# Ebola----full house



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

I would like to hear from all you medical folks out there as to what kind of contingency plans you are aware of, when ALL the "isolation" wards/facilities are crammed full.

What then . . ?????

It would be a good thing if the situation were openly broadcast over the air so folks would know to stay away from the horse-bittles . . . . .crowds in the waiting rooms will only make things worse.

Will any "staff" run for the hills. . .??


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I suspect that this will be a lot like the Swine flu: Some hospitals will get full but not all of them will be full, and so it will be possible to transfer out folks with other ailments to other hospitals. 

People have died already and I think that MORE people will die, and then the illness will be brought under control, and the scare will be over, just like it did with Swine Flu. 

In My Humble Opinion.

And no, the staff will not run. They may ask people with fevers to notify the staff when they sign in, the nurses may wear masks, and if they are needed an entire hallway of rooms an be set up as an isolation ward for an overflow.

All hospitals know how to deal with the really nasty and contageous illnesses.


----------



## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

Terri said:


> *All* hospitals know how to deal with the really nasty and contageous illnesses.


The hospital in Dallas did not seem to know when they sent Mr Duncan back home with a 103* temp and some antibiotics. I am sure some know, but would not bet my life on *all*.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Terri said:


> All hospitals know how to deal with the really nasty and contageous illnesses.


Doing great so far.


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Possum Belly said:


> The hospital in Dallas did not seem to know when they sent Mr Duncan back home with a 103* temp and some antibiotics. I am sure some know, but would not bet my life on *all*.


I heard that. It made me think that the man had not been correctly diagnosed.


----------



## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

The fact that Ebola needs level 4 containment and the hospital in Texas that's handling this only has level 2 makes me very worried. Most medical people I know plan on walking off the job if it comes to their hospital. Only the very dedicated/stupid would stay. No one wants to risk their families.


----------



## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

I don't see why not, *before undressing*, they don't wade or jump in a big tub or vat of 10% bleach water and stay in there a few minutes BEFORE trying to take off the protective gear. At least the bleach solution might be able to get into all the nooks and crannies. Yeah, it would be uncomfortable and you would need to be hooked up to something so as not to drown but it would be better than catching ebola. I am pretty sure 10% bleach solution is supposed to kill it.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Yeah, the statement that doctors and nurses wouldn't run if ebola was hitting the hospitals hard was pretty naive.

Remember the medical people in New Orleans who were tried for murder because they euthanized so many of their patients when the flooding began?


----------



## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

they closed the ER in that hospital for awhile until they get things under control the news said today


----------



## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

The hospital is not closed, they just stopped taking emergency patients.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Part of my point is that it would take a very small number of "patients" too fully tax any "isolation" capability.......

I mean 10 peoples when there is 100 in the waiting room......?????


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Jim-mi said:


> Part of my point is that it would take a very small number of "patients" too fully tax any "isolation" capability.......
> 
> I mean 10 peoples when there is 100 in the waiting room......?????


Ten?

Hah. 

Try ONE. 

One single patient in a Dallas hospital and now they shut their doors to emergency care.


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I'm starting to think Ebola is the reason my Dr left last month. He was different from most Dr's. Embraced growing your own food, getting back to the land, alternative medicine, etc.
Also a growing family and lots of kids.

We have very few level 4 hospitals in the states.


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Two hospitals in our community and one is preparing an appropriate isolation area. 

I would like to highly encourage anyone who is interested, to enter the medical/nursing professions. The professions are severely lacking in all kinds of staff but I think the vast majority of them do a fine job with what they have. Joining the profession(s) would give people an opportunity to help, always have a job, and be able to criticize knowledgeably.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Does anybody know the "level" of the Dallas horse bittle that closed the ER doors..??


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

A bit of a mixed bag in this article.



> There are four places in the United States set up to handle a patient sickened by the Ebola virus, and Missoula is one of those.


 Then goes on to say



> âWe know that even with the regular support any Western hospital can provide, we can treat Ebola,â Risi said. âJust with IV fluids and electrolytes and clotting control, we can reduce the mortality rate from 70 or 80 percent down to 30 or 40 percent. We donât need to talk about exotic treatments.â





> Level 1 has protection against things generally not dangerous to healthy people, like brewerâs yeast.
> Level 2 is the safety margin of the standard hospital microbiology lab, where clinicians test for routine diseases like chicken pox or staph infections.
> Level 3 spaces can handle infectious diseases spread by air, like influenza, bubonic plague or yellow fever â that have known cures.
> Level 4 units are for exotic agents that may or may not have cures available, or appear in highly concentrated or modified forms from a research institution.


 http://missoulian.com/news/local/st...cle_da521772-4839-11e4-b266-4342d105e33f.html


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

_Q: Can any U.S. hospital safely treat Ebola patients?

A: Frieden and other health officials say yes, but others say the new case shows the risks.

"We can't control where the Ebola patient appears," so every hospital's emergency room needs to be prepared to isolate and take infection control precautions, Maki said.

That said, "I don't think we should expect that small hospitals take care of Ebola patients. The challenge is formidable," and only large hospitals like those affiliated with major universities truly have enough equipment and manpower to do it right, Maki said.

"If we allow it to be taken care of in hospitals that have less than optimal resources, we will promote the spread," he warned._​
Here's the whoel article http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...CONTROL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

So if we only treat Ebola at University hospitals where does that leave all the rest of us? We're 5 hours from any University hospital. 

To the OP, I work in primary care. All the focus on identifying Ebola victims has been on ER's. So far nothing has come to us by the CDC or our local public health department. And I don't think there are any contingency plans if the isolation units are full. But if they can build Ebola Hospitals in Africa I suspect the military can build them here too.


----------



## Litlbits (Jan 6, 2014)

Biohazard labs where they work with viruses such as ebola, Marburg, etc are totally self contained units away from any and all other buildings. They are equipped with separate air and water supplies as well as separate decontamination processes for air and water. The people are in level 4 biohazard suits, the decontamination area has multiple wash down rooms and ultraviolet room and each person must go through EACH area before they are cleared of any contamination. There are multiple airlock chambers to go in and out of the building as well as within the building from one area to another. The hospital in Texas is not set up as a level 4, only a level 2. The breakdown in protocol is because level 2 is totally insufficient for containing and protecting from a level 4 virus ie; ebola. I don't believe the nurse or any other medical staff have a chance to avoid being contaminated. And the entire hospital is at risk because of shared air, heat, water supply. Will be interesting to see what the cdc has to say as to how the breakdown occurred. I obtained the above information from Wikipedia on biosafety levels.


----------



## KimTN (Jan 16, 2007)

Well, we already have one nurse that has Ebola. If this trend continues, you better bet that the medical staff will run for the door. I'm not nursing anymore and I would have fled already. This stuff is so bad, that one screw up will probably kill you. I have talked to other nurses, and they are totally nervous. I think that most medical staff would be willing to work if there was a measure of safety, such as a vaccine. But there is nothing. Only the big chance that you will die. Medical people have families and lives to live. They should not be asked to commit suicide if things get out of hand.


----------



## ronron (Feb 4, 2009)

I am the director of a larger childcare center we have about 150 on the enrollment, we are right down the street form the hospital and have many many medical professional children in our care... I will be very interested in seeing what happens if it ever comes to the area... I am guessing it will be a miracle if I don't get it.. Just wondering what day the physicians kids quit showing up at the center, that should be a good indicator of a problem..


----------



## Litlbits (Jan 6, 2014)

I have just read a day by day account of someone who had ebola and survived it in Nigeria. Her name is Dr. Ana Igonoh and she acquired it by touching an IV of Dr Patrick Sawyer, another doctor who died from it. It is a long read but I can assure you well worth your time. She tells of every single thing she went through and it is very hard to read it but I think necessary to understand exactly what ebola does to a person. We have been told very little by TPTB as to what you go through. Just type in Dr ANA IGONOH through the valley of the shadow of death. Let me say here that at the time she touched the IV Dr Sawyer had not yet been diagnosed with ebola, the medical staff thought it was malaria.

One of the major elements of her story is that she drank copious amounts of fluids continuously as she knew the depletion of fluids in her system would cause shock and death so she kept forcing herself to drink. Of course there were many other factors as well including prayer.

In researching the value of having a strong immune system if you get ebola it seems as though it is extremely beneficial. I know there has been some discussion on here that it is actually makes ebola worse but I am not finding that to be the case. 
I hope everyone reads her story of incredible courage and faith.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Just read from a link on another thread that there are ONLY 30 "beds" rated to be able to handle such as Ebola in the whole country. . . .WOW . . . . .

So that leaves the many very large horse bittles (that I can think of) here in Michigan mostly unrated . . . . . . . . . .

So I still haven't heard / seen about contingency plans for everybody else. . .?!?!

A major out break and we are in some Big Doo Doo.........


----------



## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

I work in a small rural hospital in a 4 bed ICU. We ship most all serious cases to a larger city close by, Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati or Ashland where there are specialists. While working the last 2 days, I asked nearly every RN i encountered, "are you coming to work if we are isolating ebola patients?" Most are young with young children at home, They mostly all looked at me with wide eyes and I saw the answer in their eyes, but only one bold nurse told me "absolutely not... my kids are much more important to me!" As I said in another post, the only way I am going in to work at the hospital will be to live there until the worst is over. I won't be going back home to my family. As an older nurse, with no small kids at home, I* might* chose to do it. Not certain yet. My contingency plan for EMP attack was to stay home and leave my job. How is this much different. I think if Ebola ever got to my little community, it is already past hunker-down time.


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Jim-mi said:


> Just read from a link on another thread that there are ONLY 30 "beds" rated to be able to handle such as Ebola in the whole country. . . .WOW . . . . .
> 
> So that leaves the many very large horse bittles (that I can think of) here in Michigan mostly unrated . . . . . . . . . .
> 
> ...


Now *THAT* I did not know! The hospital I worked at had a fine isolation ward, and I thought that most hospitals had it!


----------



## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

We know that a solution of bleach kills it. Is it possible that strong ultraviolet light will kill it and how long would it take ? I was just wondering if any experiments have been done? Also is the blood clotting because of dehydration? 

Are there any foods that would lessen the viral load?


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

I don't make enough money to die for taking care of anyone, many of my peers feel the same way, Right now no one in there right mind are going to risk life and family for you. And this is where the US will crumble.

I will not go to work if this (and it will) comes to my state, I'm not going to start an IV I'm not going to take your vitals , So I just need not to go to work, and that's why we see patients ALONE in Africa, as no one should be made subjected to these working conditions, no matter what you think your rights are, as RN's and CNA's have rights also.


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

[FONT=Verdana,Arial]http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014...n-on-protocol/

just a snipit of the link

[/FONT]The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Monday that other U.S. hospital workers may have Ebola after a Dallas nurse tested positive for the virus, as he vowed to "double down" on training for health care workers -- raising questions about whether he told the truth when he initially assured the public and Congress that U.S. hospitals are capable of treating Ebola patients. 
Thomas Frieden, at a press briefing on Monday, said the CDC would be taking a number of steps including offering more training and outreach throughout the health care system. He said they need to "rethink" their approach to the virus.


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Coco said:


> I don't make enough money to die for taking care of anyone, many of my peers feel the same way, Right now no one in there right mind are going to risk life and family for you. And this is where the US will crumble.
> 
> I will not go to work if this (and it will) comes to my state, I'm not going to start an IV I'm not going to take your vitals , So I just need not to go to work, and that's why we see patients ALONE in Africa, as no one should be made subjected to these working conditions, no matter what you think your rights are, as RN's and cna's have rights also.


Maybe you and your peers can continue to go to work and take care of all the other non-ebola patients. Those people will still need nursing care.


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Terri said:


> All hospitals know how to deal with the really nasty and contageous illnesses.


Story from Zero Hedge would seem to contradict that.....

*"A nurse in Dallas has caught Ebola even though she was wearing full protective gear.*
*The Centers for Disease Control says she must have broken protocol, or else she couldnât have caught it. Maybe she did â¦ or maybe CDC assumptions are overly-optimistic."*


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-...ht-ebola-because-cdc-protocols-are-inadequate


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Natural News just had a article about a super duper ultra violet robot ($100,000) that is reported to sanitize a room in just a couple minutes ............


----------



## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

I wonder if it would kill viruses exposed on a live person or a cadaver. If a live person would it damage their skin? I guess eyes would have to be protected.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

The way I read the article this robot is not something to be used on "people"......
Way too much power................


----------



## kycountry (Jan 26, 2012)

Jim-mi said:


> The way I read the article this robot is not something to be used on "people"......
> Way too much power................


Sounds like a Dodge commercial.... :gaptooth:


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

They call it the "Tan-Bot 2000".


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

SueMc said:


> Maybe you and your peers can continue to go to work and take care of all the otcher non-ebola patients. Those people will still need nursing care.


 we are leaving in droves, so we will no longer take care of anyone, as we don't receive the info as to who is infected with a ebola and who is infected with sheepism?? your new health care system is about to crap out before your ready for it so make a plan thanks Obama for the all the things you do


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

bourbonred said:


> I work in a small rural hospital in a 4 bed ICU. We ship most all serious cases to a larger city close by, Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati or Ashland where there are specialists. While working the last 2 days, I asked nearly every RN i encountered, "are you coming to work if we are isolating ebola patients?" Most are young with young children at home, They mostly all looked at me with wide eyes and I saw the answer in their eyes, but only one bold nurse told me "absolutely not... my kids are much more important to me!"  As I said in another post, the only way I am going in to work at the hospital will be to live there until the worst is over. I won't be going back home to my family. As an older nurse, with no small kids at home, I* might* chose to do it. Not certain yet. My contingency plan for EMP attack was to stay home and leave my job. How is this much different. I think if Ebola ever got to my little community, it is already past hunker-down time.


It is hunker down time, right now, US health care workers as in RN are now infected.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Coco said:


> It is hunker down time, right now, US health care workers as in RN are now infected.


Well, in Dallas, some health care workers got up, ate breakfast, kissed the kids on the head and sent them down to the bus stop and then trotted off to work ... not knowing that later that day an ebola patient would be wheeled past them.

Everyone (including myself) seems to be waiting for some sort of trigger event to tell us that it's time to hunker down and take precautions, when the reality is that everyone impacted so far didn't have a clue that it was coming.

That trigger event may come when you're standing in line at the checkout and some guy behind you suddenly vomits all over your kid and you turn around to see he's bleeding out the nose and eyes.

Or when you are in Walmart and you reach for the bathroom handle and discover you've just stuck your hand in someone's blood. 

Today I had contact with about 3 people outside my home total. And one of them sneezed. Heck, for all I know, that could have been the death sentence right there and my 21 day timer started ticking.


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Coco said:


> we are leaving in droves, so we will no longer take care of anyone, as we don't receive the info as to who is infected with a ebola and who is infected with sheepism?? your new health care system is about to crap out before your ready for it so make a plan thanks Obama for the all the things you do


That didn't take long to turn political.

I guess those "leaving in droves" are better to go. There's not much worse than being sick in the hospital and being "cared for" by someone who doesn't want to be there. 
All this talk about ebola is almost verbatim as it was in the early 80's when AIDS/HIV was hot and heavy in the news and just showing up in the hospitals. Healthcare workers and the public were scared then and are now. Thankfully, in my 40 years in the system, I've never seen anyone leave in droves over anything. If you want to be really afraid of something, worry about a little MRSA gone wild. It can kill you too and you're much more likely to contract it than ebola or AIDS.
There's still babies to be birthed and granny's hip fracture to be repaired.
Many patient's could be cared for in the home by the family but you're going to be out of luck getting that ruptured disc taken care of anywhere except in a surgery suite.
Thankfully there will still be staff willing to do what they were trained to do despite who is in the White House.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

SueMc said:


> That didn't take long to turn political.
> 
> I guess those "leaving in droves" are better to go. There's not much worse than being sick in the hospital and being "cared for" by someone who doesn't want to be there.
> All this talk about ebola is almost verbatim as it was in the early 80's when AIDS/HIV was hot and heavy in the news and just showing up in the hospitals. Healthcare workers and the public were scared then and are now. Thankfully, in my 40 years in the system, I've never seen anyone leave in droves over anything. If you want to be really afraid of something, worry about a little MRSA gone wild. It can kill you too and you're much more likely to contract it than ebola or AIDS.
> ...


Over the years I have met dozens of aspiring young healthcare professionals ... and the one standard thing each of them as always said when you ask them why they want to enter that profession?

_The money_.


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

Ernie, this is the big one, don't try to get to a hospital, if your sick, as my Dr I was working for just up and quit today, so tomorrow I quit also, I will not subject myself to death, I'm not a fear monger but ya all need to know the health care system in failing right now, as we don't want to be the next person to succumb to this PANDEMIC.


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

TnAndy said:


> Story from Zero Hedge would seem to contradict that.....
> 
> *"A nurse in Dallas has caught Ebola even though she was wearing full protective gear.*
> *The Centers for Disease Control says she must have broken protocol, or else she couldnât have caught it. Maybe she did â¦ or maybe CDC assumptions are overly-optimistic."*
> ...





SueMc said:


> That didn't take long to turn political.
> 
> I guess those "leaving in droves" are better to go. There's not much worse than being sick in the hospital and being "cared for" by someone who doesn't want to be there.
> All this talk about ebola is almost verbatim as it was in the early 80's when AIDS/HIV was hot and heavy in the news and just showing up in the hospitals. Healthcare workers and the public were scared then and are now. Thankfully, in my 40 years in the system, I've never seen anyone leave in droves over anything. If you want to be really afraid of something, worry about a little MRSA gone wild. It can kill you too and you're much more likely to contract it than ebola or AIDS.
> ...


Not long but true, what do you do for a living Sue??


----------



## Coco (Jun 8, 2007)

here is the warning , no one will be on staff to care for you or your loved ones. This is the big KAHUNA , many are going to die and many will still act like the libs they are, and demand we take care of them. SUE you need to understand that if you get sick you will meet with a shortage of care, so get on and get prepared .
I'm sorry if I come across as a Conservative, and an ANTI abortion ,MOTHER in your eyes but do you know that if I choose my family over taking care of you? , I will be in trouble with our dear leader??? you are so wrong in your thinking


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Some people obviously chose the wrong career path. We'll be there. 

_MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) -- Health workers reported for duty at Liberia's hospitals on Monday, largely defying calls for a strike that could have further hampered the country's ability to respond to the worst Ebola outbreak in history._

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_EBOLA_WEST_AFRICA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Coco said:


> but do you know that if I choose my family over taking care of you? ,


Yet if you or your family ends up in a hospital for any reason you would be cared for. The nurses I work with would care for your child as they would their own. As I said earlier though, those who don't want to work in the field are better off to find something they want to do--and that's OK. 
A healthcare worker using the the possibility of contracting an illness as an excuse to quit their job just sounds like someone who is looking for an excuse to quit their job. 
For sure, sick people don't need someone at their bedside who doesn't want to be there.


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

A living, breathing, walking sabotage to any job, no matter how humble.


----------



## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Jim-mi said:


> Natural News just had a article about a super duper ultra violet robot ($100,000) that is reported to sanitize a room in just a couple minutes ............


One of the hospitals near me was using one of those for the last year to help reduce the C-dif. It's also the hospital with the lowest incidence of C-dif and MRSA in our area. 

It's a cool machine and I think one that's worth the investment.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Coco's statements are realistic and full of self-knowledge. 

A lot of people here have stated that they'd go into isolation and wouldn't show up to work. Not just healthcare workers. That number includes cops, IT workers, sandwich makers, and the people who take out your trash.

The thought that you'll stay home and stay safe while everyone else goes to work and keeps the infrastructure up and Netflix flowing is foolish.


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Ernie said:


> Over the years I have met dozens of aspiring young healthcare professionals ... and the one standard thing each of them as always said when you ask them why they want to enter that profession?
> 
> _The money_.


That may be but when they're wiping behinds during near constant diarrhea episodes they're sure not staying for just the money.
Except for MDs, anesthetists and a few other specialty areas, those who you describe are delusional if they think the money will be exceptional.


----------



## AprilM (Jul 23, 2008)

So what will be the breaking point for people to quarantine? I hear people say they will but when I ask them what will be the point they self-quarantine, no one has an answer.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

AprilM said:


> So what will be the breaking point for people to quarantine? I hear people say they will but when I ask them what will be the point they self-quarantine, no one has an answer.


I keep redrawing the line. First it was when ebola came to the continent, then it was when it came to my state. Then when it came to someplace near me.


----------



## AprilM (Jul 23, 2008)

Ernie said:


> I keep redrawing the line. First it was when ebola came to the continent, then it was when it came to my state. Then when it came to someplace near me.


I think you are in good company. I think lots of people keep changing their minds. I would hate to wait to long and always wonder "what if."


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

AprilM said:


> I think you are in good company. I think lots of people keep changing their minds. I would hate to wait to long and always wonder "what if."


Probably won't wonder that for too long. About 21 days, from what I hear.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

So the contingency plans I'm looking for also need to consider the many many workers who keep the infrastructure up and going. . . . .

Interesting to read the pro and con posts of mostly nurses . . . . .
How can you blame someone who has preservation of self and family from withdrawing .?

And as the line gets closer to your own front door . . . how many ideas are going to radically change . . . . ????


----------



## KimTN (Jan 16, 2007)

Well, I worked the aids/HIV wards when not many nurses would. I also worked the isolation wards with the drug resistant TB. I have worked with other very nasty bugs. I was not afraid because I could use my personal protective gear and knew that I would be safe. I am afraid of Ebola. Medical people have been infected while wearing their gear. The CDC can only speculate how they became infected. I have not heard of medical people being infected with any other bug when they were wearing their PPDs. This leads me to believe that we don't know very much about this virus, and until we know, medical people are in danger.


----------



## MamaTrip (Aug 3, 2013)

21 days isolation after potential exposure.......
But if your neighbor comes down with the bug.......and then 2 weeks later, another of his family ........ And then 2 weeks later a different neighborhood family.......... And so on and so on ........

How long might we need to stay in isolation to protect ourselves?

It could go on for many, many months (years) before it was safe to come out of your safe place.

And because not everyone in my family shares my concerns, nor pays attention to the details required to avoid exposure, I highly doubt my household will have a chance.

Prayer is going to be my most reliable prep.......


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

MamaTrip said:


> 21 days isolation after potential exposure.......
> But if your neighbor comes down with the bug.......and then 2 weeks later, another of his family ........ And then 2 weeks later a different neighborhood family.......... And so on and so on ........
> 
> How long might we need to stay in isolation to protect ourselves?
> ...


I have broken it into three stages of "isolation" here. Of course this is untested and may not work at all, but I'll share:

Stage 1: Limited travel to and from the remote grocery store. Only one person goes, wears coveralls and gloves, does not touch anyone from the outside. All goods are left outside to sit in the sun for a brief period of time and foods are cooked thoroughly.

Stage 2: Only absolute needful travel and only to acquire larger stockpiles that should last a minimum of 1 month between trips.

Stage 3: Absolutely no contact with the outside world for as long as necessary.


----------



## notwyse (Feb 16, 2014)

I also am frightened of Ebola. Twenty years nursing. Er, flight, eicu. And I can tell you that if the doctors without borders are contacting this disease caring for known Ebola patients using correct gear and correct precautions it is a serious problem indeed. The policies in my last hospital put both patients and staff at risk daily. Would I report to work with a known deadly disease where one screw up might mean death?


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

notwyse said:


> Would I report to work with a known deadly disease where one screw up might mean death?


You probably do every day as a nurse. In the medical field, you're never more than one needle stick away from death.

Most of us work with something dangerous every day that can remove a finger, arm, leg, or kill us.

But the difference is in being the one with the full control over the policies, procedures, and situation.

Ebola kind of takes some of that out of your hands.


----------



## KimTN (Jan 16, 2007)

When a non medical person works with something dangerous, it usually doesn't go home and kill your family and friends as well. That's my big worry. The nurses and doctors run a risk of killing their own families.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

KimTN said:


> When a non medical person works with something dangerous, it usually doesn't go home and kill your family and friends as well. That's my big worry. The nurses and doctors run a risk of killing their own families.


Well, that is entirely true. I suppose doctors and nurses will have to evaluate the risks for themselves, as well as search their hearts and decide what they really want to do.


----------



## notwyse (Feb 16, 2014)

Most of us in the field don't do it for the money. It is hard to pay a person enough to comfort a parent who's baby just drowned. Or push pus from a mrsa abscess. Or clean liquid poop from the body of an aids patient who simply is not strong enough to do it themselves. We do it because we can. And most can't. But this is a bit different. Sixteen team members from doctors without borders are dead.


----------



## CraftyLady (Jul 18, 2014)

notwyse said:


> Most of us in the field don't do it for the money. It is hard to pay a person enough to comfort a parent who's baby just drowned. Or push pus from a mrsa abscess. Or clean liquid poop from the body of an aids patient who simply is not strong enough to do it themselves. We do it because we can. And most can't. But this is a bit different. Sixteen team members from doctors without borders are dead.


Such very sad news. And yet, I'm sure they all talked about the possibility. Drs. , nurses, medical staff and staff get my highest admiration. 

They are on the front lines everyday. These Drs. who died treating patients - well, there are no words for the sacrifice they have made. 
May their transitions be easy and may God hold them in his loving hands.


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

An article I'm reading from USA today says 240 health care workers have been infected and
120 have died.



This just a nasty disease. I don't blame any Dr or health care professionals for bugging out, laying low, or quitting altogether.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/26/ebola-kills-medical-workers-who/14610437/

Eta, I noticed the date of the article is August 26, so it may actually be a higher number now.


----------



## Lonesomelov (Jul 14, 2009)

There are five different strains of Ebola....has anyone mentioned which one we are dealing with?


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Lonesomelov said:


> There are five different strains of Ebola....has anyone mentioned which one we are dealing with?


They did. I'd have to look for it again because I don't remember which one it is.


----------



## txtransplant (Oct 15, 2014)

I live 40 or so miles from dallas and work in arlington which 25 miles I think. I work with folks that go to doctors at that hospital and people are alarmed here. We are starting to see people going about their day in a mask gloves long sleeves and long pants. I dont think it is all hysteria on their part but just not knowing who is safe. I even heard talk today about how people want the 2nd nurse prosecuted for getting on those planes or just shot. The cdc is not helping saying oh yeah we meesed up not sending a team to help out. A patient in africa bit a caregiver and escaped over a wall and the caregiver died. Kind of surreal really.


----------



## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I think I read this strain of Ebola is Zaire? 

I'm a retired RN as well, and I worked for years with MRSA, VRE, TB, HIV/Aids, Hep C, and anything else that will put you in isolation of some sort. I know how easy it is to contaminate yourself taking off standard PPE. I can't imagine trying to maintain total 100% safety in the gear for Ebola, providing you can even GET the proper hazmat gear for it. The nurses that have come down with Ebola in Dallas had exposed skin at the neck, from what I'm hearing in various reports. Even the CDC site is showing less than total protective gear even as they are now saying head to toe protection is necessary.

Will I answer the call if asked to help? I honestly don't know. I always thought I would, but now that it is becoming a possibility? I can't say for sure that I would.


----------



## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I'm retired as well and I won't help. I'm not taking Ebola home, and I don't do stupid well. Expecting nurses and other medical personal to risk their lives, when those in charge have no idea what to do, and don't seem to be taking minimal precautions until they are sure it is Ebola instead of assuming it is Ebola until it is proven not to be, is not something I'm going to be a part of.


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/u...-poor-hospital-training-experts-say.html?_r=0

Good article in the NYT this morning. Also outlines the Doctors Without Borders procedures which go far beyond what the CDC has recommended and work. A few good home ideas if you had the supplies, like plastic sheeting with a drainage hole that drains into a bucket for diarrhea.


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Vosey said:


> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/u...-poor-hospital-training-experts-say.html?_r=0
> 
> Good article in the NYT this morning. Also outlines the Doctors Without Borders procedures which go far beyond what the CDC has recommended and work. A few good home ideas if you had the supplies, like plastic sheeting with a drainage hole that drains into a bucket for diarrhea.


CDC recommendations for health care workers are mask, gown, gloves, and goggles or mask. Except for the mask or goggles, these recommendations are no different than protection used against *any* hospital isolation case.
I am mystified why we see people in full hazmat suits, hoods and respirators when working with the disease on TV reports, but not in the hospitals. I bet they are sprayed down with some sort of decontaminant before taking those suits off too.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Just read that Dr. Frieden has said that almost "any" hospitable can handle Ebola patients . . . WOW

Medical folks any comments on that wacky statement.......


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Jim-mi said:


> Just read that Dr. Frieden has said that almost "any" hospitable can handle Ebola patients . . . WOW
> 
> Medical folks any comments on that wacky statement.......


Having a college degree doesn't necessarily make you smart!

I think that PR and keeping panic down is a huge thing right now along with dealing with a deadly disease. Think of all the industries that are being affected negatively. People will be afraid to go the hospitals, fly on planes, go on vacation, cruise ships or anywhere large numbers of people congregate. I hope the economy doesn't tank before the powers to be figure out how to handle/cure the disease.

Saying that almost any hospital can handle ebola sounds like he's attempting to downplay the severity of the threat.


----------



## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

SueMc said:


> Having a college degree doesn't necessarily make you smart!


Some folks are educated *far beyond* their own intelligence.


----------



## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Possum Belly said:


> Some folks are educated *far beyond* their own intelligence.


I like that! I'll save it for future use, with your permission of course.


----------



## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

Possum Belly said:


> Some folks are educated, *far beyond* their own intelligence.


I also like.......some people are educated, far beyond their brain capacity. 



SueMc said:


> I like that! I'll save it for future use, with your permission of course.


Of course, but it was not mine. I heard a guy say it years ago and always think about when I come in contact with some people. 

It is true though. You know some people just like that. I'm sure most do.


----------



## Mrs Katzenchix (Aug 19, 2005)

Ernie said:


> I have broken it into three stages of "isolation" here. Of course this is untested and may not work at all, but I'll share:
> 
> Stage 1: Limited travel to and from the remote grocery store. Only one person goes, wears coveralls and gloves, does not touch anyone from the outside. All goods are left outside to sit in the sun for a brief period of time and foods are cooked thoroughly.
> 
> ...


Ernie, how would you define stage 1, 2 & 3? When it reaches your state? When you know someone who has it? Just wondering. I think the government has consistently been more afraid of people over-reacting than of the virus itself. :runforhills: 
I like your stages plan. For me, I think stage one would be if ebola reaches my state. Stage 2 when there are 10-20 cases in my state. Stage 3 when ebola is increasing or there are cases in my neighborhood. Of course this is all subject to change and my own paranoia


----------



## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

Sanjay Gupta did a demonstration of how a health worker can be contaminated even when using full protective gear.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/sanja...-140200046.html;_ylt=A0LEVzy06D9U.ZwAQAlXNyoA


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Mrs Katzenchix said:


> Ernie, how would you define stage 1, 2 & 3? When it reaches your state? When you know someone who has it? Just wondering. I think the government has consistently been more afraid of people over-reacting than of the virus itself. :runforhills:
> I like your stages plan. For me, I think stage one would be if ebola reaches my state. Stage 2 when there are 10-20 cases in my state. Stage 3 when ebola is increasing or there are cases in my neighborhood. Of course this is all subject to change and my own paranoia


You're talking about trigger events which would cause a household to enact one stage or the other.

That I don't know. Different households have different needs. No mortgage, no bills means a lot of lead-way. So does no kids in school.

There will be some who have to go out into the world even if the plague gets really bad.


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Possum Belly said:


> I also like.......some people are educated, far beyond their brain capacity.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Book smart and street dumb is what my Grand PA always said.


----------



## Forest (Oct 14, 2010)

Lonesomelov said:


> There are five different strains of Ebola....has anyone mentioned which one we are dealing with?


Zaire.


----------



## Forest (Oct 14, 2010)

Jim-mi said:


> Just read that Dr. Frieden has said that almost "any" hospitable can handle Ebola patients . . . WOW
> 
> Medical folks any comments on that wacky statement.......



This one really made me grind my teeth.

It is hard not to make comments in response to that statement above that would further undermine the authority of the CDC beyond the damage that has already been done. 

I appreciate his general idea of not wanting to cause or further existing panic. Panic does not help. But, really... ???


----------



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

vicker said:


> Some people obviously chose the wrong career path. We'll be there.
> 
> _MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) -- Health workers reported for duty at Liberia's hospitals on Monday, largely defying calls for a strike that could have further hampered the country's ability to respond to the worst Ebola outbreak in history._
> 
> http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_EBOLA_WEST_AFRICA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT



Are you a student nurse, as it says in your profile? Do you have any actual hospital when things are nasty experience yet?


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Angie, I am but a Med Tech at this time and have experience with body fluids and nasties, but nothing like what it would be like caring for an ebola patient. I don't think I would quit over it though, as this is what I really enjoy doing, and want to do with my life and my long term goal for the last four years had been to end up with DWBs. However, I am in a unique position to do it, no family, no responsibilities to anyone but my job, and so on, and should never have judged anyone who doesn't want to do it, for whatever their reasons. I wanted to delete a couple of those posts, but then it was too late. I should have kept my mouth shut :ashamed:


----------



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Thanks Vicker. It changes when you have children that depend on you and you'd give your life to protect as much as possible.

Each person's line in the sand is at a different place. I just feel very badly for those that work and have inadequate tools to stay safe while helping those that are ill. With any illness.

And there is another nurse in another forum, talking about not having full covering clothing to handle this illness.


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

It has been very shocking to me as we begin to hear just how badly that handling of Mr. Duncan was bungled. At first I thought the nurses were foolish to think they were well enough protected but, they knew the equipment was inadequate and did the best they could with what they had.


----------



## Litlbits (Jan 6, 2014)

Don't feel bad, Vicker. We all get that way on occasion. By the way, what is a DWBs?? Can usually figure out but not this time. You are a compassionate, giving person I can tell and if this is what truly fulfills you that is awesome!


----------

