Emergency Medicine Nurse Director Janet Gorman (at right) speaks with ED staff nurse Mary Lou Stock during an ED drill.

The safety of staff and patients is the highest priority in BWH’s ongoing Ebola preparedness efforts. For months, preparedness activities have been in place across our campus, incorporating the latest information and interventions based on the epidemiology of the Ebola virus disease and what we have learned from other hospitals that have cared for Ebola patients. More than 100 staff have been trained in the STRATUS Center, donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE), practicing skills and completing patient scenarios while wearing PPE. Drills and training have also been ongoing with staff in the clinical labs, ambulatory practices and all point-of-access locations, as well as in BWH’s isolation unit. This newly constructed unit allows for the safe care of an Ebola patient, should one present at BWH. An interprofessional team at BWH, which includes the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Social Work, the Psychiatric Nursing Resource Service, Chaplaincy, Psychiatry, Center for Patients and Families, Occupational Health and Human Resources, has come together to develop tip sheets and activities that educate and address psychological self-care. EAP has developed the first of these tip sheets on how to manage fears and anxiety and how to talk with your children about Ebola. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to view these resources or to view the Ebola Virus Disease page.