Local nurses are being trained to respond to Ebola. WBFO'S Eileen Buckley says union nurses are learning how to put on protective gear and respond to an Ebola patient.
"Making sure our employers are responding by having the appropriate equipment. Making sure they are training the health care workers -- especially the front line -- such in the emergency department and in the intensive care unit -- that they're first to get the intense training," said Gambini.
"We want every body educated and confident and ready to deal with any Ebola patient that walks in the door," said Cori Gambini, RN and President of CWA Local 1168 which represents area nurses who work at Kaleida Health and Catholic Health System hospitals.
With two Dallas nurses infected with Ebola after treating a patient who recently died, ocal nurses are learning how to protect themselves.
"Making sure our employers are responding by having the appropriate equipment. Making sure they are training the health care workers -- especially the front line -- such in the emergency department and in the intensive care unit -- that they're first to get the intense training," said Gambini.
But Gambini told WBFO News she was actually "surprised" to learn that the nurses in Dallas were infected by a breach in protocol when possibly removing protective gear.
"An Ebola patient isn't going to be treated any different than any infected patient and we are all taught how to remove it," stated Gambini.
Gambini also noted a similarity to the fears raised in the 1980's in caring for AIDS and HIV infected patients.
"And we deal with HIV patients all the time now. You just go in and protect yourself. You use universal protection. You use your brain, you use your training and you make sure you are very conscious on how you are caring for the patient," said Gambini.
Gambini considers the Buffalo region a lower risk, but says nurses and the medical community must be ready with Ebola carts near ER's and throughout the hospitals so nurses always have the right material if needed.
