Description
Book SynopsisHospitals in the US and Canada are ill-prepared for the threat of emerging infectious diseases, especially in the area of protecting healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, and first responders from transmissions. Current protocols from guideline agencies and health organizations and health departments that include state pandemic flu plans do not follow scientific evidence in many of their recommendations.
Economics and 'ease of use' are trumping good science in the decision making process. For example, protocols do not demand the most stringent precautions that would protect for healthcare workers from unknown factors of transmission in the case of rapidly emerging diseases. Respiratory protection, negative pressure isolation rooms, training of healthcare workers, personal protective equipment, ventilation designs, triage of surge patients, funding issues are all areas of concern that remain controversial in current occupational health protection models.
Emerging Infec
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“This extraordinary book breaks new ground in going beyond the conventional discourse on biopreparedness to explore significant issues in occupational and public health. This is a must read for all those concerned about breaking issues of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.”
— Robert M. Gould, MD, President, SF-Bay Area Chapter, Physicians for Social Responsibility
“This book should be a high priority, must-read for all healthcare institutions, healthcare professional groups and labor unions, policy makers and individual healthcare workers. The SARS experiences in Canada revealed that not only were there grave deficiencies in the public health response but also in the occupational health programs for healthcare workers. It is most probable the United States healthcare institutions would not have been able to respond more effectively and it is most probable that they are still so limited. This landmark book should be the stimulus for creation of public policies to prepare for the emerging infectious diseases by mandating appropriate occupational health programs in all healthcare institutions….”
— June M.Fisher, MD, TDICT Project, Trauma Foundation, San Francisco General Hospital
Table of ContentsTwo reports from the front line: two nurses’ union officials report on safety issues during the SARS crisis in Canada. Personal protective equipment. The multifaceted systems involved in protecting against occupationally acquired respiratory infectious diseases: public health and occupational safety, a shared responsibility. Deterioration of the public health system and the squandering of limited resources. Influenza: the old and present threat. Infectious diseases and the bureaucracies that are accountable for public safety. Appendices. Epilogue.
