Hospitals aren’t ready for Ebola: B.C., Ottawa nurses
Nurses in Ottawa and Vancouver say that the hospitals they work in aren’t ready to deal with a case of Ebola.
Some nurses who dealt with a suspected Ebola case at The Ottawa Hospital’s General Campus over the Thanksgiving weekend have described the experience as a “nightmare,” citing concerns about a lack of training and inadequate equipment.
Among other things, nurses were given protective equipment that left their necks and wrists exposed, in some cases, to potential infection, said Frances Smith, president of local 83 of the Ontario Nurses Association.
Had the patient — who was found Monday night to not have the virus — instead tested positive: “We would have had a lot of really frightened people,” Smith said. “The consistent message I received was they didn’t feel that they were ready for this at all.”
Similar concerns regarding readiness were raised Thursday by B.C. Nurses’ Union president Gayle Duteil.
“We’re very saddened about what’s going on in Texas because nurses stick together and our hearts go out to them. But nurses here have been expressing strong concerns about the lack of preparedness in B.C.,” Duteil said.
“When the nurses of this province are jumping up and down asking for a respirator mask, an M-95, instead of the surgical mask you see people wearing on the streets of Vancouver, then there’s a problem.
“Every possible piece of protective equipment must be provided to nurses caring for these patients. It’s time for the health authorities to step up to the plate and look after nurses.”
The concerns were raised as local, provincial and federal officials ramp up readiness for Ebola in Canada.
Dr. Patricia Daly, the chief medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health, said protective equipment supplied to nurses here followed the guidelines of the Public Health Agency of Canada, which does not mandate a full protective suit for dealing with highly infectious patients.
“Our guidelines describe a head cover, mask, a full face shield, a gown designed so splashes of body fluid won’t soak through, and footwear that covers the legs,” Daly said.
“We know the virus is transmitted through blood or body fluid, so it’s about preventing contact with the mucus membranes — the eyes, nose and mouth — or non-intact skin (of a nurse).
“I’m confident that we have the infection controls and equipment in place in the unlikely event we see Ebola.”
Daly said that local health authorities “have no idea if exposure of the neck has caused a problem but, of course, we will look at any lessons learned in Dallas, and if we have to adjust we will. We are following the investigation very closely, but right now our focus is to make sure our staff are trained and feel confident if they see a case in Canada.”
Smith, meanwhile, called Monday’s experience “a wake-up call to everybody to look at what our processes are like and what the real concerns are for frontline staff.”
The hospital, according to Smith, has been doing hands-on training this week and is looking at solutions for the equipment issues.
The hospital said in a statement it has already provided staff with thicker gloves that cover wrists and is getting hoods that fully cover the head and neck for extra protection.