Shared on behalf of Jennifer Wintermans, VP, Quality and Corporate Affairs, COVID-19 Lead, and Adam Vinet, VP, Patient Experience and Chief Nursing Executive, Regional VP, Cancer Care Services
Our Hospital remains at Pandemic Response Level Orange (Restrict).
We continue to experience a high number of primary cases of COVID-19 in our Hospital. For this reason, until we have less people admitted primarily for COVID-19, we need to continue to decrease the amount of movement in our Hospital and maintain a safe environment.
The following restrictions and response activities remain in place for our Hospital operations:
- Masking: Continues to be mandatory for all except for when eating or within a private office. Level 3 masking remains required at all times.
- Eye Protection: Mandatory eye protection is required in all patient care areas and in circumstances where face to face contact occurs (less than 2 metres) with no structural shielding in place.
- Testing all new Admissions: Remains status quo and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks.
- In-person Meetings: In person meetings should be minimalized and only done if able to be 2 metres apart. If in person meetings need to occur, masking and eye protection must be worn when unable to keep 2 metres apart. Meeting rooms have minimal capacity in order to maintain physical distancing and large numbers are not acceptable. Room bookings are not permitted to be booked for events.
- Contractors and Vendors: Essential and high priority contractors and technical support and essential vendors will be permitted. General suppliers and general sales people should not be present on site.
- Emergency Department Precautions: N95 masks required when treating patients that fail screening or require airborne and droplet precautions. All staff are required to wear Level 3 procedure mask and eye protection while on unit. Retrieve scrubs from pandemic storage if required.
- Education and Simulation: No learner restrictions. All education on COVID-19 to new staff will continue.
- Physical Distancing: Mandatory physical distancing of 2 metres.
- Remote Work: Continue at the discretion of the program/department.
- Essential Care Partners and Care Partners: Follow ECP guidelines for Level Orange.
All response activities are evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure they are effective and appropriate by Senior Leadership Council and leaders across the organization.
Staff are reminded to complete the entrance screening tool prior to each shift, practice hand hygiene and wear PPE appropriate for the work environment.
We thank everyone for their continued cooperation and dedication to keeping our Hospital and community safe.
All Hospital COVID-19 updates, memos and resources are also available on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/.