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To all staff and physicians
Current situation
As of today, March 31, Nova Scotia has 147 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Most cases are connected to travel or a known case. As reported yesterday, Public Health has concluded that one case is the result of transmission within the community. To date, four staff and two residents of long term care facilities have tested positive for COVID-19. Appropriate infection prevention and control measures are in place for both residents and staff. Read the release here.
The individuals affected range in age from under ten to over 80. Four individuals are currently in hospital. Ten individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province. There have been 5,763 negative test results. Testing numbers are updated daily athttps://novascotia.ca/coronavirus.
Our response
Patient Relations temporarily expands hours
Patient Relations has temporarily expanded their hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday. They will also be on-call during weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Patient and Family Feedback Line is toll-free: 1-844-884-4177. You can also visit the Patient and Family Feedback website.
Supporting patients’ mental wellness during COVID-19
We've heard that many of your conversations with patients and clients are focusing on the emotional toll that COVID-19 is having on their life. Supporting mental well-being using effective communication strategies is especially important during these times of uncertainty.
Primary Health Care has created a document that provides some key tips on how to have these conversations, and provides links to mental health and wellness resources. Clickhere to read.
COVID-19 updates from Privacy
Privacy has provided a cyber security Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the following topics:
- Phishing attempts and emails
- Photography of patients and staff
- Privacy considerations when working from home
- General privacy reminders
Infection Prevention and Control
IPAC recommendations: receiving patient’s belongings from home during COVID-19 pandemic
During current family and visitor restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic, patients, residents and clients may still require items from their home while in hospital. This guidance documentwas designed to offer suggestions as to how to safely receive these items while abiding by visitation restrictions in NSHA facilities.
Right PPE + right time = healthy providers
Using the right personal protective equipment (PPE) at the right time helps to ensure the necessary supplies will be there when you need them.
The COVID-19 virus is transmitted through droplets when you cough or sneeze, by:
- prolonged personal contact such as touching or shaking hands
- touching something with the virus on it then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before you clean your hands, or
- having someone cough of sneeze in your face
To protect yourself:
- Practice good hand hygiene with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub, even when a particular situation requires additional personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Clean high-touch surfaces
- Screen patients for fever and respiratory symptoms
- When caring for a patient with COVID-19 or other respiratory infection, follow contact and droplet precautions, using the gloves, gown, mask and eye protection you would commonly use when caring for patients with diseases like influenza
- Unless your patient has COVID-19 or other respiratory infection, or has been admitted to hospital while still on self-isolation, you do not need to use contact and droplet precautions
- Because COVID-19 is not an airborne virus, in the spirit of making the best use of our PPE, N95 respirators should be reserved for aerosol-generating medical procedures
- There may be specific situations where infection prevention and control does recommend additional precautions. These decisions will be made case by case
When in doubt about PPE, ask a supervisor about the right equipment to use and how to use it properly. Together, we can help protect each other today, and in the future by making the best possible use of PPE. Thank you for all you are doing to keep yourselves, your colleagues and patients healthy!
IPAC strategies to prevent or limit transmission of COVID-19 in healthcare settings
Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) strategies to prevent or limit transmission of COVID-19 in healthcare settings include prompt identification of all persons with signs and symptoms of acute respiratory infection (e.g. fever and/or cough) with the immediate application of Droplet and Contact Precautions (in addition to Routine Practices).
A primary objective for managing the COVID-19 outbreak is the early detection of cases and slowing the spread of COVID-19 in order to flatten the epidemiological curve. With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases reported in Nova Scotia, active screening of patients, residents, and clients in our acute care hospitals and long term care facilities is imperative to ensure early identification of COVID-19.
Effective immediately, all patients, residents, and clients located in NSHA hospitals or long term care/residential facilities will be assessed two times per day for fever, respiratory symptoms, and change in health, which could reflect a respiratory infection. This assessment must be documented on the attached form that will be placed on each patient/resident/client’s chart.
Immediate management of patient/resident with symptoms is to include:
Implement Droplet and Contact Precautions
Report the suspect case to Infection Prevention and Control
Test patient for viral respiratory infection ie. Send flu swab
Occupational Health/People Services
Updated Occupational Health information & guidelines for NSHA healthcare workers
We continue to receive many of the same inquiries and feel it is important to reinforce some commonly asked questions along with their answers. The updated guidelines are here.
Occupational Health information & guidelines for pregnant healthcare workers
The worldwide literature regarding COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is small but growing daily. The Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) recently released a statement with recommendations for the safe employment of pregnant healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SOGC advises that pregnant women are notat significantly greater risk for more severe illness, should they contract COVID-19. Further, they advise that pregnant healthcare workers with appropriate personal protection equipment and training/practices may continue to work in clinical roles. For more information, click here.
Occupational Health information for healthcare workers with chronic/ongoing conditions
Many healthcare workers experience chronic medical conditions. Being “Fit for Duty” means that an employee is assessed as physically, physiologically, and psychologically capable of performing the tasks of their assigned role within the required standards of safety, efficiency and attendance. Due to the nature of their ongoing medical conditions (and/or their treatment) some healthcare workers require workplace restrictions to ensure they are Fit for Duty. Click here for further information.
New/updated guidance documents and resources
COVID-19 Assessment Clinic Cost Centres (Updated: March 31, 2020)
Hearts for health care
We’ve been hearing some truly positive and up-lifting stories these past weeks, and we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of them with you.