The NorthCrest Team has been collaborating with state and local agencies
NorthCrest Prepares For Ebola Virus
SPRINGFIELD TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – NorthCrest Medical Center is on a heightened state due to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) being found inside the United States.
“The NorthCrest Team has been collaborating with state and local agencies to ensure our staff and community are protected,” says Rachel Goodman, NorthCrest Infection Preventionist.
Prior to the first confirmed case in the U.S., NorthCrest Medical Center has been coordinating with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state and local health agencies, like Robertson County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), to make sure everyone is following CDC guidelines for triaging and assessing potential Ebola patients.
NorthCrest, along with Robertson County EMS, will also be taking part in drills during the coming weeks to better prepare for possible cases.
Disease background
Ebola is a severe disease often leading to death in humans and non-human primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees). Five different Ebola virus species have been identified, and four of these cause disease in humans. The first Ebola species was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, sporadic outbreaks have occurred in Africa. Researchers believe the virus is carried in bats, but the exact source is unknown.
Ebola has been in the news over the last few months. Several American healthcare workers, who have worked with patients in Africa, have become sick and have been brought back to the United States for treatment. On September 30, 2014 the first case of Ebola was diagnosed in the United States in a patient who had recently traveled from Africa.
Signs and symptoms
A person infected with Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear. Symptoms usually begin eight to 10 days after a person has been exposed to an ill Ebola patient. However, symptoms may begin anywhere from two to 21 days after the exposure.
How is the virus spread?
The virus can enter the body through broken skin or unprotected mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth. When a person is sick with Ebola there are several ways the virus can be spread to others.
- Direct contact with the blood or body fluids (feces, saliva, urine, vomit, and semen) of the sick person.
- Contact with objects (needles and syringes) that have been used and contain blood or body fluids of the infected person.
NorthCrest Medical Center, a not-for-profit community hospital, has been providing compassionate, quality healthcare since 1956. With a mission of enhancing community and patient wellness, NorthCrest provides inpatient, outpatient, and emergency medical services to Northern Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky.
NorthCrest Medical Center is recognized as an “A” Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. The Joint Commission recently recognized NorthCrest for the third consecutive year as a top performer on key quality measures concerning the treatment of heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care and has awarded NorthCrest with advanced certification for primary stroke centers. NorthCrest has also been named an exemplar hospital by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
For more information about physicians and services offered by NorthCrest Medical Center, call the NorthCrest HealthLine at 615/384-1600 or visit them at www.northcrest.com.
Additional information about the Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease) from the C.D.C.
Signs and Symptoms Transmission (How does the Ebola spread) and Treatment.
For more information about the Ebola Virus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CLICK HERE
We bring you ALL the News in Robertson County, Tennessee.
