Re: IPC lead role requirements for Aged Care

[Anonymous]

Hi Margaret,
I just want to clarify that the issues I was referring to was not around who should do the role. The issues I have raised with the department are:

the ridiculous timelines put around the recruitment and training. The department demanding that staff employed or chosen for the role complete courses in 2 weeks when it is designed to be a 24 week course at university quality level.

The lack of understanding that most aged care facilities have the vast majority of staff as Patient Care Assistants/Nurses Aids and EN/RNs are not easily found to fulfil this role.

the lack of support for these novice IPC leads once they have completed their course. Then being expected to lead IPC in an industry that has largely ignored infection control with the mentality that its their home trumps everything.

The lack of structure around the role no role description or EFT requirements.

The absence of infection control in the aged care standards to guide the IPC leads

While I feel that having IPC trained nursing staff in aged care is definitely a step I the right direction, the execution of this has been politically focused rather than reality focused and without proper structure and support around the role its being set up to fail.
Kind regards,
Kelly
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we work and live, and respect their ongoing custodianship of the land. I pay respect to Aboriginal people, and Elders past and present.

[cid:image001.png@01D3593E.B14EC410]

Kelly Barton
Infection Prevention & Control Officer
RN BHSc (Nursing). Grad Cert (Infection Control)(Advanced Acute Care). Nurse Immuniser. Cert IV T&A
Email: kelly.barton@alpinehealth.org.au
Office: 03 5751 9364
Mobile: 0409 885 002
Fax: 03 5751 9396
Address: 30 ODonnell Ave, Myrtleford VIC 3737
Website: http://www.alpinehealth.org.au
P Reduce, re-use, recycle. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion On Behalf Of mgoodson mgoodson
Sent: Tuesday, 20 April 2021 5:06 PM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: Re: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] IPC lead role requirements

Dear All,
I’m reading the development of the conversation about who could take an IPC role with interest.
If other health professionals can take over the role of the RN IPC person, let’s have
an RN running the Haematology department or the Microbiology department.
After all, if skill mix is so transferable, why not allow RN’s to run pathology departments.
The departments are all automated these days and I’ve heard many pathology staff
complain it’s so boring pushing a calibration button or an analyse button and just
waiting for the results to print off. And while we’re at it, RN’s can take over the role
of podiatrists too. RN’s study anatomy, do a basic surgery rotation, know well how to
set up and use small instrument trays, so couldn’t someones’ example of a Podiatrist being an
excellent IPC appointee be argued toward an RN being an excellent Podiatrist.
The answer is no, the skills are not transferable across health professional roles.

I know the difference. I trained as an RN, specialised in Intensive care, then went and studied
my Clinical Laboratory Science degree in the medical sciences and as both an RN and
Laboratory Scientist, I can say a laboratory scientist is not a suitable appointee as an
IPC person in a hospial with a role across patient care planning, acuity understanding,
family interaction, advising on antibiotic stewardship wrt past Hx, current treatment and
changes of care. The statement already given that IPC positions need to be opened up to
other health professionals because it cuts out other health care professionals’ career options
is superficial and invalid when considering the different Allied Health Care preparation and
skill mix. Wanting to fill a vacant position by changing the role requirement to open it up
to other allied health persons is not a professional nor safe course of action.
The conversation promoting the ACIPC to ‘get behind’ the push for non-RN’s
to be appointed to ICP roles is a huge red flag and I’d think the Medical Insurance companies,
the ANF, the State nursing unions, all AHPRA registered nurses, RN members of the ACIPC,
and Nurse Advisors to the Ministers in all States would have a few things to say about that idea.
I don’t support Allied Health professionals and Laboratory Scientists taking the ICP lead roles
in Australa health care facilities.

Margaret Goodson
RN(AHPRA), BAppSc(ClinLabSc),MEd,PhD(Ed),GCDRMed(UTS),
Intensive Care Cert(NSWCN), Stomal Therapy Cert (SydH),
CertIVTAE & LLN, MACIPC.
IPC Coordinator
Manly Waters Private Hospital
Manly, Sydney, NSW.
EM: mgoodson@bigpond.com

—— Original Message ——
From: “Kelly Barton” <Kelly.Barton@ALPINEHEALTH.ORG.AU>
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Sent: Friday, 16 Apr, 2021 At 3:50 PM
Subject: Re: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] IPC lead role requirements
Hi Sarah,
there are many issues in regards to the IPC lead role mandates, however my experience has been that the federal government is not willing to listen or change their stance on this matter.
Kind regards,
Kelly
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we work and live, and respect their ongoing custodianship of the land. I pay respect to Aboriginal people, and Elders past and present.

[cid:image005.png@01D73689.28A52510]

Kelly Barton
Infection Prevention & Control Officer
RN BHSc (Nursing). Grad Cert (Infection Control)(Advanced Acute Care). Nurse Immuniser. Cert IV T&A
Email: kelly.barton@alpinehealth.org.au
Office: 03 5751 9364
Mobile: 0409 885 002
Fax: 03 5751 9396
Address: 30 ODonnell Ave, Myrtleford VIC 3737
Website: http://www.alpinehealth.org.au
P Reduce, re-use, recycle. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion <ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU> On Behalf Of Sarah Gaines Hill
Sent: Thursday, 15 April 2021 9:49 AM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: Re: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] IPC lead role requirements

Thanks Fiona I am aware of this. The issue is nurses in aged care are few and far between and therefore recruiting and using their time for IP work is a huge struggle.
There needs to be a change in IP requirements in general to allow non-nursing to perform the role as well.
Sarah

[BlueCross]

Sarah

Gaines Hill

Infection Control Nurse Coordinator

P: +61 3 9828 1705

|

M: +61 429 480 183

Level 1, 117 Camberwell Road,

Hawthorn East,

VIC

3123

[BlueCross]

From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion <ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU> On Behalf Of Wilson, Fiona L (TIPCU)
Sent: Thursday, 15 April 2021 9:44 AM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: Re: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] IPC lead role requirements

Hello Sarah the site on the Australian Government website around IPC leads in RACF does state that the IPC lead must be a nurse.
See https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/infection-prevention-and-control-leads for the specific requirements.

Regards

Fiona Wilson I Nurse Manager TIPCU
Public Health Services I Department of Health
3/25Argyle St Hobart, GPO Box 125 Hobart 7001
Phone (03) 6166 0601| Mobile 0439 014 634 | Fax (03) 6173 0821
Prevention is better than cure
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we work and live, and respect their ongoing custodianship of the land. I pay respect to Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and Elders past and present.

From: ACIPC Infexion Connexion <ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU> On Behalf Of Sarah Gaines Hill
Sent: Wednesday, 14 April 2021 1:13 PM
To: ACIPCLIST@ACIPC.ORG.AU
Subject: [ACIPC_Infexion_Connexion] IPC lead role requirements

Good Afternoon fellow Ips!
A few weeks ago there was some discussion in this forum about the requirements for IPC leads at Aged Care facilities had to be RN/EN.
It was mentioned that there would be recommendations to change this. You do not need to be an RN/EN to be a great IP. I have worked with many who had a science degree but not licensed practitioners who were fantastic.
We are really struggling to fill positions that have been left as our RN/EN pool is very small.
Does anyone remember the discussion or have a response?
Is this something this college would be willing to get behind as a voice to help aged care facilities with this. I believe this will be an ongoing struggle if we are tied in this way.

Thanks
Sarah
[BlueCross]

Sarah

Gaines Hill

Infection Control Nurse Coordinator

P: +61 3 9828 1705

|

M: +61 429 480 183

Level 1, 117 Camberwell Road,

Hawthorn East,

VIC

3123

[BlueCross]

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