Ebola outbreak - general thread #4

[popsicle]

Harvard Vanguard Medical Center in Braintree is being quarantined and a patient isolated outside the facility with a possible case of Ebola, officials said.
The patient recently traveled to West Africa, and is being isolated based on his medical complaints, fire officials said.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/12/ebola/z3DybKoXBg0XjPO6m5yVgK/story.html

 

[jjenny]

Im wondering if the nurse's family has any grounds for a lawsuit against Duncan's family since they did not make sure the hospital knew of his chance of exposure to ebola. Negligence?

I don't think so. Sounds like the nurse was part of his treatment team and knew he had Ebola. I think she was administering high risk procedures for spreading the virus such as dialysis and ventilation. I also don't think the family necessarily knew anything about his exposure to Ebola. His nephew (I believe) claimed Mr. Duncan denied to him that he even helped the woman who died.

 

[SweetT]

I'm afraid if this keeps happening we won't have any ER's to go to when we need one.. Or health care workers to treat us.

 

[Sonya610]

Here is a video of JJ and the Duncan family and State Rep Mary Flowers. Take your blood pressure medicine before you watch:

http://abc7chicago.com/health/relatives-of-ebola-victim-speak-out-in-chicago/346749/

I am burning mad!!!

LOL. Don't let it upset you, we have much bigger fish to fry.

At this point that card isn't even a concern; it is already here.

 

[shotgun09]

When I questioned my immediate supervisor, (who also happens to be in Administration) on the inadequacies that I noticed...after reading the internet "review" on EBOLA, her comment to me was, " well, don't go into the room"!!
I am no longer a bedside nurse ( thankfully ), and I did raise my concerns and views and suggestions to all the younger, and less experienced nurses on the unit I work in. Hopefully, they listened. And, now with this RN infected, hopefully our Infectious Disease department will rise to the occasion, and supply more information and proper PPE.

 

[musicaljoke]

...
Stop blaming the nurse for breaking protocol. Something is wrong in your hospital system. The last thing Texas Presbyterian needs is a second Ebola patient to not make it. Should that happen, the hospital will be shutting its doors for good, IMO.

At least Ebola virus is not airborne like SARS was. That outbreak was potentially much more deadly and frightening than Ebola, and even so, although 38 died in Toronto, hospitals were able to contain it before it went out of control.

It's quite possible that a few more will develop Ebola from the original source at the Texas hospital, but shutting down the hospital for good would be a huge overreaction. I don't understand the comment.

 

[ca2james]

We know that. But patients are full of actual virus, so why different guidelines? Because it's too expensive to equip hospitals with safety level 4 containment suits for Ebola patients?

Because working with the virus in a laboratory is different than working with a patient in a hospital?

A lab can be dedicated to working with level four organisms but a hospital is so much more than that, since there are other patients and visitors and health care workers all over the place and different tests and equipment and reasons to be there. There are so few level 4 organisms out there that building a dedicating level 4 lab area in a hospital is not practical; it would sit empty most of the time and unfortunately, hospitals can't afford that.

Costs are always going to be a factor in determining these guidelines. But so what? The CDC and equivalent organizations have to determine what will give the best level of protection, given what they know about the virus (which might not be everything since it's only been known for 40 years), for the lowest incremental cost. We know the suits are expensive; if they don't provide significantly more protection for health care workers than the recommended PPEs, then the additional cost may not justified.

The fact that the CDC and equivalent organizations have to take cost into account doesn't mean that they're wrong, or evil, or not doing enough, or are untrustworthy. And the fact that they may not know everything doesn't mean they know nothing.

 

[popsicle]

CBS News ‏@CBSNews 3m3 minutes ago
Watch Live: Nurses organizations hold news conference in California to discuss Ebola concerns - http://cbsn.ws/1tSKUbx

 

[1&2&3]

SwampMama your post was excellent! The thanks button was not enough for your well-written factual statements.

 

[Muffet]

I don't think so. Sounds like the nurse was part of his treatment team and knew he had Ebola. I think she was administering high risk procedures for spreading the virus such as dialysis and ventilation. I also don't think the family necessarily knew anything about his exposure to Ebola. His nephew (I believe) claimed Mr. Duncan denied to him that he even helped the woman who died.

Which is why it the fact that they put her in the "low risk" of exposure category is so frustrating.

 

[shotgun09]

With all due respect, I feel that human lives outweigh cost

 

[ButForFortune]

Just typed a long post, and had to delete it before posting. Sitting on my hands. All I can say is wow, just wow. (Re latest article referenced above.)

 

[popsicle]

Stop Blaming Nurses...Stop Ebola
RNRN

 

[SStarr33]

Stop Blaming Nurses...Stop Ebola
RNRN

I figured that was going to go over like a lead balloon. Bad move by Friedmen

 

[KALI]

Yes, but not just for this. I have been putting together food, medicine, gloves, masks etc, to last hubby and dogs for at least 2 to maybe 3 months.

Between our open borders, ISIS, the Taliban, natural disasters (we're in earthquake country), and now this, I think it is prudent now more then ever to do so. Supplies are starting to go into back order status, for instance, I wanted to send my daughter a house warming present for her new apartment in San Francisco of a water Bob. It fits in one's bathtub and holds enough water for 2 people for up to a month. But the price went up 40% and is now on back order in a matter of days!

I read today, that Dupont and several other manufacturers were trying to increase production of gloves and masks.

Has anyone started stocking the shelves in anticipation of being locked in if this plague gets out of hand? So far, the stupidest thing that has happened is taking sick people to countries that have never had a case of ebola. It is the most irresponsible thing I've seen in my lifetime.

 

[Muffet]

It's easy to underestimate or forget how many people from various groups - mostly political /government - from local, County, state, national - show up in a hospital when an event like this happens.

As soon as they arrive, they start giving directions/guidance, and unfortunately, what those consist of depend too much on the interest of the group or individual.

You wind up with a lot of ball dropping and passing the buck.

 

[Lyra500]

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/photos/ebola-portraits/en/

Some of the people who are participating in the fight to control the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

This photo gallery tells the stories of people contributing to contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa

 

[faw720]

Unless there are $$$ keeping the family quiet. Plus the whole denial of Ebola thing. Plus do the reporters actually KNOW the location of the family? Plus does that donated house have phone or Internet?

I think they have been way way too quiet, something isn't right.

It would be in the authorities best interest to advertise how they were NOT infected, NO WORRIES, everything is FINE yet instead we hear nothing?

No doubt it has been very quiet. I'm not sure reporters know the location of the house that Louise & her family are staying in, but enough of a description was provided that it probably wouldn't be much of a problem to find providing someone was very familiar with the Dallas area. It has been described as an upscale, gated community, with no nearby neighbors. This is only a guess but I'm thinking a lake lot on either Grapevine Lake or Lake Lewisville.

 

[1&2&3]

At least Ebola virus is not airborne like SARS was. That outbreak was potentially much more deadly and frightening than Ebola, and even so, although 38 died in Toronto, hospitals were able to contain it before it went out of control.

It's quite possible that a few more will develop Ebola from the original source at the Texas hospital, but shutting down the hospital for good would be a huge overreaction. I don't understand the comment.

In various news sources today, the hospital has said they are not accepting new patients, people have been canceling surgeries/delivering babies, and the ER is on an Ambulance Bypass which a WS explained they are not taking ambulance patients. The canceling surgeries and delivering babies has been since the Duncan case started. The rest is due to the latest case that one of their nurses is infected.

My statement is saying that should this newest Ebola case not live, the public is going to have many questions about the quality of the hospital's care. Why have the Ebola patients at other hospitals lived and two (should that happen) have not made it at this hospital. The reaction of the hospital in not accepting new patients will further add to negativity in the public's eye. The public is an odd group!

My opinions only!

 

[Sonya610]

Well show me one state, country, village, etc...that's been successful and let's do what they do! Until then, I'm not believing a dam* thing I hear.

Apparently there is a large region of Sierra Leone that IS unaffected by Ebola. Very strict travel and isolation procedures (and education) were enforced by a wealthy national.

So far it has remained clear, very limited travel in and out, the man even paid witch doctors to NOT treat suspected Ebola victims, because one faith healer/witch doctor could spread the disease everywhere. The article says one Ebola infected man was smuggled in by his wife, and when the young people found out BOTH were REMOVED from the region.

So yeah it can be done, but not the U.S. Government or the CDC.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...the-last-ebola-free-district-in-sierra-leone/