Nursing and the Ebola Virus

Nurses COVID

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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.

Lord, I'll do the work you put in front of me. The rest is up to you.

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

OP, why do you keep emphasizing race unnecessarily (and mentioning that you are the only European) and referring to Africa like it is a country and not a continent with MANY different countries? It makes it sound like you don't want to treat any of patients of African descent, regardless of their Ebola status. I hope that is not what you are implying.

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.

that's wonderful that you are willing to be so self sacrificial that you would take those ebola cases without question or complaint. I am sure that if you unfortunately contract it and lay there in a bed looking over at your loved one who is laying in the next bed in the quarantine ward after catching from you, it will be a great solace to you that you were so willing to be so self sacraficing that you sacrificed your lived ones lives also.

that's wonderful that you are willing to be so self sacrificial that you would take those ebola cases without question or complaint. I am sure that if you unfortunately contract it and lay there in a bed looking over at your loved one who is laying in the next bed in the quarantine ward after catching from you, it will be a great solace to you that you were so willing to be so self sacraficing that you sacrificed your lived ones lives also.

How so? Do you really think that you would be allowed to leave and go back to your family? Would you leave and risk going back to your family?

I would not. I would be staying in isolation, away from my love ones.

Something like this, it's war and the medical staff are the soldiers fighting it. Solders don't get the option to run home if they don't like it. If someone doesn't fight it, then it comes home to your family and everyone else.

Specializes in NICU.

I don't see how or why refusing to take a pt should affect my license. If I never accept the pt, I'm not abandoning him or her. My manager might not appreciate it, however, and that could jeopardize my job. Why would the BON concern itself with whether or not I do what my manager says?

I think the staff that care for those folks should at least be told the details of how these two were infected. I mean, was it obvious? Like a blood splash to the eyes? Or is it a mystery and no one knows how they got it despite meticulous precautions?

Specializes in Emergency, ICU.

There is a whole lot of misinformation being thrown around! I suggest we all do some serious studying about the Ebola virus and how it spreads.

It is not airborne. Go to NPR.org and search for Ebola. Just today I heard a story about this. Very informative. CNN is not a credible source of news these days, unfortunately...

The spread to healthcare workers in Africa is due to lack of resources and myriad other social factors that are not present in the US. With proper PPE and isolation facilities, there is very low risk of contagion.

I would have no problem caring for an Ebola patient. I'd find it fascinating actually.

They are actually bringing one of the two Ebola patients to Emory hospital here in Atlanta GA..I'm so shocked

Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

I'm curious, how will the used linen be handled? How will lab specimens be transported and tests run? What special precautions will be taken for trash disposal? The patient may be in a protected, negative pressure room, but other hospital departments will be effected. Surely the patient will have radiology tests run, how will that be handled?

Not sure what I would do if I was assigned as the nurse, but I'd really have to think about it. Glad I'm not in that position. I can say though, I'm a nurse, not a martyr.

Specializes in Pediatric Cardiac ICU.

Slightly off topic.. Or maybe not.. But for those of you interested in Ebola, read The Hot Zone. While terrifying, it's a marvelous book! Nonfiction also & very educational. You'll have a hard time putting it down!

Specializes in Critical Care.
How so? Do you really think that you would be allowed to leave and go back to your family? Would you leave and risk going back to your family?

I would not. I would be staying in isolation, away from my love ones.

Something like this, it's war and the medical staff are the soldiers fighting it. Solders don't get the option to run home if they don't like it. If someone doesn't fight it, then it comes home to your family and everyone else.

We don't know what the precautions will entail. I think in a situation like this they should accept volunteers to care for the patients, not force the staff. I wonder if they will have the staff stay at the hospital, but they haven't said. Too bad there isn't a nurse that works with these special isolation units that can give us more details.

There is a whole lot of misinformation being thrown around! I suggest we all do some serious studying about the Ebola virus and how it spreads.

It is not airborne. Go to NPR.org and search for Ebola. Just today I heard a story about this. Very informative. CNN is not a credible source of news these days, unfortunately...

The spread to healthcare workers in Africa is due to lack of resources and myriad other social factors that are not present in the US. With proper PPE and isolation facilities, there is very low risk of contagion.

I would have no problem caring for an Ebola patient. I'd find it fascinating actually.

You obviously didn't read the news story in the other thread about the experiment they did with some animals. They apparently did get it through airborne transmission and no direct contact.

On the news they claim that have this "specialized unit" with only about 3 types of these rooms and that all medical personal and family of the patient will be protected head to toe. It just doesn't seem safe enough and it is quite risky esp since there is no cure. This just doesn't sound like the best idea!

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