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Source: http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/home...flu-fight/article-1213590-detail/article.html
Bristol hospitals may call on retired nurses in swine flu fight
Friday, July 31, 2009, 07:00
Hospitals in Bristol are looking to draft in retired nurses as part of their plans for dealing with the swine flu pandemic if the outbreak worsens.
Dedicated human resources staff at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Bristol Royal Infirmary and St Michael's, may also turn to student nurses as they look at how staffing gaps can be filled should key employees be struck down by the H1N1 virus.
They are looking to hold an event to find out how Bristolians who do not work for the hospital trust might be able to help them out if staff sickness becomes an issue, including nurses in the area who have retired but are still registered.
Pandemic flu plans have been in place at the hospitals for several years as, statistically, a pandemic has been overdue.
Health experts have said that swine flu has not taken such a hold in Bristol and the rest of the South West as it has in other parts of the country and are advising people to remain calm. However, they have plans in place to ensure that they can deal with the outbreak if it does gain momentum in the winter months, as predicted.
Executive lead for pandemic flu at UHBristol Pat Fields said: "We are just about to see if we can re-enlist people who have retired maybe in the previous two to five years and are still registered to cover for nurses, but we will also look to do the same for other staff groups.
"There is a dedicated HR stream team that will be writing to people asking what skills they have got and trying to scope what is available and what groups might come forward to help us understand what the local community could offer to fill staffing gaps, whether it is nurses, telephonists or cleaners."
She said the trust would also be talking with student nurses about providing cover and had been into the University of the West of England to help train course leaders and trainee nurses.
Patients are already being assessed when they arrive at A&E and other departments and if they are suffering flu-like symptoms they will be isolated from other patients and swabbed to see if they have the H1N1 virus.
People admitted to the hospital who have symptoms of swine flu, whether it is the reason for their visit or not, will be kept in side rooms.
If the number of cases rises, patients will be treated in isolation or "cohort" wards, with dedicated staff caring for them who will not then be able to work on other wards at the same time.
Nurses and doctors will have to wear aprons, gloves and masks when swabbing patients to be tested for swine flu and also when they are treating people with the virus.
Visitors will also have to wear protective clothing, including religious ministers attending to the dead and dying in cases where the patient had tested positive for swine flu. Families who want to spend time with their loved ones after they have passed away after contracting the virus will also be asked to wear aprons.
Equipment used on patients in cohort wards will be kept in those areas to prevent the spread of the virus.
Hospital staff have been attending special swine flu training sessions to learn how to deal with patients who turn up with symptoms of the virus and how to care for people who have the disease. UHBristol has trained more than 4,000 members of staff in less than three weeks.
They are being advised not to have contact with people they know to have flu wherever they can avoid it and if the outbreak worsens in the Bristol area, they will be asked where possible to avoid crowded areas.
Hospital staff have been told not to come into work if they have flu symptoms so they do not pass the virus onto patients or their colleagues and to follow the same guidance as the general public for diagnosis and to obtain antiviral medication by going through the National Pandemic Flu Service website and helpline.
Director of infection prevention and control at UHBristol Christine Perry led the training sessions at the trust and demonstrated to nurses and doctors how to use the different masks when caring for patients.
People are being reminded that they should not go to hospital with flu-like symptoms, unless they are suffering complications.
Ms Perry said: "Most people with swine flu will not come into hospital, most will be managed by their GP."
She said other flu pandemics had happened up to 39 years apart and with the last one having been in 1968, health managers had been prepared for several years.
"We have gone 41 years this time rather than 39, so we knew it was going to happen so we have been planning for a few years. This training session was written and ready more than two years ago and has just been updated."
North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead hospitals, has been undergoing similar staff training to ensure their flu plans are followed.
They are advising patients to contact the hospitals before attending appointments if they have flu symptoms.
Bristol hospitals may call on retired nurses in swine flu fight
Friday, July 31, 2009, 07:00
Hospitals in Bristol are looking to draft in retired nurses as part of their plans for dealing with the swine flu pandemic if the outbreak worsens.
Dedicated human resources staff at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Bristol Royal Infirmary and St Michael's, may also turn to student nurses as they look at how staffing gaps can be filled should key employees be struck down by the H1N1 virus.
They are looking to hold an event to find out how Bristolians who do not work for the hospital trust might be able to help them out if staff sickness becomes an issue, including nurses in the area who have retired but are still registered.
Pandemic flu plans have been in place at the hospitals for several years as, statistically, a pandemic has been overdue.
Health experts have said that swine flu has not taken such a hold in Bristol and the rest of the South West as it has in other parts of the country and are advising people to remain calm. However, they have plans in place to ensure that they can deal with the outbreak if it does gain momentum in the winter months, as predicted.
Executive lead for pandemic flu at UHBristol Pat Fields said: "We are just about to see if we can re-enlist people who have retired maybe in the previous two to five years and are still registered to cover for nurses, but we will also look to do the same for other staff groups.
"There is a dedicated HR stream team that will be writing to people asking what skills they have got and trying to scope what is available and what groups might come forward to help us understand what the local community could offer to fill staffing gaps, whether it is nurses, telephonists or cleaners."
She said the trust would also be talking with student nurses about providing cover and had been into the University of the West of England to help train course leaders and trainee nurses.
Patients are already being assessed when they arrive at A&E and other departments and if they are suffering flu-like symptoms they will be isolated from other patients and swabbed to see if they have the H1N1 virus.
People admitted to the hospital who have symptoms of swine flu, whether it is the reason for their visit or not, will be kept in side rooms.
If the number of cases rises, patients will be treated in isolation or "cohort" wards, with dedicated staff caring for them who will not then be able to work on other wards at the same time.
Nurses and doctors will have to wear aprons, gloves and masks when swabbing patients to be tested for swine flu and also when they are treating people with the virus.
Visitors will also have to wear protective clothing, including religious ministers attending to the dead and dying in cases where the patient had tested positive for swine flu. Families who want to spend time with their loved ones after they have passed away after contracting the virus will also be asked to wear aprons.
Equipment used on patients in cohort wards will be kept in those areas to prevent the spread of the virus.
Hospital staff have been attending special swine flu training sessions to learn how to deal with patients who turn up with symptoms of the virus and how to care for people who have the disease. UHBristol has trained more than 4,000 members of staff in less than three weeks.
They are being advised not to have contact with people they know to have flu wherever they can avoid it and if the outbreak worsens in the Bristol area, they will be asked where possible to avoid crowded areas.
Hospital staff have been told not to come into work if they have flu symptoms so they do not pass the virus onto patients or their colleagues and to follow the same guidance as the general public for diagnosis and to obtain antiviral medication by going through the National Pandemic Flu Service website and helpline.
Director of infection prevention and control at UHBristol Christine Perry led the training sessions at the trust and demonstrated to nurses and doctors how to use the different masks when caring for patients.
People are being reminded that they should not go to hospital with flu-like symptoms, unless they are suffering complications.
Ms Perry said: "Most people with swine flu will not come into hospital, most will be managed by their GP."
She said other flu pandemics had happened up to 39 years apart and with the last one having been in 1968, health managers had been prepared for several years.
"We have gone 41 years this time rather than 39, so we knew it was going to happen so we have been planning for a few years. This training session was written and ready more than two years ago and has just been updated."
North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead hospitals, has been undergoing similar staff training to ensure their flu plans are followed.
They are advising patients to contact the hospitals before attending appointments if they have flu symptoms.