The House Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare conducts a hearing on Rhode Island’s preparedness to combat Ebola. Photo by Andrew Augustus, WPRO News.
Andrew Augustus, WPRO News
Weeks after a survey was released saying nurses didn’t feel prepared enough to treat someone with Ebola, the nurses say the state has made great strides in the past weeks to help them feel prepared.
“We have come from where we were a few weeks ago. We still have questions; the front line workers, their job is to take care of patients everyday but we are expecting the state and hospital will provide safe environments,” said President of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals Linda McDonald.
During a hearing of The House Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), Dr. Michael Fine, nursing representatives, and representatives of the medical field brief the committee on the steps the state has taken to prepare for Ebola.
Chairman Joseph McNamara says the report he was given by Dr. Fine had no surprises.
“The state of the Rhode Island is prepared if an Ebola case presents itself,” said McNamara.
The report covers everything from dispatchers asking questions when calls comes in, to separate rooms for patients, and even what would happen if someone were to die from Ebola.
There have been no reported cases of Ebola in Rhode Island, but there is a large Liberian population in the state.
