California has implemented some of the strongest regulations in order to protect the nurses, doctors and other health workers that are treating the Ebola patients.
The new regulations require the 300 or so acute-care hospitals in the state to provide respirators, isolation rooms, hazardous material suits and training to those people working with patients suspected of having the deadly Ebola virus. The new regulations were announced by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Friday.
The new set of rules also demand hospitals to provide air-purifying respirators with full cowl or hood for any staff member or nurse taking care of an Ebola patient. It also requires training for anyone being at risk of exposure. The new regulations also give protection against employer retaliation for people who report violations of the new set of rules.
John Murray, spokesman for the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, said the UCI Medical Center gave 'intensive training' to members of the staff. About 450 people in the emergency and ambulatory departments have received training.
The regulations expand and clarify the guidelines launched in October. The nurses praised the new set of regulations as a model for the rest of the United States.
Spokesman for National Nurses United, Chuck Idelson said:
'The governor and OSHA have really inspired nurses with their dedication to this. They've shown an absolute commitment to protecting patients and nurses.'
The new regulations are more ample as the old ones put in practice by the Centers for Disease Control. California hospitals have until now followed the old ones.
'Hospitals will continue to work closely with Cal/OSHA officials as hands-on training sessions continue for those employees who are most likely to provide care to patients with Ebola,'
Spokeswoman for the California Hospital Association, Jan Emerson-Shea said.
Even though the virus continues to have a huge impact on West Africa, where over 5,100 people have died, in California there have been no cases of the deadly Ebola virus. One person in the United States has died.
The new set of regulations is a response to a worldwide protest by nurses demanding improvement in protection for the people treating patients of the West African virus.
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