Out of Date PPE Items

[Michael Wishart]

[Cross-posting form Infexion Connexion – Moderator]

Hi,

Can anyone please share what your organisation did to all your expired PPE stocks as it still remains as our long-standing issue in the aged care. There has been no clear advice from the department nor any guidance on this, just some recommendations to contact vet clinics and universities where the PPE might be of use. Any suggestions please?
Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Wadin Caneda
RN Div 1
IPC Nurse Lead / ANUM

Euroa Health, 36 Kennedy Street Euroa VIC 3666
PO Box 126 Euroa VIC 3666
T +61 3 5795 0200  ❘ wadin.caneda@euroahealth.com.au

Michael Wishart
Infection Control Coordinator
St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside & St Vincent's Private Hospital Brisbane
Brisbane, QLD
michael.wishart@svha.org.au

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[Michael Wishart]

[Cross-posting from Infexion Connexion – Moderator]

Hi Wandin
We have applied a risk-based approach to expired PPE.

For example:
1) Nitrile gloves
 have been put into general circulation for use when vinyl gloves would normally have been used.
 Risk = same as using vinyl gloves for standard precautions.
 Rationale = stock is in good condition (ie: not water or heat damaged, packaging is intact), and reduces environmental impact (not discarding just because of an expiry date).
2) Shields
 Still in use for outbreaks despite any potential expiry date.
 Risk = what impact would an expiry date have on the quality of the product?
 Rationale = stock is in good condition (ie: not water or heat damaged, packaging is intact). Suspect impact to staff is low if used out of date but remains in good (new) condition. Consideration to environmental impact (not just discarding because of an expiry date).
3) Gowns
 Still in use for any type of outbreak despite any potential expiry date.
 Risk = What is the actual percentage of transmission of a microorganism via clothing which has become contaminated due to an out of date gown? OR are we just talking a theoretical possibility.
 Rationale = stock is in good condition (ie: not water or heat damaged, packaging is intact), and impact to staff low if used out of date but remain in good (new) condition. Staff are going home, changing, and washing clothes at end of each shift. Reduction of environmental impact (not just discarding because of an expiry date).
 This one is probably the most controversial, however the risk of transference would be low versus negligible if new and in date.
4) N95 masks
 Not an issue, ours are all in date.
5) RATs
 We have discarded cartons and cartons of test kits.
 Risk = if an out-of-date RAT is used and incorrectly gives a negative result, thus the person enters the facility, spread and subsequently infect residents and staff resulting in an outbreak.
 Rationale = they have a preservative which will wane in effectiveness over time and strict storage requirements cannot have been guaranteed (ie: power failure etc) they have been discarded.

Hope this helps.
I know my response will be seen as NOT best practice, but this is what is really happening.

Vanessa Watkins
RN, Quality Manager & IPC Lead
Donwood Community & Aged Care Services
11 Diana Street, Croydon 3136
9845 8509 (Mon – Thur)
vwatkins@donwood.com.au
http://www.donwood.com.au

Michael Wishart
Infection Control Coordinator
St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside & St Vincent's Private Hospital Brisbane
Brisbane, QLD
michael.wishart@svha.org.au

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[Michael Wishart]

[Cross-posting form Infexion Connexion – Moderator]

Hi Vanessa,

Thank you so much for sharing your inputs on how you managed your expired PPEs and all that. This is of much help. I agree it may not be the best practice but this is better than not doing anything and dealing with too much unwanted wastage. The management of all expired PPE and how you approach it now lies to the organisation itself, I believed.

Thank you again. Much appreciated 🙂

Best regards,
Wadin Caneda
RN Div 1
IPC Nurse Lead / ANUM

Euroa Health, 36 Kennedy Street Euroa VIC 3666
PO Box 126 Euroa VIC 3666
T +61 3 5795 0200  ❘ wadin.caneda@euroahealth.com.au

Michael Wishart
Infection Control Coordinator
St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside & St Vincent's Private Hospital Brisbane
Brisbane, QLD
michael.wishart@svha.org.au

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[Michael Wishart]

[Cross-posting from Infexion Connexion – Moderator]

Agree with Vanessa, Risk assessed and used if the risk of transfer of infection is low , however not using expired or damaged RATs

Rhonda Schatz
National Infection Prevention & Control Advisor
P +61293248720 | F 02 8241 1690 | M +61418118943
W http://www.opalhealthcare.com.au

Michael Wishart
Infection Control Coordinator
St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside & St Vincent's Private Hospital Brisbane
Brisbane, QLD
michael.wishart@svha.org.au

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