Faculty and staff at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health continue to share best practices and offer training in the fight to contain Ebola.
What sets Nebraska apart?
UNMC and Nebraska Medicine have emerged among the world leaders in the care, protocols, research, and education on Ebola. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is home to the nation’s largest biocontainment unit. The biocontainment team has prepared for years to treat and manage emerging infectious diseases. Nebraska faculty and staff answered the call of duty and successfully healed two patients who returned from West Africa with Ebola. The team has since been training others around the world, readily sharing best practices and knowledge learned from this recent experience.
Free training and information
College of Public Health faculty and staff spearheaded, in collaboration with Apple, the development of free Ebola online courses, available on both iTunes and Moodle. One course is directed at clinicians, while the other course is for lay audiences, in both English and Spanish.
About The Nebraska Ebola Method Courses: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15920
The Nebraska Ebola Method for Clinicians: http://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/news/ebola-bp.html
About The Nebraska Ebola Method for the General Public: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15964
The Nebraska Ebola Method for the General Public:: http://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/news/ebola-community.html
Nebraska experts conduct webinars on Ebola
Faculty from the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center present world-leading information regarding Ebola for Nebraska health care providers and EMS personnel during a series of webinars in November. Presenters include Dr. Shawn Gibbs, professor of environmental, agricultural, and occupational health and associate dean for student affairs; Dr. John Lowe, assistant professor of environmental, agricultural, and occupational health; and Dr. Angela Hewlett, assistant professor of Epidemiology and assistant medical director of the UNMC Biocontainment Unit. http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15965
In the Community
On November, 4, Dean Ali Khan, gave an overview of Ebola at the Omaha Science Café, a casual forum open to everyone in the community for questions and answers about current science topics. Link to the podcast: http://webmedia.unmc.edu/publicaffairs/unmcpodcast/sciencecafe/Ebola_11-4-14.mp3
Dr. Sharon Medcalf, appeared on ABC News for a town hall meeting at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, to address community questions about Ebola to a packed hall. The full webcast is here: http://new.livestream.com/uclive/events/3539538. The ABC News preview is here: http://www.klkntv.com/category/190066/klkn-channel-8-video?clipId=10803739&autostart=true
On November 5, campus leaders discussed the Ebola response with the UNMC community. Speakers included College faculty Dean Ali S. Khan, Dr. Philip Smith, Dr. Angela Hewlett, and Dr. John J. Lowe.
On November 10, UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, will speak on Ebola at the American Association of Medical Colleges annual meeting in Chicago.
Key College personnel involved in the treatment and management of the patients:
Dr. Philip Smith
Professor of Epidemiology
Medical Director of the UNMC Biocontainment Unit
Director of the Center for Biopreparedness, Biosecurity and Emerging Infectious Diseases
Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease
Dr. Angela Hewlett
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Assistant Medical Director of the UNMC Biocontainment Unit
Dr. Shawn Gibbs
Professor of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Dr. John Lowe
Assistant Professor of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health
[Pictured: Dr. Philip Smith and Dr. Angela Hewlett]
[Pictured: Dr. John Lowe and Dr. Shawn Smith]
Chronology of UNMC Patient Care:
UNMC’s First Ebola Patient:
Patient with Ebola virus being brought to UNMC: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15636
Family offers updated on Ebola patient’s condition: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15650
Ebola patient continues to improve: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15658
Patient with Ebola makes steady progress: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15668
Insight: Teamwork key in caring for a patient with Ebola: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15722
Patient embracing Nebraska favorites: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15735
Virus-free, first patient leaves UNMC: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15737
Patient thanks UNMC health care team: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15738
Insights: Ebola treatment team earns praise: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15795
UNMC’s Second Ebola Patient:
UNMC to treat second Ebola patient: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15808
Ebola patient “looks strong,” father says: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15810
Second Ebola patient “sick, but stable”: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15826
UNMC’s Second Ebola patient released: http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=15907