Health and Safety with National Nurses United 22
CASE STUDY: EBOLA
In 2014, Ebola reached epidem-
ic proportions in West Africa.
Relatively little was known
about the disease in the midst of
the crisis: how infectious it was,
how long the virus stayed in the
body, what the best treatment
was, how to develop a vaccine
or rapid field diagnostic test. We
did know the mortality rate was
more than 50 percent for the
general population and almost
60 percent for infected health-
care workers. In many cases,
these workers became infect-
ed because they lacked basic
personal protective equipment
while providing care.
In such a situation where little
is known about the risks and
severity of a disease, NNU
espouses the precautionary
principle: Lacking scientific
consensus that a proposed
action, policy, or act is not harmful
— particularly if that harm has
the potential to be catastroph-
ic — such action, policy, or act
should not be implemented and
the maximum safeguards should
be pursued. As we watched the
crisis unfold in West Africa, we
knew we had to take action to
help protect all healthcare work-
ers across the globe.
Through our international union
affiliate Global Nurses United
(GNU) and our disaster relief
program, the Registered Nurse
Response Network (RNRN), NNU/
RNRN made contact with groups
battling the disease in West
Africa. NNU/RNRN was able
to secure a donation of 1,000
hazmat-style suits for healthcare
workers in West Africa, as well
NNU/RNRN
TO SECURE
OF 1,000
SUITS FOR
