The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is rethinking its Ebola protocols after the country’s first person-to-person Ebola infection, a young nurse who treated a man who died of Ebola in a Dallas hospital.  And the head of the nation’s largest nurses union is lashing out at the nation’s healthcare establishment, calling for increased training for health-care workers.

The outrage comes after national health officials appeared to blame 26-year old nurse Nina Pham for becoming infected, saying that she somehow breached safety protocols.  Coworkers describe Pham as a conscientious and careful who double-checked her work.

“We’re very, very outraged and angry they’re blaming the nurse, again blaming the patient, for the spread of the disease, when we have been calling all along for better training and education,” said Deborah Burger, co-president of National Nurses United.  Burger added that a recent National Nurses United survey showed 75 percent of nurses said they have not received the training they need to deal with Ebola patient.  More than a third said hospitals did not have enough supplies.

Later on Monday, the CDC’s Dr. Thomas Frieden apologized and said he felt terrible that a health worker had contracted the disease, and ruged hospitals to “think Ebola” and come up with contingency plans.  The Mayor of Dallas Mike Rawlings called her a “hero”, and made sure that her dog was cared for – instead of put to death, as happened to the pet belonging to the Spanish nurse being treated for Ebola.

Nina Pham was in the isolation room with Thomas Duncan from the day he was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, until the day he died.  Pham and other health care workers wore protective gear, including gowns, gloves, masks, face shields, and sometimes full-body suits.  They drew blood, wiped his brow and lips, analyzed urine samples, and inserted tubes down his throat – each time risking exposure to the bodily fluids that pose the greatest risk for infection. 

Pham received a transfusion of plasma from Kent Brantly, an American mission and doctor who was infected with Ebola treating patients in Liberia several weeks ago.  He was treated with the experimental drug ZMapp, and airlifted back to the US where he recovered.  Brantly previously donated blood to US journalist Ashoka Mukpo and another missionary doctor Phil Sacra.