18,000 nurses who work for Kaiser Permanente in California will strike on November 12 to protect lack of training and proper isolation gear for caring for patients with ebola. Cities across the country will have demonstrations on the same day.We are expected to use the isolation gear that doesn't cover everything at my hospital, although there have been promises to get better gear. Nothing has happened yet. No mandatory training either.
Have you been trained? Do you have adequate equipment?
I was surprised, but we got trained in the ED and I feel much more comfortable about things now. I anticipated getting a half a**ed training, but our management seems to have thought this through fairly well. I can only hope that as time passes, more hospitals get on board and train their staff and get adequate supplies! (34 bed lev II ED in the Midwest btw)
ReplyDeleteMy ER has mandatory training and has a whole plan set up from what room the patient will go into, the proper PPE (head to toe suits,boot covers and PAPRs) even an ante room with a shower for us. We will have a buddy system when donnng and doffing (hate that word). I am very impressed with the preparation at my hospital (very surprised to).
ReplyDeleteI don't blame them for wanting to go on strike. I would too! I found this “Guidelines for dealing with Ebola patients” Ebola is still keeping America in its grips and I think it would be relevant to share this piece and how some sanitary measures are essential. http://www.metrex.com/news/ebola-virus
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