What will Peruvian nurses do when the first case of Ebola is diagnosed in Peru? Both EsSalud and MINSA hospitals are understaffed and inadequately prepared to manage this crisis. On normal days in EsSalud and MINSA hospitals, patients are packed into the Emergency Departments like a parking lot for people, or sardines in a can. And, there are no isolation facilities, there not adequate protective equipment for nurses, and there is a lack of human and financial resources to deal with an Ebola case. Before there is a case, Peruvian nurses need to consider the serious ethical issues they will face. The working conditions in the public health sector are already quite dangerous without the presence of a lethal contagious virus. How can Peruvian nurses be expected to care for patients in dangerous working conditions without protective equipment? Personally, when the first Ebola case is confirmed in Peru, I would advise nurses to careful consider if they should go to work. When a nurse decides to go to work in a MINSA or EsSalud hospital with a confirmed case of Ebola, I believe they have made a decision to be a martyr because they will most likely be exposed to the virus. And, staying home from work might be the best strategy for a Peruvian nurse to protect their young children from exposure. The National and Regional Colegios of Nursing need to begin planning about how they will advocate for safe working conditions for nurses before Ebola arrives in Peru. What is the strategy to protect nurses from exposure as they care for patients with Ebola? How will the Colegios participate in the process? What rights do nurses have to protect their families from harm if EsSalud and MINSA continue to make marketing campaigns promising they are prepared for the first Ebola case when in reality we know this is not the truth. There might be dangerous times approaching for Peruvian nurses. washingtonpost/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/10/07/after-nurse-contracts-ebola-spanish-health-workers-raise-concerns-about-protective-equipment/
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 21:06:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015