Pandemic Influenza Plan - Questar III

Section 4: Infection Control
IV.
Specific Hospital Infection Control Guidance
The following guidance is intended to address setting-specific infection control issues.
A. Early detection and source control to prevent transmission of pandemic
influenza during all pandemic periods
• Place signs (bi- or multilingual depending on facility’s patient population) at all
entrances and strategic locations detailing:
o The signs and symptoms of influenza and any current epidemiological risk
factors for a pandemic influenza strain, if identified.
o Visitors with ILI should not visit the facility.
o Persons entering the hospital seeking care for respiratory symptoms
should immediately inform the receptionist/triage personnel of their
symptoms and follow respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette.
• Early detection of patients with respiratory symptoms can take place at triage
areas, reception areas or during the scheduling of appointments.
o Identify and train those personnel who are first points of contact to screen
patients for respiratory symptoms.
o Discourage unnecessary visits to medical facilities.
o Instruct symptomatic patients on infection control measures to limit
transmission in the home and when traveling to necessary medical
appointments (i.e., respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette).
• Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette should be utilized at all points of entry into
the healthcare delivery system:
o Emergency departments
o Admissions department
o Outpatient clinics
o Physician offices
• Health care providers and non-licensed personnel will play an important role in
early identification and should all be familiar with and incorporate respiratory
hygiene/cough etiquette into their practice.
• Communicate to triage staff on a regular basis the status of the pandemic. The
frequency of updates will depend on the epidemiology of the pandemic and the
location of your area (e.g., areas that border other states/countries, and large urban
areas, may need more frequent updates due to increased tourism and world
travel).
• Screen all patients presenting with respiratory illness for epidemiological links to
areas affected by the pandemic;
o Travel to an affected area within 10 days of onset of illness;
o Recent contact with an ill person known to have had recent travel to an
affected area.
o Prioritize those meeting the above criteria to be placed in a private exam
room on droplet precautions;
February 7, 2006 4-10