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In light of the threat of Ebola virus disease, it is important to emphasize the use of proper precautions for infection control in health care settings. The routes of Ebola virus transmission include direct contact with an affected person's body fluids and indirect contact by means of contaminated instruments or supplies.1 Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used when there is a risk of exposure to infectious material. PPE is designed to protect the skin and mucous membranes from exposure to pathogens.

• Repetitive training and demonstrated competency in putting on and removing PPE ensure proficiency in the use of the equipment.

• A trained observer should always be present when a health care worker is putting on or removing PPE, to identify and immediately address any breaches in protocol. The use of a checklist is recommended to document the correct sequence of steps in putting on or taking off PPE.2

by Linda Haslam-Stroud (Show all posts by Linda Haslam-Stroud) November 3, 2014

Ontario registered nurses have a limited right to refuse unsafe work under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Still, the question remains: will nurses refuse to care for Ebola patients should we ever be faced with that scenario? As President of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), the largest nurses’ union in Canada, I can unreservedly state that nurses will be there to care for Ebola patients – with the appropriate protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE), training, testing and drilling in place. It’s our job. When the spectre of Ebola in North America first appeared, the news for nurses was very discouraging. Two nurses quickly contracted the virus despite using personal protective equipment and care protocols that followed those directed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). As we now know, the CDC’s directed protocols and protective equipment – which left the skin on the nurses’ necks exposed – was inadequate.

WHO training on personal protective equipment (PPE) that was delivered by WHO. Photo courtesy of WHO/M.A. Heine   The World Health Organization (WHO) is publishing a series, "Ebola Diaries," with first-person accounts of WHO staff and others deployed to the field for Ebola response since the first cases were reported in West Africa on March 23, 2014.    Dr. Cota Vallenas talks about her experiences in the early days of the Ebola outbreak as an expert in infection prevention and control. She reminds us that healthcare workers are among the most vulnerable and a cultural change is needed around self-protection to ensure these frontline workers don’t become infected.