Education
Train nurses for all crises, not just Ebola, experts say
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By ERIC FREEDMAN
Capital News Service
LANSING – The spread of Ebola to health care workers in the United States and the attack of enterovirus D68 among American children are drawing headlines, but nursing experts say both developments highlight the need for up-to-date training and preparation of nurses and hospitals for more than a single crisis. The broader question is improving quality and safety for both nurses and patients., said Donald Wasserman, the communications manager at the Michigan Center for Nursing in Okemos. The nonprofit center is a health-promotion organization for nurses and other health care professionals they work with. “One of our big initiatives is advancing nursing education and achieving a’ triple aim’ goal, Wasserman said: reduce health costs, improve the outcome for patients and enhance the health of “the community as a whole.”
Meanwhile, nursing programs across the state are incorporating the latest developments and treatments in what they teach their students. “We live in a world today where new diseases can come up,” said Karen Allen, director of Andrew University’s School of Nursing in Berrien Springs.