Ebola outbreak - general thread #4

[faw720]

For sure the CDC doesn't know what it's doing!! I want that director of theirs to do a nose to nose, toes to toes interview with the nurse who is infected. After that, he will be qualified to tell us what she did wrong.

 

[SeekingJana]

I would think that at this point in time " the game has changed". We need a Surgeon General who is strong in public health knowledge and who can make policy and also add penalty stipulations for those who do not follow said policies.
I also don't care what a person's view on gun ownership is at this point in time, and IMO, it should not be anyone's first priority.

 

[Sophieandme]

snipped
The new case has already triggered a change in CDC’s care recommendations. Frieden, who sounded exceptionally somber during Sunday’s briefing, said the agency was directing Texas Health Presbyterian to keep the number of people caring for the stricken nurse to “an absolute minimum” and only perform essential procedures.

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/texas-second-ebola-case-111811.html

I wonder how this will work... I remember watching a video of an Ebola centre in (IIRC) Liberia where the workers were saying how stressful it was to stay at the top of their game 100% of the time (to avoid contamination). In fact, they said it wasn't unusual to see many become "slack" after a few days.

 

[Muffet]

Yah, that's what I was thinking... The loss of the work force. That plus a restriction on air travel has nearly bankrupted Liberia, a country that was struggling anyway after many years of civil war.

What if Europe, Australia, etc put air restrictions on people originating in Texas?

BSBM

I sincerely hope that if Dallas or Texas came even *close* to the state of outbreak Liberia is in, that those countries, along with other states would indeed. And I'm right here in the net.

To not do so is, imo, the definition of being penny wise and pound foolish, to put it lightly.

Isolation is rule #1. For all the $ and lives it's costing us trying to fight it this way, including the sending of thousands of our sons and daughters there, I would MUCH RATHER send them the money to directly make up for whatever costs to their business. (Not that I expect anyone to help us in Dallas cover the losses we sustain.)

 

[jjenny]

For sure the CDC doesn't know what it's doing!! I want that director of theirs to do a nose to nose, toes to toes interview with the nurse who is infected. After that, he will be qualified to tell us what she did wrong.

He can put on PPEs that are in CDC guidelines (gown, gloves, face mask and face shield) and go into her room. Should be perfectly safe, right?

 

[jjenny]

snipped
The new case has already triggered a change in CDC’s care recommendations. Frieden, who sounded exceptionally somber during Sunday’s briefing, said the agency was directing Texas Health Presbyterian to keep the number of people caring for the stricken nurse to “an absolute minimum” and only perform essential procedures.

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/texas-second-ebola-case-111811.html



I wonder how this will work... I remember watching a video of an Ebola centre in (IIRC) Liberia where the workers were saying how stressful it was to stay at the top of their game 100% of the time (to avoid contamination). In fact, they said it wasn't unusual to see many become "slack" after a few days.

Sounds like what they did in Nigeria. Put patient in the room and patient then had to either sink or swim. Minimal care was provided. Some died. The doctor who wrote about this (she was one of the patients) survived.

 

[faw720]

He can put on PPEs that are in CDC guidelines (gown, gloves, face mask and face shield) and go into her room. Should be perfectly safe, right?

Right!!!!!!! So long as he follows protocol, he will be perfectly ok.

 

[jjenny]

Right!!!!!!! So long as he follows protocol, he will be perfectly ok.

Honestly, I think he probably will be unless he did some procedures like the nurse was doing. I think in trying to save Mr. Duncan's life, the hospital carried out some very dangerous procedures that are known to spread the virus, such as ventilation and dialysis.

 

[SeekingJana]

I really hope they are not going to blame the nurse affected here....... Maybe they should lay the blame at authorities, who weeks ago did not take seriously this threat of ebola travelling into other countries, and therefore a man from an outbreak area in West Africa was able to enter the US and wander around..

I shake my head in frustration when I read that the screening for people coming from West Africa is going to involve taking their temperatures and asking questions such as " have you been near anyone who may have ebola" ...........seriously.......this trust that humans are going to tell the truth is ridiculous. Anyone who has worked in customs/immigration at the airport or watched any of the custom related shows on tele knows that people lie......a lot!

And what if someone does say yes, and they have a fever!!!! are they going to then isolate all those on the plane? could be a night mare..............why not just stop flights from these countries until it is contained. I don't get it.

Re the recent scare we had here with the nurse in Cairns, I read today that she has been let out of hospital since her 2nd test came back negative. (I thought I read somewhere that the recommendation was 3 tests!) While I do not want to seem like I am putting her down, that is not the case at all, I take my hat off to her to do what she has done. Most people wouldn't. And from what I have read she was extra particular with safety concerns.....................however one thing that came of this situation was that there was an uproar on social media, current affairs programs, other feedback due to her returning from dealing very extensively with ebola patients in Africa, and upon returning to Australia, straight after may I add, she was only isolated in her home (with a flatmate!)........the authorities didn't even know she had been near ebola patients when she re entered Australia......it was the Red Cross protocol that she remain isolated in her home. Huge uproar and rightly so.

So hopefully plans have been put in place that all organizations with people working with ebola patients, be they medics, volunteers etc, give a list ofnames to authorities and when they return to Australia they must be put in some form of official isolation.

99% of the general public here I would say would actually rather they were put in isolation OVER THERE first for the incubation period. Makes absolute sense, but of course think $$$ are talking. Hopefully this will be rectified when these isolation units are built.

Why is the sick nurse being brought into this when we are talking about our current methods of isolation not working as designed and needing a strong medical leader in our country, i.e. a Surgeon General? I feel extremely sorry for the nurse, and I pray she gets well, but I don't think she's a topic of conversation because she is a VICTIM.
At WS, we are told not to discuss victims. She is a victim of circumstances which just MIGHT NOT be of her own making, IMO.

ANYONE can have a splash in an eye, a tear in a glove, a needle puncture. The best isolation procedures on paper are not foolproof in action. Anyone who is or has used personal protective devices and equipment for any length of time has probably had their own " OMG" moment. I know I did.. sometimes from the person who just proceeded me in rendering care and left something at the bedside accidentally which could hurt me.

 

[alwaysonmymind]

https://twitter.com/cbs11jack/status/521464569878040576

 

[FlamingoLady]

Who is going to call an emergency room to report their fever if they know they will be taken into a concentration camp (which is what you are describing)?

With all due respect, I think that part of the scenario is not really the focus. IMO, the larger picture is that people with Ebola symptoms will not be treated at hospitals. Whether or not they phone in or approach a hospital on their own, if they seek care for those symptoms, they will be sent to another location for care. If people don't report their fever because they don't want to be sent where treatment is offered, then they won't. And there opens another door for further spreading of the virus. If this gets to the point that it's on a larger scale, the customer service driven, "how can we make your stay in the hospital more pleasant?" American healthcare will be out the window. You have to remember, also, that all the other illnesses and emergencies will still be taking place and a traditional hospital will simply not be able to handle it all. IMO of course.

 

[RabidBadger]

I am a nurse in a designated Ebola unit, not in the US. Ask away.

 

[jjenny]

I am a nurse in a designated Ebola unit, not in the US. Ask away.

What do you think would be an appropriate PPE in the Ebola unit?

 

[jjenny]

https://twitter.com/cbs11jack/status/521464569878040576

One patient is all it takes.

 

[revampz]

Why is the sick nurse being brought into this when we are talking about our current methods of isolation not working as designed and needing a strong medical leader in our country, i.e. a Surgeon General? I feel extremely sorry for the nurse, and I pray she gets well, but I don't think she's a topic of conversation because she is a VICTIM.
At WS, we are told not to discuss victims. She is a victim of circumstances which just MIGHT NOT be of her own making, IMO.

ANYONE can have a splash in an eye, a tear in a glove, a needle puncture. The best isolation procedures on paper are not foolproof in action. Anyone who is or has used personal protective devices and equipment for any length of time has probably had their own " OMG" moment. I know I did.. sometimes from the person who just proceeded me in rendering care and left something at the bedside accidentally which could hurt me.

AAAAAaaaaahhh if you read my comment I said I hope they are not blaming the nurse!!!!......I am responding to previous posts from an MSN article that was posted where an authority said that re the nurse being sick in Texas they were looking at "a breach in protocol"...........therefore it looked that THEY may be blaming the nurse, not me...

The second nurse I am talking about is the scare we had in Australia where a nurse working for the Red Cross returned and was isolated only in here home and then ended up in hospital with suspected ebola but was cleared.

sheesh settle petal, I don't think I have breached any WS rules, in fact I was for the victim.....

 

[SeekingJana]

I am a nurse in a designated Ebola unit, not in the US. Ask away.

I want to say- " Thank you" for those who may be too ill or have a different language to ever tell you thanks. I am 99% aware of the challenges you face in maintaining isolation technique as a team, having been a nurse for over 35 years.
I told my spouse today that I was so thankful I had decided to leave the field a few years ago, before all this hit..
But the truth is, I am still a nurse, and my heart is with you, even if I am not, physically. Also, if you don't mind me saying so, May God watch over you all and bless you for your knowledge and dedication to the sickest of the sick.

Maria

 

[gngr~snap]

I am a nurse in a designated Ebola unit, not in the US. Ask away.

I have seen images of Ebola victims. Does it vary that widely? Dr. Brantly and Nancy Writebol didn't "look" like they had suffered from a hemorrhagic virus. No blisters, bruising, red eyes etc...
Duncan's mother couldn't bear to look at him... Maybe because they got ZMapp??

All posts are MOO

 

[RabidBadger]

What do you think would be an appropriate PPE in the Ebola unit?

Although we have recieved training in appropriate PPE, they keep changing their minds. Right now double gloves, double gown, face shield, hair cover, booties, N95 respirator, hospital supplied scrubs.

 

[revampz]

I am a nurse in a designated Ebola unit, not in the US. Ask away.

I don't have a question, yet, but just want to take my hat off to you.......:hero:

 

[RabidBadger]

I want to say- " Thank you" for those who may be too ill or have a different language to ever tell you thanks. I am 99% aware of the challenges you face in maintaining isolation technique as a team, having been a nurse for over 35 years.
I told my spouse today that I was so thankful I had decided to leave the field a few years ago, before all this hit..
But the truth is, I am still a nurse, and my heart is with you, even if I am not, physically. Also, if you don't mind me saying so, May God watch over you all and bless you for your knowledge and dedication to the sickest of the sick.

Maria

Thank you!