COVID-19 GGH Update May 1
How to give feedback
- Speak to your manager or director
- Ask your leader to bring forward an idea or concern to the COVID-19 Incident Management Team
- covidquestions@gghorg.ca
- What’s on your mind? (only works if you’re within the hospital)
Click to the section you want to read
Action/must read (1)
What’s New? (2)
Resources and Supplies (1)
Staff Support (1)
Policy Changes (0)
Starting with the positive…
#fueltheheroes
There is a #fueltheheroes table set up today in the main lobby, 11-3, first come first served. Take only what you touch. Please keep you and your colleagues safe – ensure physical distancing. Coffee products (thanks Canada Coffee), fruit cups (thanks Dole) and hand cream (thanks anonymous donors).
Reporting on COVID-19 activity in staff and patients
| Total number of staff tested to date | 238 |
| Total number of staff with a negative test result to date | 202 |
| Current number of staff with a positive test | 5 |
| Number of staff results pending | 7 |
| Number of staff who tested positive and are now recovered | 24 |
| Total number of staff with a positive test result to date | 29 |
| Number of current in-patients who have tested positive | 8 |
Action/Must read
Personal Protective Equipment UPDATE
Diligent hand hygiene, physical distancing, and appropriate donning/doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) are crucial to help prevent transmission of COVID-19 within our hospital. In the past week, there have been COVID-19 outbreaks within our neighbouring Ontario hospitals. In response, GGH will be adopting the following additional interventions in an effort to further protect the safety of health care providers (HCP) and patients:
*NEW* GGH policy requires that all patients wear a surgical/procedure mask when outside their room (e.g., when transported for a diagnostic test)
*NEW* Health care providers (HCP) shall wear a surgical/procedure mask and protective eyewear when care is provided within 2 metres of the patient.
Rationale: this protects the HCP from exposure to respiratory droplets of a non-isolated patient who may be infected with COVID-19 but is asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, or subclinical.
*NEW* All patients will be provided with a cloth / donated mask upon admission to hospital. Health care providers should encourage their patients to wear this mask when care is provided within 2 metres. This may not always be possible for various reasons (e.g., patient confusion/delirium, patient refusal, or the patient’s clinical condition prevents them from tolerating the mask). A new mask may be provided if soiled, damaged or lost.
What’s new?
Proactively supporting our long-term care and retirement home partners
GGH is working as a member of our Guelph and Area Ontario Health Team (OHT) to help support our partners in Long Term Care and Retirement Homes in our Region. Our OHT has been working closely with our Public Health and Home and Community Care partners to offer resources to homes who may want support in areas such as Infection Prevention and Control, Pandemic planning and staffing support.
Some of our staff have already done site visits to ensure homes are well prepared for pandemic challenges. We’ve also had an incredible 30(!) staff volunteer to work on secondment in long-term care should the need arise.
This is a great opportunity for us to work together as an OHT and build those relationships which will help all of us in the future.
Some discharges to long-term care now allowed
In follow up to the April 16 memo to hospitals asking for the temporary pause of discharging patients to Long-Term Care homes and retirement homes, hospitals may discharge patients to Long-Term care homes where:
- It is a readmission to long-term care (the resident is returning to their home)
- The receiving home is NOT in a COVID-19 outbreak
- The resident has been tested for COVID-19 at point of discharge, has a negative result and is transferred to the home within 24 hours of receiving the result
- The receiving home has a plan to ensure that the resident being readmitted can complete 14-days of self-isolation Initial admissions to long-term care from hospital continue to be temporarily paused.
An approach that balances health service provider and patient/resident impacts is under consideration. There are no restrictions on residents returning to the home from outpatient visits.
Resources and Supplies
Scrubs update
Day one went well. There was lots of feedback and engagement, including identifying opportunities.
- Plastic bags were ordered so staff who wish to bring their scrubs down in a bag can do so. Bags are available on the linen cart at sign out and in the unit
- Please be patient when presenting the ED screening centre where there are less screeners. For a reduced wait, try the main entrance.
- Staff need to be handed the scrubs. Please do not self serve/sign out.
- Screeners will physically sign the scrubs in and out for staff so that they do not have to handle the pen (they will witness the return).
- We have tried to separate clean and dirty. Dirty scrubs can be delivered near the boutique. Screeners will sign them back in for you.
- We are in good shape with stock for this morning.
- If scrubs are soiled, try to send a runner from your unit for a replacement. After hours call ext. 2977.
Staff Support
More thermometers available for purchase
All staff should be monitoring themselves for symptoms of any illness and taking their temperature at least twice per day. These days, drug stores are often out of thermometers so a supply has been set up for staff to buy. The thermometers are available at switchboard for $14, tax included. They are for staff purchase only – first come, first served.