Hi Tracey

I just attended a  Specialised Ventilation in Healthcare Premises course facilitated by Leeds university.  It was attended by Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialists, estate managers and authorized engineers. The course was 31/2 very full days.

I found it to be a very interesting week a lot of the information was very te…[Read more]

Good morning Brona

We use stainless steel for sinks and sluice hoppers in the Dirty Utility but I don’t have a reference for same.

But I wanted to mention we had lids made for the sluice hopper in the dirty utility to prevent aerosolisation when it was flushed.  This happened a few years ago after the increase in CPE nationally.

Kind…[Read more]

Good morning Noeleen

Thank you for your reply.  This is a very good suggestion for the Education lead which I’ll pass on.  Natalia & I try to keep SHARP more of a social Newsletter and to improve networking among colleagues.

Have a good day.

Regards

Lenora

Leonora

Due to the increase in new nursing homes and the difficulties of compliancy from a HIQA perspective regarding infection control, perhaps an educational programme would be very much appreciated.

Thank you

Hi Tracy

You replied to my query under “Latest Activity” which does not seem to link back to the specific discussion forum.  But it does work the other way around i.e. reply in the discussion forum and it links back to “Latest Activity”.

Regards

Lenora

Thanks Ladies (Emer & Tracy)

I hear Limerick Regional made changes to their surveillance testing since yesterday 16th May 2022 for scheduled patients.  We are in the process of reviewing our COVID measures also, in particular surveillance testing.  Anyone know when the next AMRIC Situational Webinar is on or have any idea when the Acute COVID g…[Read more]

Hi Tracy,

WGH is considering stopping routine asymptomatic surveillance testing in scheduled and unscheduled admissions. We are getting so many patients testing positive with high CT values and none have turned out to have active infection but most likely post infection.  The patients state they had positive antigen tests in the last few weeks…[Read more]

Hi Lenora, Not sure why but I cannot see my reply or Emer’s, Has wexford stop surveillance screening ?

Tracy

Thank you Emer & Tracy for your replies.

There appears to be mixed opinions.  Hopefully the COVID Acute IPC Guidelines will be updated soon to give direction.

Regards

Lenora

Sorry I missed this message totally – apologies for the font , no idea what happened there

Regards

Tracy

Hello Natalia

As part of our audit programme we audit external suppliers every three years.

Regards

Lenora

Many thanks for your advice Alison.  All responses helpful.

Have a good day.

Regards

Lenora

Lenora

Whilst you purchased your own equipment for fit testing it may be useful to undertake an independent assessment.

We used http://www.fittest.ie , all staff passed fit testing using one of several types of FFP2 or 3.  In the event that a staff member failed the standard mask, a box of the mask appropriate for them was put aside.

Not sure if this…[Read more]

Thank you Tracy Doherty and Ciaran McCullagh for your replies.

In response:

Roles & responsibilities – OH were too busy to get involved at present and H&S agreed to lead after much discussion.  However a lot still falls on IPC to problem solve.

Having a repeat test by another tester may help but we have retested some staff and they still…[Read more]

Dear all,

please see below a comment sent to me by an IPC member in relation to the new draft NCEC National Standards for IPC guidelines 2022.

“Under Resource Allocation on page 225-226:

The number of IPC professionals should be sufficient to ensure that healthcare facilities have their appropriate level of skills and resources and resilience…[Read more]

<p class=”MsoNormal”>Dear all,</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>Please see below a comment sent to me by an IPC member in relation to:  <span style=”color: #505050; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;”>new draft NCEC National Standards for Infection and Prevention Control (IPC)2022 Guidelines</span></p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”><span s…[Read more]