The arrival and subsequent death of the first Ebola virus disease (EVD) patient diagnosed in the United States and the two nurses who contracted and recovered from EVD was a major media focus last fall. The event elevated the nation's awareness of protocols to care for EVD patients, the readiness of institutions to care for them, and whether or not healthcare workers were adequately trained for an outbreak.
The response from the public and the barrage of information and misinformation from the media were constant. Several stories of nurses weighing in on the EVD crisis were reported. For example, National Nurses United held a nationwide strike on November 12th, with as many as 18,000 nurses participating.1 In September 2014, nurses attending a convention in Las Vegas staged a "die-in" in which they "wore red t-shirts and suits similar to the hazardous material gear worn by Ebola Workers."2 The nurses wanted to call attention to the fact that U.S. hospitals need more extensive preparation to effectively manage patients with EVD.2
Politically speaking
In November, when political elections were imminent, EVD and public safety were part of the discussion in many candidates' platforms. When a nurse in Maine returned from Sierra Leone after caring for Ebola patients and refused to be quarantined, the governors of Maine and New Jersey reiterated the necessity to quarantine healthcare workers returning to the United States.
While information on the morbidity and mortality of EVD has been well disseminated, the response by government agencies and healthcare organizations has been less evident. The CDC has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) and others to address preparedness to care for patients with EVD, protection of healthcare workers, and how to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Guidelines
Initially, the WHO developed guidelines to care for patients with EVD in the field, which were not intended for invasive procedures. Since then, the CDC has clarified guidelines for healthcare workers treating EVD patients, developed a step-by-step guideline for donning and doffing personal protective wear, and recommends limiting invasive procedures.3
The CDC's EVD site provides education, guidelines, and step-by-step protocols for the public and healthcare workers.3 The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses has also developed guidelines for the perioperative team, which appear in the January issue of their journal.
At this time, care of the patient with EVD and safety procedures for healthcare workers are still evolving. Perioperative nurses should be aware of the challenges patients with EVD bring and follow the latest guidelines.
Elizabeth M. Thompson, MSN, RN, CNOR
Editor-in-Chief Nursing Education Specialist Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. [email protected]
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