[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Jewel,

Thanks for sharing.

Consideration of the caddy going into room to room – would this pose risk of infection transmission caused by a contaminated caddy where residents may be in an incubation period, or the environment has not been cleaned of all organisms as example?
Perhaps additional precautions could be considered:
Considerations for suspected or confirmed infectious rooms /areas- i.e. not for use?
Consider a cleaning regime/process for the caddy?

Perhaps refer to the following docs to guide ABHR placement and tips for compliance:

Aged Care IPC Guide -Product placement pg. 50+
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/The-Aged-Care-Infection-Prevention-and-Control-Guide.pdf

National Hand Hygiene Initiative Implementation Guide – Product placement pg. 10.
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-07/nhhi_implementation_guide_july_2023.pdf

The use of this document would need to be adjusted to suit aged care – consideration to ABHR placement should be risk assessed, especially in areas where there are residents with cognitive deficit.

Consideration for personal clip-on ABHR is another thought – but expensive.

Education on 5 hand moments, quizzes, puzzles and cross words make HH learning a bit more fun – agree with signage as reminders.

Is there potential to place PPE supplies more readily available for staff – in corridor cupboards for example? Easy access to aprons as well as gloves is great practice.

Hope that helps

Carrie

• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Carrie Spinks.
• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Carrie Spinks.
• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Carrie Spinks.

[Carrie Spinks]

Thanks Luis,

I think this statement would need to be evidence based referenced.

Thanks kindly

Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Luis,

Thank you

Some information for consideration:

TGA link: https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/resource/guidance/hand-sanitisers-information-manufacturers-suppliers-and-advertisers

Not all hand sanitisers can be promoted for healthcare
The only types of hand sanitisers that can be legally promoted as being suitable for use in medical or health services are those hand sanitisers that are:
-included in the ARTG
-captured by the Exclusion Determination.
For a hand sanitiser to be advertised as being able to kill a specific organism (e.g. E.coli) or as being virucidal, it must be included in the ARTG. In addition, the TGA must have approved the use of this type of claim in relation to the hand sanitiser being advertised.

Australian TGA health care approved hand rubs use alcohol based
-Ethanol hand sanitisers
-Isopropyl alcohol hand sanitisers
-Chlorhexidine

Monograph link: https://www.tga.gov.au/otc-medicine-monograph-hand-sanitisers

NHHI link: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/infection-prevention-and-control/national-hand-hygiene-initiative/what-hand-hygiene/alcohol-based-hand-rubs

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Louis,

I have not been able to find too much information on this sorry.

Victoria Department of Health have a health care bathroom guide:
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/dementia-friendly-environments/bathrooms

-Shower screens stop water from spreading, important if showers are next to toilets. Shower curtains are better than fixed or rigid screens but are harder to clean.
-People value privacy. Half-height shower curtains have privacy for those seated and keep staff members drier.
-Grab rails in showers should be effectively colour-contrasted against walls for good visibility.

The AHF Guidelines state that curtains are optional depending on the IPC policy https://www.healthfacilityguidelines.com.au/component/adl-bathroom-1
They are factored into their data and layout sheets

There are antimicrobial shower curtains that can be purchased – but these still require cleaning.

The risk of potential reservoir of microbial pathogens in an aged care facility or home care would be lower if single use bathroom. Other risk considerations may be trip or falls hazards or resident/client holding on to the curtain for balance if the curtain and brackets are not collapsable.

Hope that helps

Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Anonymous,

Please see information on gloving on pg 59 of the Aged Care IPC Guide: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/The-Aged-Care-Infection-Prevention-and-Control-Guide.pdf

“Vinyl gloves are not recommended for the clinical care of older people.”

Im not sure about the risk statistics – but this is a clear answer for non-use.

Hope that helps Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

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

[Carrie Spinks]

Hello,

There is a huge number of resources on the ACIPC resource aged care page link: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/resources-australasian-aged-care/

as well as the general resource page link: https://www.acipc.org.au/resources/ipc-resources-for-all-australian-health-care-services/

further on the collaborative health care page link: https://www.acipc.org.au/resources/

Hope that helps

Kind regards
Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Lorraine

An earlier RAT testing discussion (post) may be of assistance.

https://www.acipc.org.au/members/forums-members/topic/rat-testing-after-april-2024/?view=all

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

TGA – antibiotics

https://tgldcdp.tg.org.au/guideLine?guidelinePage=Antibiotic&frompage=etgcomplete

AB Summary Table

https://www.tg.org.au/news/antibiotic-summary-table/

Hope this helps

Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Sam,

Victoria has some good spill kit information in their managing spills guideline.

Managing spills of blood and body fluids and substances
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/managing-spills-of-blood-and-body-fluids-and-substances

Its organisation dependant, however, a process to check the contents (against a contents list) annually and post use/refill is often practice. At this time PPE not used in the year could be changed to ensure capability- if concerned. All PPE has a life span depending on the brand purchased – but often this falls in the 3-year mark.

Hope this helps.

Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

IPC Lead role description examples can be located –

Webinar Series Resources
Link: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/resources-australasian-aged-care/

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Michele,

All the webinars are recorded and located on the CoP webinar page of the ACIPC aged care.

Link: https://www.acipc.org.au/acipc-aged-care-community-of-practice-webinar-series/

All up an coming aged care CoP webinars and their recordings are located on this page.

There are also many resources, aged care connexion and other recorded webinars for the aged care setting

Link https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/

Kind regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Victoria,

Best practice would be single resident use – i.e. resident has their own.

When this is not possible there may be a local guideline to reflect on: below are a couple of examples with directions on how to manage, cover and clean hot packs.

NSW: https://www.seslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/SESLHDGL%20073%20-%20Application%20of%20Heat%20or%20Cold%20Therapy.pdf

WA: https://www.wacountry.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/WACHS/Documents/About-us/Policies/Hot-and-Cold-Gel-Pack-Application-Procedure—Albany-Hospital.pdf?thn=0

Manufacturer’s instructions would guide the cleaning practice, but here is a recommendation from the WA guide:
Following use, clean with a pre-impregnated disposable neutral detergent wipe or if cleaning and disinfection is required e.g. for patient under transmission precautions, use a pre-impregnated disposable detergent and disinfectant wipe.

Re pack cover/protection: WA guide – Hot and cold packs must be used with a cover and are not to be applied directly to the skin. NSW guide: Hot packs must not be placed on direct contact with the patients’ skin. Wrap the heat pack in a disposable wipe or special purpose non-woven pouch (e.g. Livingstone). Alternatively, wrap hot pack in two towels and place in pillow slip to prevent burns.

Hope this helps.

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi All,

Some considerations around this matter:

Providers are well placed to have a HR procedure for mask exemption, including different scenarios.

There are no current Public Health Directions in effect requiring someone to wear a face mask.

However, during periods where there is high circulation of a respiratory organism, (demonstrated by increased case numbers and outbreaks in an area/region), as well as a vulnerable population (older person and RACF), care providers may risk assess the situation to require their staff to wear surgical masks in the facility – with the aim to reduce transmission. In this situation and where a staff member has requested exemption, the reason should be considered – i.e. is there a skin allergy/pressure issue -trialling differing masks and brands, or using a barrier cream, taking breaks from consistent use – i.e. risk assess when the mask is worn. Where there may be respiratory issues/asthma, consider work placement in area where there is less risk (and no requirement to wear mask) to others and person exempting.
Note: If the risk assessment has been made that masks are required, the absence of masks poses risk to resident, others and self.

In the event that there is a suspected or known infection or facility outbreak of a respiratory (droplet/airborne) infection, we are guided by national, state/territory IPC guidelines to don surgical (droplet) or N95 (airborne) mask. The risk of transmission is higher in this scenario – then above. In this situation and where a staff member has requested exemption, and all avenues have been exhausted to find a suitable mask, consideration to a work location with less risk- i.e. another facility, work outdoors, work from home.
The absence of the mask poses risk to residents, others and self.

Regards Carrie

[Carrie Spinks]

Added by moderator from Infexion Conexion response

Hi Melissa

I assume this is for an outbreak situation? My understanding is that if you have an outbreak and are unable to protect yourself wearing the appropriate mask that you are not able to work in that area due to the high risk of getting the infection.

You would have to be furloughed or work somewhere else that did not require PPE for protection. It is duty of care, WHS, to protect the staff members by providing them with appropriate PPE. Unless they signed a waiver saying they are happy to work unprotected I would think this is your only option.

Kind regards

Yvonne

Yvonne Andrews

Clinical Nurse Consultant

IPC Lead

Care Development Unit

Residential

Baptist Care Canberra

14 Wormald St,

Symonston ACT 2609

P: (02) 6195 3119

M: 0482 180 333

E: YAndrews@baptistcare.org.au

“I work Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm”

[Author]

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