Nursing Students Learn Lessons At The Height Of The Ebola Scare
Miami Dade College’s Benjamín León School of Nursing Chairperson Therese Ditto understands that nurses have been on the front lines of the Ebola crisis.
They are trained to heal the sick but they are also at risk of exposure while performing their duties. She believes her students are prepared to handle the Ebola virus and other viruses due to the extensive training they receive in the classroom.
“In the first semester, their fundamental courses, they are exposed to principles of isolation for people who have different diseases,” Ditto said.
In a recent report from the World Health Organization, more than 15,900 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been confirmed along with 5,689 deaths caused by the virus which have affected more than six countries with Liberia having the highest numbers. Western Africa has been the epicenter of the virus. Liberia has had more than 10,000 cases of Ebola, with 3,016 of them ending in death. Sierra Leone has had 6,599 cases with 1,398 deaths. WHO’s reports predicts an increase of numbers in Sierra Leone.
In the United States there have been four cases of EVD and only one death so far. There have been no cases in Florida.
On November 10, Dr. Ray E. Moseley, associate professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine and the first president of the Florida Bioethics Network spoke at North Campus on a panel on The Ethical Challenges of the Ebola Crisis as part of the Benjamín León Nursing School Speaker series.
Mosely put Ebola into the context of contagious disease.
“We are entering flu season,” Mosely told the group. “There are an estimated 1.6 million people who will die worldwide of HIV. Bird flu, H1N5, is only two mutations from being airborne.”
For June St. Peter, a 24-year-old first year nursing student at the Medical Campus, the panel was engaging and useful because it brought speakers with expertise to discuss topic of interest.
“It’s great for students, but it would be even better if it was more in the community,” said St. Peter.
During their last semesters of study, nursing students typically take a community assessment class where they interact with the surrounding populations. During this class, students are put to the task of informing and teaching members of the population about the benefits of good eating habits, hygiene and doctors visitations said Ditto.
Ditto said students in the nursing program are getting a very sophisticated training that will prepare them to handle situation such as the isolation of patients, prevention of exposures, diagnosing of symptoms and other vital skills.
