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Good morning,
Reaching out to for advice around PPE and ABHR placement in residents rooms. Keeping in mind the need to maintain a ‘homely environment’ where have you found works best to place PPE and ABHR in residents rooms or bathrooms. Do you have any ideas to disguise the holders and make them less obvious for the residents?
Thanks LeasaHi Leasa,
According to the ACSQHC guidelines.
Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) must be available inside each room, affixed to mobile work trolleys (e.g., medication and dressing trolleys), and in high-traffic areas (e.g., nurse’s station, pan room and resident room entrances—one dispenser for every two rooms, depending on accessibility, would be appropriate). Public areas, such as dining rooms and foyers/lounges, should also have dispensers.
In areas with residents experiencing dementia, cognitive decline, or mental illnesses, a risk assessment must be conducted (small personal bottles carried by healthcare workers (HCWs) may be an option).
Some considerations:
Product usage signs should be clearly visible and laminated.
ABHR dispensers must NOT be placed next to sinks, as this can cause confusion for some HCWs who may mistakenly think they need to rinse their hands with water after using the ABHR.
ABHR dispensers should be located at a height of between 92 cm and 122 cm above the floor (avoid placing them at eye level).
Regarding hand soap and paper towels, they must be within arm’s reach of sinks. Additionally, moisturising lotion dispensers are also needed.I hope this helps to give you a brief overview of the topic.
Regards,
Luis
Thank you Luis
The guidelines referred to above are the Aged Care IPC Guide: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/The-Aged-Care-Infection-Prevention-and-Control-Guide.pdf
Hi Leasa,
Tip: We are moving on from the homely environment to the safe environment post COVID 19 and hence guides now recommend easy see and identify IPC equipment.
See page 50 of the Aged Care IPC Guide for ABHR placement. To note is also the placement ‘risk assessment’ – this would be required to be used in areas where there are residents with cognitive deficit and risk.
The Aged Care IPC Guide also addresses PPE page 54 – there may be some great information for you here. Placement of PPE for donning is best placed outside of the resident’s room at the entrance, with signage on how to don in accordance with the means of organism transmission – contact, droplet, airborne.
Hope that helps
Carrie
