The Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) and the Australasian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) endorse practices aimed at facilitating family visitation in critical care, where resources (such as PPE) and staffing permit. Read the full statement:
COVID-19 Q&A Webinar Wednesday 20th May - recording available along with previous webinars in this series HERE.
Listen to the latest updates on COVID-19. Panel Chair: Professor Brett Mitchell - University of Newcastle
Panelists:
Dr Andrew Stewardson - The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Martin Kiernan - IPC Lead at NHS Nightingale and Clinical Director at GAMA Healthcare, Kathy Dempsey - NSW Clinical Excellence Commission, Belinda Henderson - Queensland Health - Metro South
From the President
Dear Colleagues
Much has happened since my last correspondence, so apologies for the longer than normal message! Over the last week we have seen pleasing results from our interventions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Nevertheless, the challenges continue, and I am aware that many of you continue to work long and exhausting hours under intense conditions. There continues to be differing opinions and recommendations in how to manage our patients. What has not changed is our knowledge that is spread via droplets, and the most common way it is spread is from close contact with an infectious person, contact with droplets from an infected persons cough or sneeze, or touching objects and surfaces contaminated with droplets and then touching your mouth and face. Most importantly, this is also what the epidemiology of the disease is telling us. As always, please take care to ensure your sources of information are reliable. ACIPC recommend the Commonwealths website. The reality is there is so much more to do, and to use a quote, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
1. 2020 Conference
As you know, the conference planned for 2020 has been postponed. Together with Conference Design, we are working hard on identifying other options for November this year, and we will keep you posted. On behalf of the Board I extend my sincere gratitude to the Scientific Conference Committee for their hard work in compiling what was to be an outstanding program, much of which we hope to take to the 2021 conference in Adelaide.
2. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce
As some of you may be aware, the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has been established to undertake continuous evidence surveillance to identify and rapidly synthesise emerging research in order to provide national, evidence-based guidelines for the clinical care of people with COVID-19. ACIPC is proud to be a member partner of the Taskforce. I am on the National Steering Committee, and Professor Brett Mitchell is representing the College on the National Guidelines Leadership Group. The taskforce works closely with the National Infection Control Expert Group (on which ACIPC is also represented), providing advice to AHPPC.
The Guidelines are published on the Magic App (this is the same platform used for the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare) facilitating “Living Guidelines” that will be updated weekly with the latest evidence.
I urge you to familiarise yourself with the Taskforce website which also has links to the updated guidelines on the Magic App.
3. COVIDSafe app
The COVIDSafe app was recently released to assist us in slowing the spread and keeping Australians safe. The app assists in contact tracing after exposure. It is voluntary, can be deleted anytime, and importantly, good uptake will mean lifting of restrictions earlier.
4. Video updates
Thanks to Board Members Dr Sally Havers and Anne Whitfield who have recently posted brief videos on the ACIPC website. If you would like to share something you are doing at your workplace that you think will interest others, please feel free to pitch your idea to us with a view to making a short video for the website. Email officemanager@acipc.org.au for more information.
Until next month,
Phil Russo
ACIPC President
Read the latest ACIPC Newsletter
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The National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has been established to undertake continuous evidence surveillance to identify and rapidly synthesise emerging research in order to provide national, evidence-based guidelines for the clinical care of people with COVID-19. ACIPC is proud to be a member partner of the Taskforce.
The taskforce works closely with the National Infection Control Expert Group, on which ACIPC is also represented, advising the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and its other standing committees on infection prevention and control issues.
GAMA Healthcare Australia and ACIPC have collaborated on a series of webinars designed to assist our healthcare colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Upcoming Member-Only Webinars
May 21st | Lunch and Learn Webinar – “How are Australasian hospital facilities providing PPE training?- results of a national survey”
– Ruth Barratt
July 16th | Lunch and Learn Webinar – Redesigning environmental cleaning in the out of hospital setting (paramedicine) – Tanya Somani Paramedic
Congratulations to ACIPC member Maria Broumos who is the 2020 recipient of the Joan Faoagali Award! Maria is a Team Leader Dental Operations at Merri Community Health Services in Victoria and will receive $1000 towards her tuition fees for Foundations of Infection Prevention and Control. Read our interview with Maria on the Awards and Scholarships page.
Cardinal Health Infection Control Scholarship – deadline extended to 31st May 2020
Have you initiated a successful infection control strategy or would like to develop or implement one? If so, Cardinal Health want to recognise your excellence! The Cardinal Health 2020 Infection Control Scholarship has been designed to encourage Australian and New Zealand infection control practitioners to share their successes and innovations and to gain support for further work in these areas. The scholarship is to support critical infection control projects to enhance patient safety and assist best practice procedures and work place outcomes.This funding will be awarded across three categories:
• Major Research Project: Awarded to two projects requiring funding up to $15,000 (Total Award = $30,000).
• Minor Research Projects: Two grants for research projects requiring funding up to $5,000 will be awarded (Total Award = $10,000).
• Educational Grant: A total of $10,000 in grants to further educational requests related to infection control.
More details are on the Scholarships and Awards Page.
IDH have established a panel of experts, to undertake a rapid review of COVID19 infection prevention & control research. We will expedite publication of accepted articles & make these freely available for the coming months i.e. not behind a subscription. www.idhjournal.com.au
The Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare has produced a number of new resources to promote infection prevention and control in the COVID-19 environment and illustrate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) under current circumstances. Here are the links to download the posters:
Infection Prevention and Control COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment
