Hi Tracy & Caroline

The full face shield will give some protection in the non-COVID pathway to the wearer so you should risk assess your situation in case-by-case basis.

Kind regards

Lenora

Chair IPCIreland

Reply from Caroline Costello:

Hi Tracy, we had similiar issues a few weeks ago. There was masks from the US that has a clear plastic section across the mouth part of the mask, however between a very long wait time for delivery and an inability to properly quality check them we decided not to use them. We are instead using communication boards to…[Read more]

Reply from Alison Maguinness:

BrendaThe timing depends on whether you have mechanical AC in the room or notIf you have adequate changes (12-15/hr) then only 20mins however if there are no AC then theroom should be left for an hour.

Regards

Alison

Sent on behalf of Michael Gately:

RafaelaConsider putting patients Head to Tail where separation is not adequate.

Michael​

GATELY

Hello Sarah

We were talking about this on zoom yesterday.  We have an online IPC powerpoint with assessment at end for staff to complete yearly.  The idea is that everyone attends orientation and does the hand hygiene workshop and thereafter the staff complete the online IPC education.  This data is then kept by the Clinical Educator.  In 201…[Read more]

Hi Rafaela

You should recommend bed space of 3.7 x 3.6 for multi bed rooms (Irish guidelines advise max 3 beds in a multi-bed room but UK say 4 beds).  By the sounds of your email, I don’t think you are planning a new ward so I would advise 2 metres distance from chair beside next bed to centre of other bed.  It’s not just about bed to bed s…[Read more]

Hi Rafaela

Universal mask usage is for staff only.

Everyone who enters our hospital has to attend one of the Assessment Stations where questions and temperature checks are performed.  If a visitor or patient comes in wearing a mask and insists on keeping it on, we instruct them to remove the mask, perform hand hygiene and give them a new…[Read more]

Thank you Rafaela for the response and link to HIS webinar.

Its very interesting that Dr. Cariad said that majority of staff found to be positive SARS-CoV-2 identified during staff screening, went on to develop symptoms of COVID-19.  As you stated the aim of the screening was to interrupt onward transmission.  Another person questioned was it s…[Read more]

Hi Lenora,

We are not testing asymptomatic staff at Bon Secours Dublin.

Coincidentally, that topic was discussed during HIS Webinar last evening. One of the questions was: “Why is testing of asymptomatic people (staff/patients) recommended? In the context of no symptoms what s the relevance of a positive PCR”?

Dr. Cariad Evans, (Consultant…[Read more]