sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guide for Health Care Workers and Health Care Employers
Introduction
"...A substantial percentage of the world’s population
will require some form of medical care.
Healthcare facilities can be overwhelmed, creating
a shortage of hospital staff, beds, ventilators and
other supplies. Surge capacity at non-traditional
sites such as schools may need to be created to
cope with the demand.
It is expected that such an event will quickly
overwhelm the healthcare system locally, regionally,
and nationally.4 An increased number of sick
individuals will seek healthcare services. In addition,
the number of healthcare workers available to
respond to these increased demands will be
reduced by illness rates similar to pandemic
influenza attack rates affecting the rest of the population.
Finally, healthcare workers and healthcare
resources will also be expected to continue to meet
non-pandemic associated healthcare needs.
In order to mitigate the effects of an influenza
pandemic on the healthcare community, it is important
to identify healthcare providers and recognize
the diversity of practice settings.
• The delivery of healthcare services requires a
broad range of employees, such as first
responders, nurses, physicians, pharmacists,
technicians and aides, building maintenance,
security and administrative personnel, social
workers, laboratory employees, food service,
housekeeping, and mortuary personnel.
Moreover, these employees can be found in a
variety of workplace settings, including hospitals,
chronic care facilities, outpatient clinics
(e.g., medical and dental offices, schools, physical
and rehabilitation therapy centers, health
departments, occupational health clinics, and
prisons), free-standing ambulatory care and
surgical facilities, and emergency response settings.
• The diversity among healthcare workers and
their workplaces makes preparation and
response to a pandemic influenza especially
challenging. For example, not all employees in
the same healthcare facility will have the same
risk of acquiring influenza, not all individuals
with the same job title will have the same risk
of infection, and not all healthcare facilities will
be at equal risk although all will be similarly
susceptible. During an influenza pandemic,
healthcare workers may be required to provide
services in newly established healthcare facilities
to accommodate patient overflow from traditional
healthcare settings (e.g., convention
centers, schools, and sports arenas).
Consequently, the cornerstone of pandemic
influenza preparedness and response is an
assessment of risk and the development of
effective policies and procedures tailored to
the unique aspects of various healthcare settings...."
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_pandemic_health.pdf
Introduction
"...A substantial percentage of the world’s population
will require some form of medical care.
Healthcare facilities can be overwhelmed, creating
a shortage of hospital staff, beds, ventilators and
other supplies. Surge capacity at non-traditional
sites such as schools may need to be created to
cope with the demand.
It is expected that such an event will quickly
overwhelm the healthcare system locally, regionally,
and nationally.4 An increased number of sick
individuals will seek healthcare services. In addition,
the number of healthcare workers available to
respond to these increased demands will be
reduced by illness rates similar to pandemic
influenza attack rates affecting the rest of the population.
Finally, healthcare workers and healthcare
resources will also be expected to continue to meet
non-pandemic associated healthcare needs.
In order to mitigate the effects of an influenza
pandemic on the healthcare community, it is important
to identify healthcare providers and recognize
the diversity of practice settings.
• The delivery of healthcare services requires a
broad range of employees, such as first
responders, nurses, physicians, pharmacists,
technicians and aides, building maintenance,
security and administrative personnel, social
workers, laboratory employees, food service,
housekeeping, and mortuary personnel.
Moreover, these employees can be found in a
variety of workplace settings, including hospitals,
chronic care facilities, outpatient clinics
(e.g., medical and dental offices, schools, physical
and rehabilitation therapy centers, health
departments, occupational health clinics, and
prisons), free-standing ambulatory care and
surgical facilities, and emergency response settings.
• The diversity among healthcare workers and
their workplaces makes preparation and
response to a pandemic influenza especially
challenging. For example, not all employees in
the same healthcare facility will have the same
risk of acquiring influenza, not all individuals
with the same job title will have the same risk
of infection, and not all healthcare facilities will
be at equal risk although all will be similarly
susceptible. During an influenza pandemic,
healthcare workers may be required to provide
services in newly established healthcare facilities
to accommodate patient overflow from traditional
healthcare settings (e.g., convention
centers, schools, and sports arenas).
Consequently, the cornerstone of pandemic
influenza preparedness and response is an
assessment of risk and the development of
effective policies and procedures tailored to
the unique aspects of various healthcare settings...."
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_pandemic_health.pdf