COVID-19 GGH Update May 7
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? (2)
Resources and Supplies (5)
Staff Support (0)
Policy Changes (0)
Starting with the positive…
“Dear Guelph General Hospital staff,
Thank you for serving our community and caring for those who are vulnerable. Seven weeks ago, I felt compelled to try and sew masks. I pulled out my sewing machine that was last used 20 years ago. I realize these masks are not perfect, but I hope they can help someone…. I gathered sheets from my house and I borrowed thread from my parents to make these mask. I sewed with gratitude for those who are working the front line during this pandemic… It is my hope that even though these masks are not perfect, they can be used by those in need.
I hope you have an incredible day.“
Reporting on COVID-19 activity in staff and patients
| Total number of staff tested to date | 255 |
| Total number of staff with a negative test result to date | 218 |
| Current number of staff with a positive test | 1 |
| Number of staff results pending | 8 |
| Number of staff who tested positive and are now recovered | 28 |
| Total number of staff with a positive test result to date | 29 |
| Number of current in-patients who have tested positive | 7 |
Action/Must read
What’s new?
IPAC COVID-19 Active Screening Algorithm
Active Screening For All Admitted Patients must be conducted at least twice daily. This includes ALC patients. The detailed algorithm can be found here.
Emergency Department retiring “red and green zones”
Today, the department will undo it’s trial set up with a red and green zone first set up on April 6. The ED is returning to its original set up of See ‘n Treat and the main department. As with all clinical areas within the hospital, proper PPE is required at all times while in the department.
Resources and Supplies
N95 conservation
- Write your name and unit on the mask with a sharpie only.
- Save ALL N95 masks that are not soiled in a plastic/sealable bag. We hope we won’t need them, but we won’t have them if we don’t save them.
- Many masks are being rejected because they are not marked properly, fall out of the bag, have makeup on them etc.
- Paper bags are only for storing masks in between use on shift.
Scrubs
- The central pool is working well! Thanks to all staff for supporting the new process.
- Due to the critical shortage, ALL hospitals, not just GGH are very short on some sizes, specifically Med & Xs pants. Please do not direct frustration towards the screeners if your specific size is not available. They are working hard to make scrubs available to those who need them and have no control over what stock is available.
- You can help by continuing to bring in any scrubs in your possession and returning them without penalty!
- If you do not need to access scrubs to do your job, please do not sign them out. COVID is not a reason to wear scrubs. Staff working on the COVID unit are wearing and laundering their own scrubs!
When and How to Wear a Mask – Recommendations for Non-Clinical Areas
Our Professional Practice team has developed a one-page information sheet to support the proper wearing and handling of procedure masks.
Sewn caps
The Foundation reports it is currently out of the donated caps. It is reaching out to the community for more. Should it be successful the restocking will be reported in an update.
GGH Partnering with local Long Term Care and Retirement Homes
GGH is acting with other members of our Guelph and Area Ontario Health Team to lend friendly support to our long term care and retirement homes around our region. Infection Prevention and Control and Clinical Education staff have been invited out to three local homes to visit and share ideas and suggestions. Other members of our OHT are working with homes to ensure that they have the PPE they require and supporting testing of staff and patients.
GGH is proud to have a growing list of staff who have volunteered to help support these sites and it’s a symbol of how our region is pulling together to help one another during these challenging times. If you are interested in volunteering to work temporarily, on a secondment basis, to provide support to a long term care and/or retirement home provider and still haven’t signed up, please take a few moments to fill out this survey.