The Winter Ready Guide for Nursing Homes is a 10-step guide that provides essential strategies for preparing for the winter season, including how to train staff on winter readiness and effectively identify and manage outbreaks of winter respiratory infections. This is also applicable to Residential Care Facilities.
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Resources to support Nursing Homes be prepared to respond to winter pressures include:
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Plan and Prepare
Check your facility’s Winter Virus Preparedness Plan is up to date, based on the AMRIC guidance for RCFs. The plan should include staffing resilience, vaccination, an isolation plan and a communication plan.
Ensure all staff have read and understood the Winter Virus Preparedness Plan and infection control procedures.
Offer all residents and staff recommended COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
Ensure that liquid soap and disposable paper towels are available and adequate supplies are stocked. If safe to do so, place alcohol gel in places where hand washing facilities are not available.
Ensure appropriate waste management including increased clinical waste capacity & collection during an outbreak.
Educate
Reinforce education of staff in Your 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene, respiratory hygiene and appropriate use of PPE gloves/gowns/face masks etc.
Ensure that staff are up to date with all appropriate training on AMRIC hub* and HSELanD**
Case Identification & Management
Ensure staff know how to recognise signs and symptoms of respiratory illnesses, seek clinical assessment and start immediate management following the Point of Care Risk Assessment for IPC.
Ensure staff know how and when to request lab testing for infection with respiratory viruses and have the correct swabs and lab request forms. It is recommended that you have an appropriate minimum of in date swabs on site.(e.g. 5-10).
Know when and how to contact your Regional Department of Public Health:report two or more cases of flu-like-illness, single confirmed cases of flu or COVID-19, and outbreaks of diarrhoea or vomiting.
*AMRIC hub can be accessed through HSELanD and choosing Hubs & Resources
**The flu and COVID-19 vaccines for Healthcare Workers – protect yourself, protect others
Webinar – Winter planning for Nursing Homes
Play Webinar – Winter Planning for Nursing Homes
Password – tMMPXvt4
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