Nassau University Medical Center Equipped For Ebola
EAST MEADOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Nassau University Medical Center officials showed off the hospital's new protective suits for infectious diseases Monday and declared the facility ready to treat an Ebola case.
Hospital President and CEO Dr. Victor Politi explained that the new suits' improved headgear features "a powered air-purifying respirator that's sucking clean air through filters" so that health care workers are "not breathing any ambient air in that room that might have some airborne viruses."
The suits, designed to meet new guidelines for the treatment of Ebola, also offer total skin coverage, WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reported.
Nassau University Medical Center Equipped For Ebola
Politi said all hospital staff, as well as county first responders, will undergo additional training on handling infectious diseases.
Dr. Anthony Boutin, the hospital's emergency room chairman, said he's confident Nassau University Medical Center can handle an Ebola emergency.
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"For the last month, we've had several patients that we've done this with," Boutin said. "But that's why I say I'm comfortable that we are doing the right thing and we're following the right processes because we've gone through this already."
None of those cases tested positive for Ebola.
Politi added that if an Ebola patient is admitted, the hospital will "seal off that whole area, whether it's one of the wings of the hospital or intensive care unit."
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