[Carrie Spinks]

On behalf of Mark Rigby

Hi Loida

While purple gloves are routinely used in oncology units, I think in an aged care context it would be more critical to simply ensure the gloves used are acceptable for handling cytotoxics and that there are appropriate “purple bins/bags” for these gloves to be disposed of into. There does not appear to be any guidelines specifying the required color of the gloves.

EviQ is a fantastic resource for all things oncology. There is a section on PPE and some links to state based guidelines. https://www.eviq.org.au/clinical-resources/administration-of-anti-cancer-drugs/188-safe-handling-and-waste-management-of-hazardou#personal-protective-equipment-ppe

Also, a google search for cytotoxic gloves will help identify suppliers who specify gloves that are suitable for use when handling cytotoxics.

Hope this helps

Mark Rigby

Infection Prevention Consultant

Credentialled Infection Control Professional – Advanced (CICP-A)

B.Pharm

Victorian Infection Prevention Services (VICIPS)

Mobile: 0417544117

Email: mark@vicips.com.au

Website: vicips.com.au

At VICIPS we work flexibly. I’m sending this message now at a time that suits me. I don’t expect you to read, action or respond out of your regular working hours.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Carrie Spinks.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Carrie Spinks.

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Loida (Eunice),

Great question.

In aged care cytotoxic exposure can occur during drug administration and in the management of body fluids and contaminated items from body fluids. Hence protection for care staff, resident carers (as appropriate) , cleaners (bathroom cleaning), laundry staff (washing body fluid contaminated clothing items) all needs to be considered – PPE will vary depending on the task and exposure risk.

In regards to guidelines, these are state/territory based and local policies are reflected from these. So it depends where you are located as to where I could guide you.

Purple identifies cytotoxic risk and clearly disingishes between what is being handled. However, if the blue gloves provide cyctoxic protection and staff etc are safe, then there should be little concern of colour (the colour of these gloves is close to purple – the use of white or black nitrile gloves in this setting can be avoided).

The focus should be on the used PPE items going into a purple, symboled cytoxic waste bag so that it can be transported (inhouse and externally) and distroyed safely and correctly. Incinaration temps are higher for cytotoxic waste to ensure destruction.

Hope this is helpful

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Mel

The ACIPC website under the aged care space has a lot of resources to develop education, it also has tools and templates for use. The aged care in focus has presentations that can be used for staff education as well. https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/

The Department also have training resources (scroll to the bottom) https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care/managing-respiratory-infection/infection-prevention-and-control-in-aged-care#training-resources

Theb Australian Commission also have Infection prevention and control for aged care eLearning modules https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/infection-prevention-and-control/hand-hygiene-and-infection-prevention-and-control-elearning-modules/infection-prevention-and-control-aged-care-elearning-modules

Hoping these may help to start you off.

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Peggy,

Victorian guideline on CPO for long-term residential care facilities may be agreat place to start too.

Link:https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/victorian-guideline-on-cpe-for-long-term-residential-care-facilities-version-11

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Rosemarie,

The reprocessing of reusable medical equipment toolbox also guides to the manufacturers in structions

Reusable equipment cleaning and reprocessing toolbox
https://www.acipc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reusable-Equipment-cleaning-toolbox-2024.pdf

Cheers Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Michelle,

If your able to be flexible and also looking for paper base audits, the ACIPC aged care space has some great audit examples for both quick and full cleaning reviews – or if you’re looking to adapt a current platform to include further questions these may also assist with that.

See the Tools/Templates section, then Aged Care Surveillance/Audit section: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/aged-care-ipc-templates-and-tools/

Kind regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Michelle,

2024 Laundry Standards = AS 4146:2024 Laundry practice

5.1 Preparation of soiled textiles for collection
Textiles to be collected shall conform to the following:
Textiles which are heavily soiled with blood or other body fluids, or other fluids which could leak and further contaminate other textiles, shall be placed within appropriate impermeable bags (e.g. soluble sealed bags) which shall be securely closed and then placed in an appropriate laundry bag based on a risk assessment according to state or territory requirements. Particular attention shall be given to soiled coloured textiles which cause dye transfer.

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Everyone,

To let you know the Laundry Practice Standards were superseded in Dec 2024 = Laundry practice AS 4146:2024.

Purchasing and preview: https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/standard-details?designation=AS-4146-2024

Note: only an AUS Standard

Resource of assistance – An overview by AUSMED: https://www.ausmed.com.au/learn/articles/laundry-infection-control-in-aged-care

Kind regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Michelle,

The residential aged care setting may approach things differently to the acute sector where risk reduction mechanisms are not in place/available.

For example: The ventilation is often minimal and laundry size usually small- to house both unclean and clean areas. Aged Care laundry staff are not routinely in the same level of PPE as a large industrial laundry. Staff training in soiled laundry management can vary. Transmission risks due to decanting from plastic bags may present – these plastic bags may also be required to be placed in clinical waste – depending on the scenario/pathogen (adding cost). Full fluid resistant linen bags are not generally purchased in aged care, and consistent colour coding practices are recommended.

Where risks can potentially be reduced by the use of soluble bags – aged care organisations do use them.

There are many brands of soluble bags and determining the right one for the service and machine wash (thermal or Ozone disinfection) is beneficial.
Bagging both soluble and linen bag at the point of care can reduce risks. Careful handling and transport of soiled bagged linen is well documented to reduce organism movement and bag breakage. Wrapping sodden items in a dry towel prior to placing in the soluble bag reduces risk of soluble bag breakage due to fluid exposure. On completion of wash the remains of the soluble bag can simply be removed (it is clean/disinfected) and placed into general waste.

Hope that helps.

[Carrie Spinks]

Thanks Amberlea,

To confirm these are Victorian directives at this time.
Link: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/vaccinadfor-healthcare-workers

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Logan,

I cant help with onsite information, but…..

Some resources if you require them:

Rocket Information:
RESOURCES: https://rocketmedicalipc.com/resources/
Instructions for use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GET4X3djwsA
Information for patients and nurses: https://sales.rocketmedical.com/media/attachment/file/r/o/rocket_ipc_pleural_catheter_-_information_for_patients_and_nurses.pdf

Management overview:
How to manage and drain an Indwelling Pleural Catheter (IPC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCGyjVXUCEk

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Michelle,

A similar query came up 6 months ago on the forum, there may be some useful information here – the link: https://www.acipc.org.au/members/forums-members/topic/mask-exemption-management/

Tip: you can search previous topics clicking on the boxed numbers at the top right-hand side of the page.

It’s a complex situation considering situation, risk assessment, safety, guidelines, organsisation policy, etc

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Monkika,

This may be of assistance:

Chapter 7: Staff health and safety https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/the_aged_care_ipc_guide_-_chapter_7.pdf

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Jewel,

Perhaps this statement will assist to answer:

Health services and other settings where the risk of COVID-19 transmission and impact is particularly significant (i.e. RACF) are recommended to take actions based on local risk assessment. Taken from: Increase in COVID-19 activity – https://www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alerts/increase-covid-19-activity

Although surgical masks are recommended for use in Victoria as a safety measure against RTI transmission, the risk assessment and decision are currently up to the provider or service to make.

Infection Prevention and Control Expert Group – Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers in the context of COVID-19: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/covid-19-infection-prevention-control-guidelines/resources – provides a good risk assessment process to assist with this.

The following links provide recommendations around PPE and masks (for Victoria) to assist with decision making:
Personal protective equipment (PPE) –
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/covid-19-infection-prevention-control-guidelines/personal-protective-equipment-ppe – information on mask use
COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines References – info on masks and respirator standards for decision making –
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/covid-19-infection-prevention-control-guidelines
Better Health Channel – Face masks and COVID-19 –
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/covid-19/face-masks-covid-19

The Aged Care Infection Prevention and Control Guide addresses the use of masks and risk assessment – https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/aged-care-infection-prevention-and-control-guide as does the National IPC Guideline.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Carrie Spinks.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Carrie Spinks.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Carrie Spinks.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Carrie Spinks.

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Karen,

Its called The Singh Thattha technique

There is some information out there.

AS/NZS 1715 requires that employees be clean-shaven the day of the fit test and prohibits any facial hair in areas where the respirator comes into contact with the face
In summary, there are no exceptions regarding facial hair and any tight-fitting respirator (negative or positive pressure) to comply with AS/NZS 1715.
https://respfit.org.au/new-as-nzs-1715-ruling-document-from-standards-australia/

Victorian trial:
The Singh Thattha technique
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/quality-safety-service/the-singh-thattha-trial

RMH-developed mask technique given green light across Victoria
https://www.thermh.org.au/news/rmh-developed-mask-technique-given-green-light-across-victoria#:~:text=The%20Victorian%20trial%20follows%20other,approved%20for%20use%20across%20Victoria.

Research: (including participation from NSW)

Under-mask beard covers achieve an adequate seal with tight-fitting disposable respirators using quantitative fit testing
https://wslhd.intersearch.com.au/wslhdjspui/bitstream/1/4616/1/Bhatia-2022-Under-mask%20beard%20covers%20achieve%20an.pdf

Prospective comprehensive evaluation of an elastic-band beard cover for filtering facepiece respirators in healthcare workers
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10782203/

Use may be jurisdictional.

Hope this helps.

Regards Carrie

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