Ebola: Essential Knowledge for Health Professionals

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ebola-essentials-for-health-professionals

Introduction

### Course Review: Ebola: Essential Knowledge for Health Professionals **Overview:** The course titled "Ebola: Essential Knowledge for Health Professionals" on Coursera is a timely and critical educational opportunity, especially given the resurgence of outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in various parts of the world. Launched in response to the largest outbreak in history, which peaked in 2014, this course equips health professionals with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to recognize, diagnose, and manage cases of Ebola. It serves as a vital resource for those who work in healthcare settings, particularly in regions where the virus poses a risk. **Course Structure and Content:** The course is thoughtfully structured into several units, each focusing on a different aspect of Ebola that health professionals must understand. The syllabus is comprehensive and covers the following key areas: 1. **Epidemiology:** Understanding past outbreaks provides crucial insights into the current dynamics of Ebola. This unit discusses historical data and the impact of the West African Ebola outbreak. 2. **Transmission and Natural Reservoirs:** This section delves into how the virus spreads and the natural animal hosts that contribute to transmission, which is essential for preventing outbreaks. 3. **Pathophysiology:** Knowing what happens within the human body when the Ebola virus enters is vital for understanding its effects and guiding treatment approaches. 4. **Clinical Presentation, Differential Diagnosis, and Diagnosis:** This unit prepares participants to recognize clinical symptoms of EVD, understand its incubation period, and differentiate between similar diseases. This knowledge is critical for timely diagnosis and intervention. 5. **Therapeutic Approaches:** Here, learners gain an understanding of how EVD is treated, including current therapeutic options and preventive measures to curb transmission. 6. **Ebola in the Field - MSF Experience:** Insights from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) provide a real-world perspective on treating Ebola patients in challenging environments, highlighting the complexities and realities of patient care in outbreak situations. 7. **Ebola in an Existing Hospital in Sierra Leone:** This case study offers a poignant look at the day-to-day challenges faced by healthcare workers in an NGO hospital during the outbreak, enriched with videos for a more engaging learning experience. 8. **Final Assignment and Survey:** The course wraps up with a final assignment that encourages learners to apply their new knowledge and a survey to provide feedback. **Learning Objectives:** By the end of the course, health professionals will have a solid understanding of the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and management strategies for Ebola. They will be equipped not only to recognize the disease but also to implement preventative measures in their practice. **Recommendation:** "Ebola: Essential Knowledge for Health Professionals" is a highly recommended course for medical professionals, public health workers, and those involved in outbreak response. Its rigorous academic approach, along with practical field experiences, makes it an invaluable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of Ebola and enhance their clinical competencies in managing viral outbreaks. **Why Take This Course:** 1. **Relevance:** With the potential for future outbreaks, staying informed and prepared is imperative for all health professionals. 2. **Expertise:** The course draws on the knowledge and experience of eminent health organizations working on the ground in affected regions, ensuring quality content. 3. **Flexible Learning:** As an online course, it offers the flexibility to learn at your own pace, making it accessible for busy professionals. In conclusion, this course not only provides essential knowledge but also helps create a network of informed health professionals who can effectively respond to potential EVD threats in their communities. Enroll now to be part of a global effort to combat infectious diseases effectively and compassionately.

Syllabus

About the course

Here you will find general information about the course. The learning objectives, the structure, the format and the requirements of completion will be presented to you. The course credits and a short survey are part of this first learning unit as well.

This learning unit describes the epidemiology of Ebola virus disease, past outbreaks and the current West African Ebola outbreak.

This learning unit describes the probable transmission routes and reservoir(s) of Ebola viruses, which can cause a wide array of symptoms and are often fatal.

This unit will focus on what happens when the virus enters and spreads throughout the body.

In this learning unit, the focus lies on the clinical symptoms you may encounter when examining patients suspected of ebola virus disease (EVD). The modes of infection of Ebola, incubation time, symptoms, lab findings, differential diagnosis, clinical characteristics of the current epidemic, and complications and outcomes will be discussed.

The primary objective of this learning unit is to provide you with sufficient knowledge on how to fight the Ebola epidemic from a clinical perspective: how is Ebola virus disease (EVD) treated and how can transmission of the virus be prevented? In addition, this unit gives an overview of the experimental therapeutic options and vaccines.

In this learning unit you will explore the reality in the field of the care for Ebola patients through the experiences of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Since the start of the Ebola outbreak in West-Africa, MSF has provided care to Ebola patients in Ebola Management Centers (EMCs) across the affected countries Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the interventions in DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Mali, Senegal and Nigeria.

In this learning unit an example will be given of what consequences the Ebola outbreak has had in the practice. We present you the tough reality in a NGO hospital in Sierra Leone, hear from its staff and experience their work. While reading you can watch corresponding videos.