Nursing and the Ebola Virus

[0.adamantite]

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.

[dnnc52]

"]It's not a matter of will ebola come to the US, it's a matter of when ebola will come to the US. Just like Dengue Fever, SARS, West Nile, and every other foreign born disease.. it will eventually migrate here."

True it will get here in time. But why speed up the delivery. Each day we have this disease contained in one area the more time we have to work on a cure. As with any isolated case when it comes to research "Time is on our side" but we get this virus here prematurely,without our plan of attack,and the proper equipment we are asking for problems. BTW going back to the Miro-Bio 101. Virus will replicate and mutate to survive the environment. We have not found a cure for a slower virus HIV yet and we think we can take on a deadlier one like Ebola?. Don't forget about the Anthrax miss handling at our CDC a few months ago. Also think about everything we have implemented to avoid surgical errors and still this goes on. So yes there is an element of human error that could change the course of history. Once again we need to pray for our Brothers and Sisters healthcare workers who are going to work with these infected patients . But think about the public responsibility these folks are taking on. This will not be a usual day at the office.

[Tankweti]

There has already been an airborne strain which was Ebola Reston brought into the US unknowingly inside lab monkeys who were brought to a lab in Reston Virginia about 20 years ago. Fortunately it was not fatal to human caretakers ( who did sicken but not die ). The monkeys did die however. No one knows what the triggers are for such mutations to occur. As far as doctors contracting it, they may have had a tiny tear on a spacesuit that went unnoticed. One thing that really scared me a few days ago. I overhears a conversation in the hallway between our resident infectious disease specialist and another doctor. The former was telling the latter not to worry as the virus was only bloodborne. This is blatantly incorrect as it is known to be present even on sweat on corpses. If our experts don' the know the facts we are all in deep trouble.

[Tankweti]

Early trestment?! The only treatment patients are getting is fluid resuscitation, blood transfusions to replace massive blood loss engendered by the virus and electrolyte replacement. Supportive care only. Just buying time hoping that the immune system can beat the virus back.

[Miss.LeoRN]

Because there are times when logic and reason fail the Internet.

Ten Things You Really Should Know About Ebola | IFLScience

Also, about the airborne strain....

BBC News - Growing concerns over 'in the air' transmission of Ebola

Because science.

[Queen Tiye, CNA]

I totally understand your point of view, wanting to avoid spreading disease to your loved one. However, I think nurses who feel this way should work in an area of nursing that doesn't have a great risk of contracting deadly infectious disease, like school nursing for example. Otherwise, backing out of the responsibility to afford all patients competent, unbiased care would be akin to police officers who serve and protect only in certain instances, or firefighters that will only attend blazes that pose no danger.

The role of life-saver comes with huge responsibility. Good Nurses are brilliant, brave, and noble; they sacrifice a lot, often at personal expense to serve those in the gravest need. That's why Nurses are held in such high esteem.

[Queen Tiye, CNA]

This recent Ebola outbreak is in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea---not Nigeria. The body of a man who was in Liberia and died, was sent to Nigeria for burial; however, there was national outcry and panic and the body is in quarantine. This is the only known existence of Ebola in Nigeria.

[3rdGenRN]

Also, about the airborne strain....

BBC News - Growing concerns over 'in the air' transmission of Ebola

Because science.

If you read the actual study, they clearly report they could not determine if the virus was spread by respiratory droplets, or even the floor cleaning causing overspray. It's flawed to say it proves airborne transmission when the researchers can't even determine if they caused it themselves or not.

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

The man from Minnesota caught it in Liberia, then died in a hospital in Nigeria.

[Queen Tiye, CNA]

I also wonder if Ebola is airborne because I find it difficult to believe that the expert doctors, Brantly and Writebol, failed to practice universal precautions knowing their own lives are at stake. I imagine that they were able to teach their supporting the staff this most basic protocol. I pray that they survive, and if they do, maybe they'll be able to share what went wrong; unless they are prevented from telling the truth lest there be widespread panic.

[Queen Tiye, CNA]

Thanks for sharing this article 4thGenRN. It seems to have been published in November 2012. It mentions:

"The reality is that they [the large droplets] are contained and they remain local, if it was really an airborne virus like influenza is it would spread all over the place, and that's not happening."

This makes sense to me, transferred by large droplets that don't stay airborne for long, but long enough to infect others nearby; not small enough to travel over greater distance like the flu. I wonder why no one is mentioning this study today.

[Queen Tiye, CNA]

You are correct KRVRN:

"A Liberian man who died in Nigeria's megacity of Lagos on Friday has tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus, the country's health minister has confirmed.

The man, who was in his 40s, collapsed on arrival in Lagos, a city of 21 million people, on Sunday, and was taken from the airport and put in isolation in a local hospital.

Nigerian Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said all ports of entry in the country are now on "red alert" and health officials are investigating all people who had contact with the deceased.​"

[Amzggrce]

Although I agree you have a strong argument here, we as nurses have the right to refuse any treatment that will cause harm to us or others. Therefore refusing to treat a pt with Ebola would not be so out of the spectrum. We could not only be saving our own lives but also those who have not yet been affected.