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Hi everyone,
Jo while I appreciate your point of view I think there is another facet to the workplace health and safety argument, that is that all team members should be able to have adequate breaks and expect to be relieved from duty to do so. It is after all, a condition of employment for an employer to ensure staff are given appropriate rest breaks.
In the perioperative setting it might mean that anaesthetists; nursing staff and technicians are relieved by one of their colleagues to have a break, although this may only be realistic in a public hospital setting.
The surgeons are more challenging to relieve in these cases, it would be beneficial to the ENTIRE team for there to be a BREAK in the list between cases, so doctors, nurses and technicians can have a tea break or lunch break as the situation might warrant. This should certainly be the case in a private setting where medical officers and staff may not be able to take a break during a case as there is no-one else available to relieve them.
In prolonged cases, if a surgeon needed to have a break they would need to scrub out in which case it would be entirely reasonable to ask them to have a break in the tearoom and not eat in the OR.
I think a cultural shift is needed the current thinking that you must be able to eat and drink whilst still performing your work is unreasonable.
Let me put it another way would you think it acceptable for an ICU, A&E or ward nurse, consultant or registrar to sit in the patient bay / patient room and have their break?
Or as a consumer, would you be happy being served in a restaurant or in a retail setting while staff were chewing on a sandwich and slurping from a coffee cup?
I wonder what the people at Work Safe would think?
Kind Regards
Terry McAuley
Director
MSc Medical Device Decontamination
PO BOX 2249, Greenvale, VIC Australia 3059
Mobile: +61 (0)438 109 692
Email: terry@steamconsulting.com.au
Website: http://www.steamconsulting.com.au
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From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion On Behalf Of joe.bendall@BIGPOND.COM
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2019 1:43 PM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: Re: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] evidence to stop doctors taking food and drink into the operating theatre
Hi
I usually try and stay out of this argument but I think we need to refocus this question.
It is important that surgeons and anaesthetists who are performing long cases or sessions have access to nutrition and fluids. It is a workplace health and safety issue. We need to make sure that they are looked after to keep patients safe.
I have suggested to some theatres, instead of making it a black and white issue, why not work with the medical officers. Is there a little corner that could be quarrantined where they could eat/drink, be comfortable and not be worried about breaching infection prevention and control? Do you need to put some caveats around it eg no hot food that fasting patients can smell?
You will win some respect with the surgeons.
I expect some opposition to my thoughts but I am proposing another view!
Thank you
Joe
INFECTION CONTROL REVIEW PTY LTD
Joe-Anne Bendall Consulting
ABN 98630512284
Joe.bendall@bigpond.com
Phone: 0419638342
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From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion <ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU> On Behalf Of Helen Roberts
Sent: Friday, 12 July 2019 12:55 PM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: Re: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] evidence to stop doctors taking food and drink into the operating theatre
HI Pam,
We have the same problems. I would like the evidence as well or any suggestions on how to stop this practice.
Kind regards,
Helen
Helen Roberts
Infection Control
P:
07 4646 3106
|
F:
07 4633 7602
E:
robertsh@sath.org.au
|
W:
http://www.sath.org.au
Post:
PO Box 263, Toowoomba, QLD 4350
Address:
280 North St, Toowoomba, QLD 4350
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From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion <ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU> On Behalf Of Pamela Ann Boon
Sent: Friday, 12 July 2019 12:16 PM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] evidence to stop doctors taking food and drink into the operating theatre
Good morning.
We have an issue we need to address with some (special) doctors taking food and coffees into operating theatres (despite this being banned).
They also take their grubby bags in there as well
When we crack down on this I am sure I will be told by the doctors to show me the evidence .. blah blah blah!!!!
If anyone can refer me to any evidence or documents that support my position of No food or drink in the OT I would be eternally grateful.
Kind regards,
Pam
Pamela Boon | Clinical Nurse Manager
Infection Prevention and Management Unit
Royal Darwin Palmerston Hospitals | Top End Health Service
Northern Territory Government
LG Floor, Royal Darwin Hospital, Rocklands Drive, Tiwi
GPO Box 41326, Casuarina, NT 0811
p …08 892 28045
f … 08 892 28889
e … Pamela.Boon@nt.gov.au
w http://www.nt.gov.au/health
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