Protecting RNs from a possible return of SARS: Is your facility ready?

New Jersey Nurse, Jan/Feb 2004 by Genovese, Mark

The hospital workplace-already fraught with potential hazards such as needlesticks, workplace violence, and contagion-became even more dangerous this summer when suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) began to appear in North America.

Fearing that SARS could return with the onset of flu season, several health care experts this fall have said that many hospitals aren't fully prepared to handle such an outbreak. Your hospital may think it's ready, but is it really?

The federal government is expected to release guidelines soon on how U.S. hospitals can prevent such an outbreak, including asking patients and hospital visitors to wear surgical masks, separating respiratory patients from others, posting notices at hospital entrances requiring people with respiratory symptoms to tell health officials, and asking people to wash hands and maintain respiratory etiquette-covering the nose or mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing.

But the same health care groups outside of the government, such as the Infectious Disease Society of America, have said the proposed measures will not be adequate. They pointed out that there is not yet an accurate test for diagnosing the disease.

Thomas Lowe, NYSNA occupational safety and health representative, said every facility-regardless of its size-must be prepared. "Emergency preparedness is a dynamic process that integrates the skills and responsibilities of nurses, management, union leaders, employee representatives, subject experts and community agencies," he said. "If we are to be truly ready for the next infectious disease outbreak, bioterrorism threat, natural or man-made disaster, we must have an effective and comprehensive emergency preparedness plan in place."