American Nurses Association to Educate Nurses on Ebola Via Free Webinars

American Nurses Association to Educate Nurses on Ebola Via Free Webinars
ANA Joins Hospitals, Physicians in Statement to Congress Emphasizing Collaboration

SILVER SPRING, MD – On the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) release of more stringent guidelines regarding use of personal protective equipment in clinical settings, the American Nurses Association (ANA) will host a two-part Ebola virus disease education webinar series Oct. 28 and Oct. 30. The webinars are targeted to nurse leaders, clinical staff nurses and primary care nurses. Registration is complimentary.

“ANA pushed CDC for revised guidelines, and we are pleased to see that they are detailed, specific and consistent with protocols used by organizations such as Emory University Hospital and University of Nebraska Medical Center that have provided effective and safe care to confirmed Ebola patients,” said ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “As the voice of the profession, we will engage in a major effort to educate nurses and their organizations to ‘think Ebola’ and improve preparedness in this country.”

The Ebola virus presents unique challenges to the U.S. health care system. Preparedness across the spectrum of care, whether a specialized clinical setting, community hospital or primary care setting, is key to effectively detecting and treating patients and protecting nurses.

"Health care organizations have not been complacent since learning more about addressing Ebola in the United States,” Cipriano said. “In the past several weeks and in concert with the release of updated CDC guidelines, hospitals and health care organizations have stepped up training, practice and communication with all their workers to ensure the highest level of protection and readiness as well as direct efforts to calm the unwarranted fear instilled by some who are not keeping pace with the improvements occurring across the country.”

The webinars feature panels of experts.
The first webinar on Oct. 28, Ebola Preparation and Response: What Every Nurse Needs to Know, includes: Arjun Srinivasan, MD, associate director for healthcare associated infection prevention programs, CDC; Deena Gilland, MN, RN, OCN, vice president and chief nursing officer, Emory Ambulatory Patient Services Operations, The Emory Clinic, Emory University Hospital; Penny Castellano, MD, chief medical officer for clinical operations, The Emory Clinic, Emory University Hospital; Jackie Byrd, RN, CNS, Emory University Hospital; and Robert L. Dent, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FACHE, vice president of patient care services and chief nurse executive, Midland Memorial Hospital.

The second webinar on Oct. 30 features a cadre of experts from Texas. It will highlight what nurses need to know to effectively handle Ebola cases, including chief nursing officer preparation, critical resource mobilization, balanced communications and practical application of new processes and procedures. How To Help With the Ebola Threat includes: Mar Tietze, PhD, MSN, RN-BC, infectious diseases medical officer, Texas Department of State Health Services; Lisa Cornelius, MD, MPH, associate professor, Texas Woman's University; Robert Haley, MD, professor of internal medicine and director of the division of epidemiology, internal medicine department, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Robert L. Dent, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FACHE, vice president of patient care services and chief nurse executive, Midland Memorial Hospital; and Susan McBride, PhD, RN-BC, CPHIMS, professor, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing.

In addition, ANA, together with the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association, has submitted a written statement to Congress, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is holding a hearing today on the response to Ebola. The statement emphasizes the need for a solution-oriented, collaborative approach that includes interprofessional, state and federal organizations, which is essential to manage care of Ebola patients effectively in the United States.

ANA and the American Academy of Nursing have also released a joint statement, “Responding to the Challenges of Ebola,” that says, “Nurses must be involved in all levels of decision-making—from the point of care to the board room and at the federal, state and local levels—regarding the current response to Ebola virus disease as well as planning and preparing for outbreaks of other emerging and reemerging diseases.”

Detailed Information about Webinars and Registration Links

Webinar #1: Title: Ebola Preparation and Response: What Every Nurse Needs to Know
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET
Register now  

Webinar #2: How To Help With the Ebola Threat
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2014
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET
Register now