Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Hospital takes strict precautions
By RACHEL YOUNG - The Marlborough Express
Last updated 12:00 21/07/2009
Signs spotted throughout Blenheim's Wairau Hospital warn visitors, staff and patients to protect themselves from influenza.
Below some of the signs, hand sanitiser and face masks are available.
One of the people in charge of making sure plans and policies are in place to control infection is Wairau Hospital clinical nurse specialist infection control Denise Bush.
Mrs Bush said since the swine flu pandemic hit New Zealand, the hospital had tried to educate as many people as possible passing through its doors to help minimise infection.
Patients are classified into two streams when they are admitted. Those without flu symptoms are "green stream" and treated normally. Those with flu symptoms are put into the "red stream" and placed in single-room isolation for the length of their stay.
All visitors to isolated patients are required to take precautions such as using hand sanitiser, wearing masks and some must wear gowns.
Mrs Bush said it was important to isolate patients with influenza symptoms (regardless of whether it was the H1N1 strain) because often there were other sick people in hospital who would be more susceptible to contracting a potentially fatal strain of influenza.
"It's certainly added to the general workload. It's been a busy time ensuring staff are up to speed with the recommendations for caring for patients and isolation requirements."
Because there were more than 500 staff at the hospital, it was quite a challenge to make sure everyone was up to date and comfortable with the infection-control policies, Mrs Bush said.
This meant longer work hours as more time was spent answering people's questions and getting the messages out.
She also had other parts of her job still to complete.
"We are certainly seeing more people through this year than I have been aware of in other years." But, she said, most people were being treated in the community.
To help stop infections spreading she recommended people were careful with their hygiene, ensuring all coughs were covered, tissues thrown out immediately and hands thoroughly washed.
She worried that infections could travel quickly through schools, which are back from winter holidays this week, with school children often in close proximity and not as careful with their hygiene. She urged parents to keep sick children at home.
This is the first in a series looking at how Marlborough is facing the continuing threat of swine flu.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/2612983/Hospital-takes-strict-precautions
By RACHEL YOUNG - The Marlborough Express
Last updated 12:00 21/07/2009
Signs spotted throughout Blenheim's Wairau Hospital warn visitors, staff and patients to protect themselves from influenza.
Below some of the signs, hand sanitiser and face masks are available.
One of the people in charge of making sure plans and policies are in place to control infection is Wairau Hospital clinical nurse specialist infection control Denise Bush.
Mrs Bush said since the swine flu pandemic hit New Zealand, the hospital had tried to educate as many people as possible passing through its doors to help minimise infection.
Patients are classified into two streams when they are admitted. Those without flu symptoms are "green stream" and treated normally. Those with flu symptoms are put into the "red stream" and placed in single-room isolation for the length of their stay.
All visitors to isolated patients are required to take precautions such as using hand sanitiser, wearing masks and some must wear gowns.
Mrs Bush said it was important to isolate patients with influenza symptoms (regardless of whether it was the H1N1 strain) because often there were other sick people in hospital who would be more susceptible to contracting a potentially fatal strain of influenza.
"It's certainly added to the general workload. It's been a busy time ensuring staff are up to speed with the recommendations for caring for patients and isolation requirements."
Because there were more than 500 staff at the hospital, it was quite a challenge to make sure everyone was up to date and comfortable with the infection-control policies, Mrs Bush said.
This meant longer work hours as more time was spent answering people's questions and getting the messages out.
She also had other parts of her job still to complete.
"We are certainly seeing more people through this year than I have been aware of in other years." But, she said, most people were being treated in the community.
To help stop infections spreading she recommended people were careful with their hygiene, ensuring all coughs were covered, tissues thrown out immediately and hands thoroughly washed.
She worried that infections could travel quickly through schools, which are back from winter holidays this week, with school children often in close proximity and not as careful with their hygiene. She urged parents to keep sick children at home.
This is the first in a series looking at how Marlborough is facing the continuing threat of swine flu.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/2612983/Hospital-takes-strict-precautions