COVID-19 GGH Update May 5
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 (0)
What’s New? (1)
Resources and Supplies (1)
Staff Support (3)
Policy Changes (0)
Starting with the positive…
On its YouTube listing she wrote, “This video was made by health care workers in Guelph. We are not professional musicians or movie makers (obviously!) but we are professionals at what we do and that is to look after our community, like our community is looking after us.”
Reporting on COVID-19 activity in staff and patients
| Total number of staff tested to date | 246 |
| Total number of staff with a negative test result to date | 209 |
| Current number of staff with a positive test | 3 |
| Number of staff results pending | 8 |
| Number of staff who tested positive and are now recovered | 26 |
| 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
What’s new?
More details about volunteering to work in long-term care homes
We have had over 30 people who have expressed an interest in volunteering to work, on a temporary basis, in one of our long term care (LTC) facilities in the community should the need arise. We have heard from nurses, unit attendants, housekeepers and a variety of other roles. At this time, we are just collecting names of people who might be interested in this opportunity. It has been amazing to see so many of our team put their hand up!
At this time, we don’t know when or if staff will be redeployed. There have been many efforts, both regionally and locally to support the challenges LTC homes are facing. In our community this has included providing advice and consultation around infection prevention and control, sharing of best practices, targeted COVID-19 testing and ensuring each region has an Ontario Health Region Coordinator to coordinate supports for LTC. We have already reached out to a number of homes in the Guelph area to provide consultation and advice around infection prevention and control and some homes are starting to request that we complete a risk assessment pro-actively. It is great to see so many in our community working together.
The Emergency Order issued on April 24 enables the hospitals to redeploy staff to support LTC on a temporary basis. Employees, if redeployed, remain employees of the hospital. Before any staff would be redeployed to a long term care facility, the hospital would ensure it was safe and staff receive orientation to the LTC facility before they are deployed. The hospital has developed a health and safety and infection prevention and control risk assessment that will be completed by the hospital at the LTC. This risk assessment will be completed by representatives from the Joint Health and Safety Committee of GGH, the Health and Safety Officer (or designate) and an IPAC professional. The assessment will ensure GGH can meet its obligations under the Occupational Health & Safety Act staff. Both the risk assessment and an orientation checklist have been shared with the Joint Health and Safety Committee for input and approval. Staff who are redeployed will be paid at their normal rate of pay in addition to pandemic pay, if eligible. Their hours will count towards their seniority and staff will only be assigned to work they are qualified to do.
If you are still interested in volunteering to work, on a temporary basis at a LTC facility, please fill out this survey. We will be reaching out to volunteers when needed.
Resources and Supplies
Scrubs update
- You can return your hospital-issued scrubs to any depot—Level One before 2030 and Level 3 overnight. We reconcile the lists.
- Please do not self-serve scrubs. Wait for the screeners to hand them to you.
- Soon, if you are not on the list you will not be issued scrubs. A local company is offering uniforms at a discount: VTR Uniforms: VTR Uniforms will all provide all employees of GGH, with proof of employment, a discount on any REGULAR priced items, equal to the tax on that purchase. Please contact Franco Venturato, franco@vtruniforms.ca, (519) 827-5889, 199 Victoria Road South, Guelph, ON
- Please do not wear scrubs in/out of the building. Directors have been asked to follow up with anyone who does.
Staff Support
“Pandemic Pay” details still being worked out
The government is providing a temporary pandemic pay of $4 per hour worked on top of eligible staff’s regular wages. In addition, the government will be providing monthly lump sum payments of $250 for four months to eligible frontline workers who work more than 100 hours per month. The pandemic pay is to be effective April 24 to August 13, 2020.
The details are taking a while to work out so the premium won’t be appearing on our next pay stub. It’ll be on the following one with the retroactive premium back to April 24. To date, the government has provided the below list of eligible workers to receive the pandemic pay:
- Personal support worker
- Registered nurses
- Registered practical nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Attendant care workers
- Auxiliary staff including, porters, cooks, custodians, housekeeping, laundry facilities, and other key workers
- Developmental service workers
- Mental Health and addiction workers
- Respiratory therapists
- Paramedics
- Public Health nurses
Ontario Hospital Association adds Mindfulness resource Apps
There are many mindfulness Apps out there and the OHA encourages you to explore. The important thing is to find the one that works best for you!