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The day after an Ottawa patient tested negative for the Ebola virus, the head of the organization that represents 60,000 Ontario nurses says she fears the province is not fully prepared to handle a real case.
Linda Haslam-Stroud, president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association, said her organization is particularly concerned that nurses are not being offered all the equipment they might need to protect them from contracting the virus, as a Texas nurse did last week. At issue is whether protective equipment should include special respirators to protect health workers from airborne particles.
“Airborne transmission has not been ruled out and this is the fundamental disagreement that we’re having with the government,” said Haslam-Stroud.
Equipment is at the heart of growing anxiety being expressed by health care workers — particularly nurses — across the country as the number of suspected Ebola cases increases. A second Ontario patient — in Belleville — was tested for Ebola virus over Thanksgiving weekend. The results were not yet in on Tuesday afternoon, but Belleville’s medical officer of health, Dr. Richard Schabas, said he was confident they would be negative.
The transmission of the virus to the nurse in Texas and one in Spain, both of whom treated Ebola patients, has raised anxiety levels among nurses.
“It was the nurse in Texas that really rang the alarm bells for us,” said Linda Silas, head of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. “This is very close to home.”
Related
Silas said she has heard numerous stories of equipment problems in suspect cases that later turned out to be negative. Among them, she said, some nurses complained their chins and necks were exposed, others said sleeves of protective gowns were too short and would leave their skin exposed. Her organization has contacted the Public Health Agency of Canada with its concerns.
“We will do our jobs 24/7 if we are well protected and we have the training. But we have to ramp up what we have on paper and ramp it up fast.”
Among other things, she said, equipment must be available in all facilities. “My understanding is there are gaps.” And nurses must all be familiar with it and procedures around Ebola.
“We are nurses for a reason. We know that you will be placed in some kind of danger, but the best option is to make sure you are well trained and have proper personal equipment.”
Haslam-Stroud also said the Ontario Nurses’ Association wants drills take place so health workers are assured the equipment works and they understand the protocols.
Ottawa’s Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches, meanwhile, said the city’s suspected case provided valuable experience in dealing with future potential cases of the virus.
“I think we passed the test in terms of the appropriate precautionary steps being taken, appropriate treatment being offered, lab tests being ordered in a rapid way … It was useful to see our planning that has been in place to now has really paid off.”
epayne@ottawacitizen.com
查看原文...
Linda Haslam-Stroud, president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association, said her organization is particularly concerned that nurses are not being offered all the equipment they might need to protect them from contracting the virus, as a Texas nurse did last week. At issue is whether protective equipment should include special respirators to protect health workers from airborne particles.
“Airborne transmission has not been ruled out and this is the fundamental disagreement that we’re having with the government,” said Haslam-Stroud.
Equipment is at the heart of growing anxiety being expressed by health care workers — particularly nurses — across the country as the number of suspected Ebola cases increases. A second Ontario patient — in Belleville — was tested for Ebola virus over Thanksgiving weekend. The results were not yet in on Tuesday afternoon, but Belleville’s medical officer of health, Dr. Richard Schabas, said he was confident they would be negative.
The transmission of the virus to the nurse in Texas and one in Spain, both of whom treated Ebola patients, has raised anxiety levels among nurses.
“It was the nurse in Texas that really rang the alarm bells for us,” said Linda Silas, head of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. “This is very close to home.”
Related
Silas said she has heard numerous stories of equipment problems in suspect cases that later turned out to be negative. Among them, she said, some nurses complained their chins and necks were exposed, others said sleeves of protective gowns were too short and would leave their skin exposed. Her organization has contacted the Public Health Agency of Canada with its concerns.
“We will do our jobs 24/7 if we are well protected and we have the training. But we have to ramp up what we have on paper and ramp it up fast.”
Among other things, she said, equipment must be available in all facilities. “My understanding is there are gaps.” And nurses must all be familiar with it and procedures around Ebola.
“We are nurses for a reason. We know that you will be placed in some kind of danger, but the best option is to make sure you are well trained and have proper personal equipment.”
Haslam-Stroud also said the Ontario Nurses’ Association wants drills take place so health workers are assured the equipment works and they understand the protocols.
Ottawa’s Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches, meanwhile, said the city’s suspected case provided valuable experience in dealing with future potential cases of the virus.
“I think we passed the test in terms of the appropriate precautionary steps being taken, appropriate treatment being offered, lab tests being ordered in a rapid way … It was useful to see our planning that has been in place to now has really paid off.”
epayne@ottawacitizen.com
查看原文...
