Pandemic Influenza Plan - Questar III

Section 4: Infection Control
o Notify the local health department of any persons meeting the above
criteria.
B. Early detection and source control during a local pandemic
• Screen all patients and visitors for respiratory illness at all points of entry into the
healthcare system.
• Screening for epidemiological links is not indicated, since the pandemic is
occurring locally.
• Develop a plan to segregate patients with respiratory illness presenting to the
emergency department from patients without respiratory illness:
o Include a plan for numbers of patients that exceed normal capacity of the
emergency department.
o Consider a separate triage area during the local pandemic period. This
could be the urgent care center or a temporary triage center (e.g., trailers
or other temporary structure, or nearby outpatient clinics).
o Consider a telephone triage system to adequately direct those with less
critical needs away from the emergency department.
• Mask all family members and visitors accompanying patients with influenza-like
illness, as they may be incubating disease.
• Consider the following infection control issues when triage or admission capacity
is exceeded, leading the facility to initiate non-traditional sites for the care of
patients (e.g., cafeterias, conference rooms, etc.):
o Preventing the flow of patients with respiratory illness from contact with
non-symptomatic patients.
o Provide hand hygiene products at the point of care and in waiting areas.
o Ensuring adequate supplies of personal protective equipment at the point
of care.
o Adequate disposal of infectious wastes.
o Provide trained ancillary staff to support the temporary structure (e.g.,
housekeeping).
• Personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and ancillary staff working
in pandemic influenza triage area:
o Surgical masks → are to be worn when entering the triage area and
changed when moist with condensation or soiled;
o Gloves → as per standard precautions
o Gown → as per standard precautions
o Avoid hand (regardless of glove use) to mucous membrane contact (eyes,
nose, mouth, etc.)
o Contact precautions (i.e., gloves, gown, and dedicated equipment) should
be implemented if the patient has diarrhea.
February 7, 2006 4-11