US nurses feel unprepared to treat Ebola: Survey

Washington, Oct 14 (IANS/EFE) At least three out of every four nurses in the US feel unprepared to adequately treat patients with the Ebola virus disease, according to a survey.

The survey released Monday and taken from a sample of 2,000 nurses belonging to the National Nurses United, the largest association of professionals in the sector in the US, found that 85 percent of respondents said their hospitals have not provided them with sufficient information to identify and interact with patients showing Ebola symptoms.

The first case of someone being infected inside the US is a 26-year-old nurse, Nina Pham, who attended Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person diagnosed with Ebola and who died last Wednesday.

According to the study, 75 percent of nurses said their hospitals have not informed them about the existence of any specific policy dealing with the admission of patients infected with the virus.

At the same time, 36 percent said there are not enough impermeable hazardous material (hazmat) suits of the kind required for medical personnel who come in contact with Ebola patients.

--IANS/EFE

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