors and nurses that contracted the virus were simply not careful enough? Especially the doctors who are experts re the disease. I don't think so!

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Weren't they reusing equipment? You can only be so careful with reused isolation attire. I'm kinda surprised the govt isn't organizing special security though since it is so dangerous. Really scary...btw check out The Painted Veil with Edward Norton if you're feeling like a flick about Ebola with a side of chick flick. ^.^

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Specializes in ICU,ER,med-Surg,Geri,Correctional.

I think what needs to be said and excepted that, and be honest with yourself!. There is always a chance of human error. This error though can effect history!. Yes I think it a real BIG deal!

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Specializes in LTC.

I just think this is a huge mistake. I hope I'm wrong. Anyone ever read "The Stand?"

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Well if you feel so self riteous, I think you should be willing to take his place!

Did I say anything that suggested I wouldn't be willing to take his place? If it were my job (if I came to work and were assigned to care for people with Ebola at my workplace), I would do it without question or complaint. Taking care of sick people is what we all signed up to do, and there's nothing in the job description about getting to pick and choose which sick people we feel like taking care of.

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Specializes in ICU.

After listening to some of the doctors that will be involved in this at Emory, I feel much better about the whole thing. Apparently the female missionary, a nurse, will arrive at Emory shortly. She had been given a unit of blood from a recovered boy, so they wanted her first. Also, they showed pictures of the isolation room, with an ante room, etc., and it looked secure. A previous poster mentioned they were "re-using" isolation gear in the affected countries; I don't think they were. From what I understand, it was being spread by lay people who were touching the infected persons, arranging them for funerals, etc., without protection. Really, it probably is better for them to be at Emory, and the doctors there have assured us there is little concern for spreading.

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Obviously they are going to tell the public what they want to hear to avoid mass panic. If there was possibility of the virus spreading they wouldn't tell us because the entire country would be is mass hysteria.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
If I were your manager, I would send you packing, and report you to the BON in case I could get your license in trouble. I recall seeing people flatly refuse to care for AIDS patients back in the day, and I still don't understand why they weren't fired and stripped of their licenses on the spot.

You've got to be kidding me. Did it ever occur to you that maybe the poster has immunocompromised family members or small children at home? Yes you could mark the comparison with TB, etc but we know very little about Ebola. No one should have their hard-earned license stripped for that.

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