State of Maine, nurse who went to Africa at odds over Ebola!

[garyoak99]

Not long ago, Kaci Hickox was fighting Ebola in West Africa, doing what she could to treat those with the deadly disease. Now, she's in the middle of a different fight -- in the middle of Maine.

A Maine official said late Wednesday afternoon that the state is in the process of filing a court order to require Hickox to abide by a 21-day quarantine. This measure is meant to prevent her from spreading Ebola, given her hands-on role with the deadly virus.

In a written statement, Gov. Paul LePage said Hickox "has been unwilling to follow the protocols set forth by the Maine CDC and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control for medical workers who have been in contact with Ebola patients." The statement didn't say which protocols she was resisting but added LePage is seeking legal authority to enforce a quarantine.

And on Tuesday, state health commissioner Mary Mayhew said, "If an individual who came in direct contact with Ebola patients has returned to Maine and is not willing to avoid public contact and stay in their home voluntarily during the period they are at some risk, we will take additional measures and pursue appropriate authority to ensure they make no public contact."

Yet Hickox -- a Doctors Without Borders volunteer in Sierra Leone who has twice tested negative for Ebola -- isn't ready to stay put.

'I remain appalled by these home quarantine policies'

"I don't plan on sticking to the guidelines," she said Wednesday on NBC's "Today" show, referring to Maine' officials' plan for her to remain quarantined at home through November 10. "I remain appalled by these home quarantine policies that have been forced upon me."

One of Hickox's lawyers, Norm Siegel, told NBC's Matt Lauer state officials had until Thursday to adjust their approach, and if they tried to physically apprehend Hickox, her legal team would take the matter to court.

State of Maine, nurse who went to Africa at odds over Ebola quarantine

[Mei tsuki7]

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

[Vestri Umbra]

Meh. All Drs who have spoken out so far seem to confirm that if she's asymptomatic at this point, she's ok.

If she were showing signs though then I think that a 21 day quarantine wouldn't be so terrible an idea.

[Honey of the South]

Mei tsuki7

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

Depends, which idiots are you referring to?

[Patton]

First Doctor Nancy Snyderman shows utter disregard for her own quarantine, then Doctor Craig Spencer's bald faced lies about his travels, and now this nurse showing open contempt for her fellow citizens both in New Jersey and Maine...one wonders why so many across the country are not sure if they can trust these people. I almost look forward to the first time the management of a restaurant full of families refuses Ms. Hickox service and she sues them too. A little social pariah treatment of people like Ms. Hickox might be in order.

The one good bit of news coming out of this Ebola nonsense is that state governments are finally getting fed up with the White House-CDC official line on this issue. Even my state of California is willing to back up a quarantine policy with misdemeanor charges for violators. If medical health workers like Snyderman, Spencer, and Hickox are going to continue to show such a lack of respect for their fellow citizens, then maybe the states should start doing what D.C. refuses to do...act like a government for all the people.

[Moral Gutpunch]

Mei tsuki7

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

Why not just blame bad hygiene?

[Nyadriel]

Moral Gutpunch

Mei tsuki7

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

Why not just blame bad hygiene?

UHG! You bring that argument up again. This after I argued with someone about washing their hands. And ya know, not all nurses and doctors will even wash their hands between patients. Just saying.

Edit: and on topic:
Kaci Hickox has done it. She broke the quarantine and went on a bicycle ride with boyfriend. Police are now seeking help from a judge.
This was just on the news just now before me posting this on CBS Affiliate, WFSB.

[Moral Gutpunch]

Nyadriel

Moral Gutpunch

Mei tsuki7

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

Why not just blame bad hygiene?

UHG! You bring that argument up again. This after I argued with someone about washing their hands. And ya know, not all nurses and doctors will even wash their hands between patients. Just saying.

Edit: and on topic:
Kaci Hickox has done it. She broke the quarantine and went on a bicycle ride with boyfriend. Police are now seeking help from a judge.
This was just on the news just now before me posting this on CBS Affiliate, WFSB.

I thought it was standard procedure to wash hands before and after treating patients. neutral

It looks like the list of non-stupid things done about ebola is a lot shorter than the list of stupid ones.

[Nyadriel]

Moral Gutpunch

Nyadriel

Moral Gutpunch

Mei tsuki7

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

Why not just blame bad hygiene?

UHG! You bring that argument up again. This after I argued with someone about washing their hands. And ya know, not all nurses and doctors will even wash their hands between patients. Just saying.

Edit: and on topic:
Kaci Hickox has done it. She broke the quarantine and went on a bicycle ride with boyfriend. Police are now seeking help from a judge.
This was just on the news just now before me posting this on CBS Affiliate, WFSB.

I thought it was standard procedure to wash hands before and after treating patients. neutral

It looks like the list of non-stupid things done about ebola is a lot shorter than the list of stupid ones.

It is standard procedure. Just a lot of them don't follow it. Even at a doctor's office. Ya gotta watch out.
Some doctors (in their offices and in hospitals) will also wear gloves which they throw away after dealing with a patient before going to the next one.

[Moral Gutpunch]

Nyadriel

It is standard procedure. Just a lot of them don't follow it. Even at a doctor's office. Ya gotta watch out.

And doctors wonder why there's a climbing trend of people not trusting them... rolleyes

To think that I was more angry at the parents who let their kid wander off and mess with a fruitbat instead.

[Keltoi Samurai]

Moral Gutpunch

Nyadriel

Moral Gutpunch

Mei tsuki7

If we end up with a large outbreak in the US can we blame these idiots?

Why not just blame bad hygiene?

UHG! You bring that argument up again. This after I argued with someone about washing their hands. And ya know, not all nurses and doctors will even wash their hands between patients. Just saying.

Edit: and on topic:
Kaci Hickox has done it. She broke the quarantine and went on a bicycle ride with boyfriend. Police are now seeking help from a judge.
This was just on the news just now before me posting this on CBS Affiliate, WFSB.

I thought it was standard procedure to wash hands before and after treating patients. neutral

It looks like the list of non-stupid things done about ebola is a lot shorter than the list of stupid ones.

Getting doctors and nurses to wash their hands between patients ( or indeed at all ) has been an uphill battle for centuries.

In centuries passed, the belief was that a doctor was a gentleman, and a gentleman's hands were never dirty, so it was a societal thing. In more modern times . . . I dunno. Laziness?


http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/501888
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis#Efforts_to_reduce_childbed_fever
http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/hospital-acquired-infections-faq.aspx
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/getting-doctors-to-wash-their-hands/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/7/2/70-0234_article

[Moral Gutpunch]

Keltoi Samurai

In centuries passed, the belief was that a doctor was a gentleman, and a gentleman's hands were never dirty, so it was a societal thing. In more modern times . . . I dunno. Laziness?

Going from what I've heard from modern nurses, either laziness or being run into the ground mentally (one of the highest occupational turnovers last I checked).

[Keltoi Samurai]

Moral Gutpunch

Keltoi Samurai

In centuries passed, the belief was that a doctor was a gentleman, and a gentleman's hands were never dirty, so it was a societal thing. In more modern times . . . I dunno. Laziness?

Going from what I've heard from modern nurses, either laziness or being run into the ground mentally (one of the highest occupational turnovers last I checked).

True, it's hard to give a s**t when you're overworked, understaffed, considered the absolute bottom of the totem pole and the doctors are throwing you under the bus to cover their own asses while the patients blame you for everything by virtue of you're the highest ranked person they're actually gonna see the whole time they're in the hospital.

Being a nurse anymore means all the hard work and sacrifice of being a doctor combined with all the prestige of being a doctor's whipping boy. Also, all the occupational responsibilities of both.

[Nyadriel]

Keltoi Samurai

Moral Gutpunch

Keltoi Samurai

In centuries passed, the belief was that a doctor was a gentleman, and a gentleman's hands were never dirty, so it was a societal thing. In more modern times . . . I dunno. Laziness?

Going from what I've heard from modern nurses, either laziness or being run into the ground mentally (one of the highest occupational turnovers last I checked).

True, it's hard to give a s**t when you're overworked, understaffed, considered the absolute bottom of the totem pole and the doctors are throwing you under the bus to cover their own asses while the patients blame you for everything by virtue of you're the highest ranked person they're actually gonna see the whole time they're in the hospital.

Being a nurse anymore means all the hard work and sacrifice of being a doctor combined with all the prestige of being a doctor's whipping boy. Also, all the occupational responsibilities of both.

Thing too is that the nurses are closer to a patient than the doctor (while in the hospital) and know when there is something that should be said about the patient's condition. I have heard complaints about doctors not listening to nurses (much less the patient if the doctor is in a hurry or something).

[Shama_okami]

Tested negative twice. Showing no symptoms. Should know more than enough to recognize the symptoms if she has any. I have no problem with her doing her own thing.