[editor]

Reply to test

[editor]

Hi Tracy, indeed it is challenging to find a specific course for environmental IPC in Ireland. I am currently working as IPC lead for the National Children’s Hospital that is being built and I have found conferences & webinars invaluable. The HBNs & HTMs are a good place to start for specific projects, though can be cumbersome at times. The good thing is they are being updated.

The Environment Network, set up by Dr Elaine Cloutman Green is a good site for resources… https://environment-network.com/2021/10/18/the-environment-network-designing-and-building-for-infection-prevention-by-elise-maynard/

As I am immersed in these topics on a daily basis, happy to link in any time 🙂 brona.fletcher1@nchg.ie

Brona.

 

[editor]

Thanks Lenora,

That’s really helpful.

We aren’t installing hoppers in the new build, it’s likely we will be going with macerators.

 

Best wishes,

Brona.

CHI (Children’s Health Ireland)

[editor]

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 Virologist, Sheffield) said that, as more studies are available, “asymptomatic” cases are, not all of them, but, predominantly, in a pre-symptomatic phase. Most studies will say 48h prior onset of symptoms but some literature will extended that to 06 days before onset of symptoms. She highlights that it’s known for many respiratory viruses that viral shedding can occur during late incubation period and testing and identifying those individuals early, would interrupt transmission by implementing IPC/Occ Health measures.

This is the link for the webinar: https://vimeo.com/415891810 That part is discussed around 26 minutes after the start.

Hope it helps,

Rafaela Franca

Infection Prevention and Control CNS – Bon Secours Dublin

[editor]

Dear all,

Regards the duration of transmission based precautions, are you discontinuing precautions after 14 days of onset of symptoms/5 days fever free or keeping the patient in isolation during the length of stay? It’s my understanding that some hospitals are keeping recovered COVID patients in precautions during the whole admission, reducing anxiety of staff.

Kind regards,

Rafaela

[editor]

Hi Fiona,

The 5 Ltr containers are from Semad, in Baldoyle D13 01 8464378 but I’m not sure if they were supplied to us through HSE Tullamore into our supplier – Critical Healthcare also in Tullamore or if Critical bought them directly from Semad. In general we have a small steady supply of tottle sized hand gel so the 5Ltr is more  a back up though we have had to refill a few tottles.

 

C

[editor]

Hi Lenora,

 

The things that we wouldn’t normally countenance! We have instructed staff to have a personal issue set of Goggles which they clean themselves using Clinell Universal wipes allowing 60 seconds contact time as we have no real equivalent or access to CSSD. They are directed to store in provided ziplock bags with their name / staff ID number and the date cleaned, our supply is intermittent on some items so every time they receive a new set of goggles in a PPE pack they dispose of the previously recycled one. In practical effect Goggles will not be recycled more than for 1 day though this may change and we have not yet had to decide to specify how many times they may be cleaned. The cloth element of the goggles remains a point of concern – the elastic strap – on the plus side it is at the rear and if doffing is performed correctly then the risk of any contamination is extremely low. Another item which we have placed on the personal issue recycle list are the alcohol hand gel tottles and we are refilling them from 5 litre containers – bulkier stock of hand gel is still available but all the smaller practical sizes are in very short supply at the moment, community have the same issues. Some of the hand gel in small containers which has arrived is of uncertain quality and constituents.

 

C

[editor]

Hi Linda,

The national ambulance service set up the first of the swabbing centres and also the home swabbing which we’ve been doing for several weeks now. We worked with AMRIC when setting up and we adhere by agreement with the casual and close contact algorithm’s before they were published so unless in the course of your swabbing you become  a close contact then its work as normal and self monitor once asymptomatic. We’ve had to develop quite extensive paperwork for tracking staff and systems for notifying staff of casual contacts because of their mobility and the lag between home swabbing and reporting, this tracking is probably the most difficult part and doesn’t always work. Close contact tracing is even harder, we get the normal run of the mill trauma patients with injuries from road traffic injuries for instance, treat them and three or four days later we will be notified that an incidental finding was that the patient was also a COVID case making the staff close contacts.

Keep safe.

 

C

[editor]

Thanks Lenora

kind regards

Figi

[editor]

Hi,Please see my comments below.
1. The guideline give contradictory information on what type of isolation precautions needs to be adhered. Within the document, it recommend contact/droplet precautions and in the algorithm for receiving hospitals – airborne precautions??

2. The second point in Key Recommendations  Apply Contact and Droplet Precautions in addition to Standard Precautions when caring for any patient with a viral respiratory type illness  – MERS is a Coronavirus respiratory illness that require airborne precautions. 

3. Page 8 – Same point repeated   (If there is no available room, where possible the patient should sit at least 1m away from others and be provided with a surgical mask and tissues. The patient should where possible sit at least 1 meter away from others)

4. Page 8   If a case is considered possible when a consultation is already in progress, withdraw from the room, close the door and decontaminate your hands. Apply appropriate PPE before completing assessment.  —   Does staff have to remove PPE inside patient room and Mask outside patient room?

5. A FFP 2 respirator is recommended for all personnel in the room. Fit testing must be undertaken before using this equipment and a respirator should be fit-checked every time it is used. —- Is fit testing mandatory? Ideal, but how many hospitals are doing fit testing?

6. Would FFP2  mask sufficient in aerosol generating procedures?

 

[editor]

Hi Leonora,

In Clane, theatre overcoats are worn when staff leave theatre.

I would be interested to hear from others if parents wear shoe covers in the Anaesthetic Room , we have a sticky mat only at the entrance ,

Regards

Yvonne

[editor]

reply to test 2

[editor]

reply to test

[editor]

Hi All,

Just catching up with Isolation Station topic.I am an account manager for Mediteq Healthcare. We are currently launching our isolation gowns and we also provide a wall mounted holder, please see photos attached. If anyone needs more information I will be more than happy to help.

Kind Regards,
Rebecca Bray

Mediteq Healthcare
086 4623562

[editor]

I agree with Lenora.

We had a detailed discussion here with ID and microbiology consultants regarding nasopharyngeal aspirate. To obtain NPA staff needs to be trained and is difficult to obtain as we may get a suspected case in outpatient clinics.

The decision taken here in Mater was to obtain  (a) one flu swab – to  rule out  Flu as it is still predominant in Ireland (b) one nasopharyngeal swab and (c) and one oropharyngeal swab.

Regards, Jincy

[Author]

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