By Stephanie Fasano
Ebola fears are calming in the United States but Quinnipiac University wants to have plans in place incase of a possible case. The Health Science program held an information session on Wednesday, Oct. 22for all nursing, medical and health science students.
“I decided to pull my leadership together, in nursing, to decided what kind of policies do we want to set for students and facilities who are in the clinical areas and how we might respond,” Dr. Jean Lange, Dean of Nursing, said.
Just days before a patient was admitted to Yale-New Haven hospital with Ebola-like symptoms, Quinnipiac was preparing this workshop for students to learn more about disease control.
Nicholas R. Nicholson, Assistant Professor of Nursing, believes that learning basic standards like putting on gloves and gowns properly is crucial.
“We’re trying to emphasize its not the same level of precautions you would use for Ebola until we have that confirmed case or suspected case this is what we use. And by using the basic, standard precautions were it’s going to prevent a lot of the problems later done the line,” said Nicholson.
There were educational videos, lectures and practice sessions to deliver accurate information and prevent fear.
“One of the worst things that can come from one of these types of out breaks in my experience is the fear of the unknown. You’re concerned about things and having unrealistic fears. I think that’s one of the things were really trying to do is educate the students, educate the staff,” said Nicholson.
