Infection Prevention and Control in Liberia 5 Years After Ebola: A Case Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dickson VV ; Klar RT ; Ridge LJ ; Squires AP ; Stimpfel AW
• Description:
  Background: Effective management of health emergencies is an important strategy to improve health worldwide. One way to manage health emergencies is to build and sustain national capacities. The Ebola epidemic of 2014 to 2015 resulted in greater infection prevention and control (IPC) capacity in Liberia, but few studies have investigated if and how that capacity was sustained. The purpose of this study was to examine the maintenance of IPC capacity in Liberia after Ebola. Methods: For this case study, data were collected via direct observation of nurse practice, semistructured interviews, and document collection. Data were collected in two counties in Liberia. Data were analyzed using directed content and general thematic analysis using codes generated from the safety capital theoretical framework, which describes an organization's intangible occupational health resources. Findings: Thirty-seven nurses from 12 facilities participated. Ebola was a seminal event in the development of safety capital in Liberia, particularly regarding nurse knowledge of IPC and facilities' investments in safety. The safety capital developed during Ebola is still being applied at the individual and organizational levels. Tangible resources, including personal protective equipment, however, have been depleted. Conclusions/application to practice: IPC capacity in Liberia had been sustained since Ebola but was threatened by under-investments in physical resources. Donor countries should prioritize sustained support, both financial and technical, in partnership with Liberian leaders. Occupational health nurses participating in disaster response should advocate for long-term investment by donor countries in personal protective equipment, access to water, and clinician training. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Emergencies Health Personnel Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Liberia Capacity Development Ebola Virus Disease Emergency Management Infection Control Infection Prevention Low-income Country Nurses Personal Protective Equipment PPE Safety Capital Theoretical Framework

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• ISSN:
  2165-0799
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  242-251
• Volume:
  69
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20063570
• Citation:
  Workplace Health Saf 2021 Jun; 69(6):242-251
• Contact Point Address:
  Laura Jean Ridge, PhD, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, 433 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10012-1126, USA
• Email:
  ljr326@nyu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  Mount Sinai School of Medicine
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Workplace Health & Safety
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e2ca6bf88faf70c2c8c029dde03c66740ebe7b6ea1ab382ea77916fcfefd6e7463674ac97205ba0429b17b503f75873ae1a21742ba17cf3d565fb108f624e501
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222156/cdc_222156_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 659.12 KB ]