In rare likelihood, SWMC preparing for Ebola
Southwest Regional Medical Center employees practice the proper use of putting on and removing personal protective equipment with emergency preparedness coach, Eric Poach, CEO of Poach and Associates.
Registered nurse Sondra Lemley performs a drill to prepare in the event someone would present to SRMC with Ebola-like symptoms and risk factors.
WAYNESBURG – Southwest Regional Medical Center commonly prepares for potential emergencies and occurrences, which are outside the norm. Each year, employees receive disaster preparedness training, safety training and other training, as needed, based on the needs of the community.
In response to the Ebola diagnosis recently made in the United States, SRMC is currently in the process of making sure employees are properly trained in the event someone presents to the emergency room with Ebola-like symptoms.
The training was designed to prepare those who are at greatest risk of potentially coming into contact with a symptomatic patient. During the training, emergency department, environmental services and other staff members learned to properly put on and remove personal protective equipment. Coaches were present to ensure proper technique.
“While it seems unlikely that we would have a case, we are working very hard to make sure we have a safe environment for our employees, physicians and patients,” said Deanna Cunningham, chief quality officer.
“In addition to the training, we will be conducting a preparedness exercise to test our systems and processes related to diagnosing and safely screening potential Ebola patients and will continue to have ongoing training and education as appropriate.”
SRMC is now screening all incoming inpatients and outpatients who present with any of the Ebola symptoms and have traveled to West Africa in the past 30 days. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, aches, headaches and sore throat.
Additionally, SRMC is in regular communication with all appropriate local, regional, and national organizations to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information and resources needed to manage the situation. In the event that a patient would present to SRMC, the facility would immediately notify the CDC and appropriate public health departments to receive their further instructions.