Responding almost immediately to the news of the Dallas nurse who contracted Ebola – the first person to do so within the U.S. – nurses across the country are adding to the growing chorus of concern over how hospitals and front-line healthcare workers deal with any possible exposure.
The “vast majority” of nurses nationwide “don’t feel prepared or safe” for treating any such patient, according to a recent survey of 3,000 nurses from allnurses.com.
Separately, National Nurses United, the country’s largest and influential nurses union, similarly voiced concern over the quickly unfolding developments, calling on hospital administrators to significantly strengthen protocols related to the treatment of a possible Ebola patient.
The union said 85 percent of 1,400 nurses surveyed feel their hospitals have not provided the proper training. Allnurses.com put the number at 73 percent, while 74 percent of nurses don’t feel safe with the unfolding situation.
“Many of our members are reporting that their hospitals are not doing enough to adequately protect patients and healthcare workers, and fully inform nurses of proper Ebola infection control procedures,” the union said in a lengthy statement.
The union goes on to detail what it says are procedures that will “mitigate the risks” of any potential harm for any healthcare worker treating patients who might be affected.
While saying it supported the CDC’s guidelines on treating patients with Ebola, it added one major caveat: to include the use of Haz-Mat suits. Ebola patients “may become debilitated, lose protective reflexes, and begin coughing productively, chocking/vomiting, become incontinent of urine and stool, and have bloody secretions or begin bleeding at any time,” the union says. “This increases the risk of infection for healthcare workers who are not wearing protective suits.”
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The nurse who contracted the virus was identified as Nina Pham, who works for the same hospital, Texas Health Presbyterian, that the country’s first known Ebola patient arrived at from Liberia. That patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, died last week due to complication from Ebola.
The hospital is investigating how Pham, 26, contracted the virus, saying it adhered to CDC protocol with Duncan. She is listed at “clinically stable.” On Monday, the director of the CDC said it was “rethinking” how health officials interact with Ebola patients, the New York Times reported, noting that at least 50 hospital employees may have come into contact with Duncan.
The nurses union called for hospitals to strictly follow a number of protocols, including single patient room placement with a private bathroom, maintaining a log of all people entering the room and the use of personal protective equipment. That includes, at a minimum, wearing gloves, a fluid resistant or impermeable gown, eye protection such as goggles and a face mask.
Hospitals across the country have noted that they are preparing staff for a potential case, but it’s likely to intensify following Pham’s diagnosis.
The union also says staffing ratios are an important part of confronting any infectious disease, particularly with Ebola.
