One aspect of the Ebola outbreak that has received little attention in either the
professional or lay media is how the need for strict isolation has compromised nurses'
ability to touch and provide comfort and human connection for these patients. Although
infection control precautions with other high-risk patients have been necessary, Ebola
has required extraordinary measures in order to halt the spread of the disease. Patient
isolation and stringent precautions that prevent direct skin-to-skin touch have been
mandatory. How then do nurses provide safe and appropriate touch in the face of this
devastating disease?
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 28, 2014
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© 2015 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
