Ebola Update.

Date Created:Fri, October 10, 2014

Nurses, as patient safety advocates have an opportunity to guide patients, families and their team members as information becomes available regarding the recent confirmed Ebola case in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
We want to remind all nurses as members of the profession, the standards of nursing practice apply to your leadership efforts in preparing and managing for Ebola in Texas. These standards will direct you in protecting your patients and your practice. First and foremost, we must inform and educate ourselves about the Ebola virus and how to prevent transmission. Only after we are informed may we educate our patients. In the assignments we have accepted, we have a duty to provide nursing care without discrimination regardless of age, disability, economic status, gender, national origin, race, religion, health problems or sexual orientation to our patients while ensuring their health information remains private and protected.
As members of the healthcare team, nurses are integral in communicating and collaborating with patients, families and the interdisciplinary team to assist in the planning delivery and coordination of patient-centered care. ,
Several agencies and organizations have dedicated their efforts to provide updated information to help us stay informed. Some of these include:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention       
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services               
http://www.hhs.gov/

Texas Department of State Health Services        
https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/default.shtm  

Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response
http://governor.state.tx.us/highlight/ebola-update/

Texas Nurses Association                                            
https://texasnurses.site-ym.com/news/196161/Ebola-Update-Comment-on-EHR-Use.htm

American Nurses Association                                                                           http://www.nursingworld.org/HomepageCategory/NursingInsider/Ebola-Update-and-Resources.html

American Organization of Nurse Executives        
http://www.aone.org/

National Association of School Nurses