Course Access
- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 3 days, 4 hours ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Hello everyone,
Following on from the CoP webinar – In the life of an IPC lead – https://www.acipc.org.au/acipc-aged-ipc-webinar-series/ a number of questions remained. There were some questions not so related to the webinar that I will start off to answer and welcome peers to comment.
1. Do you have a template for your building risk mitigation that you can share?
This will vary greatly between facilities and may be easier to be guided to developed templates: See the ACIPC Construction and Renovation Tool kits: https://www.acipc.org.au/resources/ipc-templates-tool-kits-and-guides/2. When managing COVID-19 or influenza outbreaks in aged care, do you count residents, staff or both and what’s the definition in terms of numbers for COVID-19 or influenza outbreaks?
Both residents and staff should be placed on a line list. The definition for acute respiratory outbreak is x2+ cases. Please see the National Outbreak Management Guideline for Acute Respiratory Infection (including COVID-19, influenza and RSV) in Residential Aged Care Homes https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-06/national-guideline-for-the-prevention-control-and-public-health-management-of-outbreaks-of-acute-respiratory-infection-in-residential-aged-care-homes.pdf3. Access to AMR template for audit?
There are a few AMR audit templates: Aged Care NAPS: amazing online platform that will generate reports and enable bench marking – Kelly and Chloe showed this platform in their presentation: https://naps.org.au/
Antimicrobial Stewardship Self-Assessment Tool and User Guide https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resource-library/antimicrobial-stewardship-self-assessment-tool-and-user-guide To Dip or Not to Dip Antibiotic Audit https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/audit-tool-to-dip-ot-not-to-dip.pdf and Antimicrobial Audit sample https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/aged-care-ipc-templates-and-tools/4. What is your stance on PPE doffing stations being OUTSIDE a positive resident room? As well as clinical waste bins having no lids next to said doff station?
Donning stations are best placed outside the room in residential care and (as practical – space wise). A non clinical waste bin should also be placed at the donning station for any non infectious waste. Doffing stations are ideally inside the room, at least 1.5 m from resident and furniture. If doffing has to be in a designated space outside the room (due to space constraints) or for respiratory protection items that are removed outside the room (masks/eye protection – airborne precautions) (i.e. there is a doffing station inside the room and out) then the donning and doffing areas must be separate and distanced, and caution should be had when PPE is removed as to who/what is passing to ensure organism transmission from PPE does not occur during doffing.
Waste bins for PPE inside the room may be without lid, lined with clinical waste bag (risk assessed for residents cognitive status that this will not be removed/touched)- PPE should be placed well inside the bin. Waste bins for PPE outside the room are safest lidded, foot peddled and lined with clinical waste bag.5. Is it mandatory for aged care facilities to keep record of covid vaccination for residents and staff in vic?
Its nationally a requirement for aged care providers to record vaccination – influenza and COVID-19. However, no longer requirement to be placed in the aged care portal.
Residential aged care workers can voluntarily inform their employer of when they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccination. Your residential aged care home is required to keep records and they may be required to report on the number of workers who have voluntarily informed them they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccination. https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/information-for-aged-care-providers-workers-and-residents-about-covid-19-vaccines/residential-aged-care-workers.
The residential care home is required to maintain records of the vaccination status of residents in line with the Records Principles 2014 monitoring and reporting adverse side effects. https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/information-for-aged-care-providers-workers-and-residents-about-covid-19-vaccines/residential-aged-care-service-providers. The Aged Care draft Rules also outline vaccination reporting requirements: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/final-draft-of-the-new-aged-care-rules?language=en6. Vaccination- Mandatory? In aged care? I was of the opinion that it is not a requirement however we are obligated to encourage for vaccination (covid and influenza)
This is certainly the case in most situations.
Note: there is differences in requirements amongst jurisdictions, public and private and multiservice aged care services. Providers need to review the requirements for their own situation. i.e. Public (multiservice or home only) aged care services in Victoria do mandate staff vaccinations. A provider is also entitled to mandate vaccinations for staff as a requirement for employment if they choose.7. Why is only COVID 19 required for weekly reporting for staff through MAC portal and not for other vaccines as vaccination is not mandatory in NSW.
Aged care providers are no longer required to report on staff COVID-19 vaccinations via the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal. https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/information-for-aged-care-providers-workers-and-residents-about-covid-19-vaccines/residential-aged-care-workers8. Is there any better guide lines then McGeers Criteria for AMS best practice.
McGeers/Stone infection criteria standardises definitions to identify healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which enables consistency in infection type surveillance and reporting. If looking for AMS resources they are many curated on the ACIPC aged care resources web page: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/resources-australasian-aged-care/9. Can we have a sample for outbreak management?
Depending on the type of outbreak, would depend on the plan. i.e. COVID-19 outbreak will be very different to Scabies outbreak plan. Take a look at the resources curated on the ACIPC web pages: IPC Resources for Australasian Aged Care – Outbreak Management https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/resources-australasian-aged-care/. There is also an outbreak presentation on the ‘aged care in focus’: https://www.acipc.org.au/members/ipc-in-aged-care/10. Can we have safety precautions for the family of the patient (MRO)?
Safety precautions for family will be the same as precautions for staff members generally. Staff need to guide families/visitors with what is required. It will depend on the organism and the means of transmission, as well as the risk of transmission, that will alter what is undertaken. There is a resident and families information sheet for precautions if this is useful on the Aged Care IPC Templates and Tools webpage https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/aged-care-ipc-templates-and-tools/. There is also an MRO webinar on the ‘aged care in focus’: https://www.acipc.org.au/members/ipc-in-aged-care/11. Is it mandatory to ask residents to be isolated when symptomatic even if no pathology report yet??? And resident wants not to be isolated as no evidence?
A new symptom and not resulting from a previous condition (i.e. diarrhea without the presence of diverticula or colitis – or coughing, without the presence of COAD) is an indication that there may be infection – to prevent infection spreading, isolation is a strong precaution.
The symptom itself is the evidence and directs the care/precaution. The pathology aims to inform of what organism is causing the symptom. One can always work backwards and remove the isolation, but once transmission to others has occurred this can cause an outbreak – risking mortality and morbidity. This should be explained to all residents/families – so that there is understanding prior to the occurrence. It may be in the outbreak prevention plan.
Note: isolation is not always possible in cognitive decline and relies on the good will of the individual to remain in isolation – it is not enforced.12. Could you kindly share the role description of your IPC lead please?
There are a few examples shared by providers on the ACIPC aged care web page: Aged Care IPC Templates and Tools: Aged Care IPC lead role: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/aged-care-ipc-templates-and-tools/13. Please advise if you mandate the mask-fit testing in the residential care?
Note: there is differences in requirements amongst jurisdictions/states, public and private and multiservice aged care. Providers need to review the requirements for their own situation. The Aged Care Guide addresses fit testing pg. 58 – https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/The-Aged-Care-Infection-Prevention-and-Control-Guide.pdf For more information on the requirements for fit testing, refer to Section 3.2.4 in the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/australian-guidelines-prevention-and-control-infection-healthcare and Safe Work Australia https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/hazards/covid-19#:%7E:text=WorkSafe%20Victoria%20website-,Masks%20as%20a%20control%20for%20COVID%2D19,far%20as%20is%20reasonably%20practicable.14. Any suggestions in working with leadership that views IPC as a portfolio rather than a unique role?
Aged care is required to have an IPC System – this is well documented in the Aged Care IPC Guide as a reference for providers (Ch 1: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/The-Aged-Care-Infection-Prevention-and-Control-Guide.pdf) – within that system is the IPC lead role. This means that the role is only part of the system and not the other way around. On the ACIPC aged care website – Aged Care IPC Templates and Tools, there are tools for the implementation of the system: Aged Care Programs and Plans: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/aged-care-ipc-templates-and-tools/. There is also a webinar on the Aged Care IPC in Focus on aged care IPC programs https://www.acipc.org.au/members/ipc-in-aged-care/
