Naperville Hospital Formulates Ebola Virus Plan

Edward Hospital formulates extensive plan due to proximity to O'Hare International Airport

Naperville's Edward Hospital has been preparing for nearly two months for the possibility of receiving an Ebola patient.

Nurses are trained to ask anyone who walks into the hospital complaining of fever and nausea symptoms to find out if they've recently traveled outside of the U.S. or had contact with anyone who's traveled to West Africa. If the person says yes, they're immediately put into isolation.

Dr. Tom Scaletta, who heads up the emergency room at the hospital, says there are two corner rooms reserved to isolate a possible Ebola patient.

"The patient will have their own room and you can easily block off this area," Scaletta said. "The patient has his own bathroom, which is really important because a lot of these patients have the stomach flu sort of symptoms."

Chief medical officer Dr. Brent Smith says even before test results come back from the CDC, the patient would likely be placed in intensive care and straight into negative pressure rooms.

"That means it's pulling air from the hallway into the room, and then up through a filter and outside, so it never recirculates," Smith said.

Nobody will be allowed to go into the room without being fitted with shoe and head covers, a special mask and face shields, a full body suit and a special apron impermeable to all body fluids. Protective equipment at the hospital includes disposable stethoscopes.

"Everything that we have chosen to use is single-use and disposable," said infection control manager Mary Anderson.

Hospital officials said it was necessary to formulate a plan with the proximity to O'Hare International Airport.
 

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