Ebola response training at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- Healthcare workers in the Sandhills say they're ready to respond to Ebola cases should we see them.
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Cape Fear Valley Health System staff have been training on their readiness for weeks, but Monday was the first time they put all the pieces together in one drill.
The drill started at Stedman Medical Care. An EMS staff member role-playing a man who recently returned from a mission trip in Sierra Leone, came in reporting a fever of 102. He told the receptionist he had a bad cough and episodes of vomiting and diarrhea.
A nurse, covered in personal protective equipment came to the lobby to escort him to a back room where he was isolated and screened further. Staff called 911, two EMTs arrived, suited up in their own protective gear and transported him from Stedman to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville.
Health officials say the drill took longer than expected, but they wanted to make sure everyone involved was suited up properly.
Brian Pearce, Cape Fear Valley Health System EMS and Emergency Management Director, said the protective gear used is waterproof and up to date with CDC recommendations, but protocol and guidelines are changing daily.
"The policies and procedures are changing daily from the national government down," said Pearce. "So, we're trying to keep up and implement them. That's one of the reasons we did the exercise was to test what would effectively protect our personnel."
Michael Zappa, Association Chief Medical Officer, said Cape Fear Valley Health System has already trained more than 30 emergency medical staff in Ebola readiness; by the end of this week, more than 100 staff members will have gone through training.
