Texas hospital takes out full-page ad apologizing for Ebola crisis

(THE HUFFINGTON POST) - The Dallas hospital where the first Ebola victim in the U.S. was treated is apologizing for the way it has handled the crisis.

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital took out a full-page ad in The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram addressing the string of criticism it has received since treating Thomas Eric Duncan.

The 26-year-old is the first known person to contract the virus in the U.S. and since then, two nurses who treated him have contracted the virus.

Nurses at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital have criticized the protocol taken ever since Duncan arrived on September 28th.

"Our nurses are not protected. They're not prepared to handle Ebola."

"On his return visit to the hospital...Mr. Duncan was left for several hours not in isolation, in an area where other patients were present...

The nurses raised questions and concerns about the fact that the skin on their neck was exposed. They were told to use medical tape wound around their neck that is not impermeable."

The CEO admits the hospital was not ready for Ebola.

A letter to the community reads, "despite our best intentions and skilled medical teams, we did not live up to the high standards that are the heart of our hospital's history, mission and commitment... Our focus is on the facts, and we are determined to get the answers as soon as we can."

The letter also said the hospital is looking into how and why nurses Nina Pham and Amber Vinson contracted the disease.