NVH holds Ebola training exercise

An actor playing an “ill patient” came to the hospital in Whitefish bearing symptoms consistent with Ebola. Through a hands-on exercise, hospital staff were trained in screening, intake, care and transfer of the patient to emergency medical services.

Medical staff spoke with the patient over the phone in a secured room until they were able to put on protective gear. NVH contacted Flathead County Health Department, emergency medical services and Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Chris Bogers, chief clinical officer and incident commander, said NVH and other Flathead Valley agencies have been developing strategies to deal with Ebola.

“It was an opportunity to test what we have put in place,” she said. “To see what it would be like to care for the patient, coordinate with other agencies and transport the patient.”

Bogers noted that the procedures they used in the exercise are similar to how staff would handle a patient with other infectious diseases. The drill is important because it goes beyond simply talking about procedure during a table top exercise, she said.

“Having that patient there makes it a little more real,” she said. “It’s important to work through it and find areas where we need to improve.”

Ebola is a hemorrhagic virus closely related to other tropical diseases. Symptoms are similar to the flu and include a fever. The disease is spread through direct contact with a patient who is infected, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa was the largest in history, affecting multiple countries, according to the CDC. At least 24 Ebola cases have been treated in Europe and the U.S. Most of those involved health and aid workers who contracted Ebola while working in West Africa and were transported back to their home countries for treatment.

Bogers acknowledged that Ebola news hasn’t had the media attention as last fall. However, as long as the virus is active, the hospital needs to be prepared, she said.

“People are mobile, and we are committed to being prepared for the potential of having a patient with the disease,” she said. “It’s highly unlikely, but we want to be prepared.”

North Valley Hospital staff took part in a multi-agency Ebola preparedness drill Jan. 29 designed to train staff on response plans and procedures developed over the past three months.

An actor playing an “ill patient” came to the hospital in Whitefish bearing symptoms consistent with Ebola. Through a hands-on exercise, hospital staff were trained in screening, intake, care and transfer of the patient to emergency medical services.

Medical staff spoke with the patient over the phone in a secured room until they were able to put on protective gear. NVH contacted Flathead County Health Department, emergency medical services and Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Chris Bogers, chief clinical officer and incident commander, said NVH and other Flathead Valley agencies have been developing strategies to deal with Ebola.

“It was an opportunity to test what we have put in place,” she said. “To see what it would be like to care for the patient, coordinate with other agencies and transport the patient.”

Bogers noted that the procedures they used in the exercise are similar to how staff would handle a patient with other infectious diseases. The drill is important because it goes beyond simply talking about procedure during a table top exercise, she said.

“Having that patient there makes it a little more real,” she said. “It’s important to work through it and find areas where we need to improve.”

Ebola is a hemorrhagic virus closely related to other tropical diseases. Symptoms are similar to the flu and include a fever. The disease is spread through direct contact with a patient who is infected, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa was the largest in history, affecting multiple countries, according to the CDC. At least 24 Ebola cases have been treated in Europe and the U.S. Most of those involved health and aid workers who contracted Ebola while working in West Africa and were transported back to their home countries for treatment.

Bogers acknowledged that Ebola news hasn’t had the media attention as last fall. However, as long as the virus is active, the hospital needs to be prepared, she said.

“People are mobile, and we are committed to being prepared for the potential of having a patient with the disease,” she said. “It’s highly unlikely, but we want to be prepared.”