I’m a 60 year old nurse with 35 years experience. The only reason I keep working is for the health insurance. The hospital I work at near Seattle recently posted an email stating that all staff are expected to care for ebola patients if we get any. Part of the email details what protective equipment will be used...and it’s no damn different from what we already use for patients with MRSA, tb, or c-diff.
Funny you should have asked this question as that was the first thought that crossed my mind after getting that infernal email only yesterday.
The CDC protocol appears wholly inadequate as far as protective gear for those dealing directly with Ebola patients. I’ve heard rumblings that it’s being modified and I hope it is. But, if it isn’t I hope that decision-makers within individual hospitals create their own more effective protocols. It’s not as if there isn’t a model that’s been created in Africa for dealing effectively with the threat of workers getting infected. There’s no need at all to walk into a nightmare as occurred at Texas Health Presbyterian in Dallas.
You might want to check out my Post #18.