With the virus looming above the Australian population like a dark storm cloud, the actions that healthcare practices take together now will determine the outcome of the spread of the virus in the near future. Scott Morrison's address to the nation on the 15th March has made it very clear that the nation has moved onto the next phase of virus containment.
HealthcareLink has developed a quick guide to explain several tips for healthcare professionals, employers and business owners to make sure that the workplace is a safer and more protected environment:
One of the simplest and most effective ways to combat the spread is to wash your hands whenever you get the opportunity. Hands touch doorknobs, computers, hand rails, clipboards, healthcare equipment, faces, other hands, and more, so it's the perfect tool for transmission. The cleaner your hands the less chance of transmission, and the complete removal of handshakes from the office will help dramatically reduce the chance as well. The NSW Government recommends:
It's human nature to forget, and that means staff and patients may forget to wash their hands, or may still shake hands. With this possibility in mind, is it best to be extra prepared with options like disinfecting all surfaces and objects of your practice or business including telephones, bench-tops, workstations, handrails and elevator buttons, to name a few. It is best to make sure that disinfectant products are readily available and accessible around the office or practice as well.
No one wants to be breathing infected air, so it is essential that the air-conditioning and/or ventilation system within your practice and offices are running well enough to consistently remove stale air and draw in fresh air.
As we are now aware of the possibility of human to human transmission, the best practice to limit the virus from travelling from an infected patient or staff member to another is to make sure everyone within the clinic or office is at least 1.5 metres away from each other. This limits physical contact as well as possible contact through the air.
Providing awareness and education to those that come to the practice is essential. Signage around should indicate where there are available hand sanitisers, tissues and enclosed bins so that both staff and patients can both utilise them at all times. There should also be signs indicating best practices like covering coughs with arms or masks, avoiding contact with others, and washing hands.
In the chance that the practice comes into contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, a response plan needs to be in place. This includes plans for managing someone who has been in close contact with a suspected and/or confirmed case of COVID-19, managing the situation if a worker becomes ill at work, and managing a suspected case of COVID-19 awaiting results.
With these tips, the HealthcareLink team believe that practices will be better off in containing the virus, and reducing the spread so that the most vulnerable Australian's across the country will be better off.
These are some of the top tips for healthcare practices to employ right now to manage the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. For a full guide on workplace safety, as issued by the NSW Government please click here.
Image Source: HealthcareLink Marketing
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