TPCH staff continue to provide excellent care to our patients, despite the many challenges we face daily. Thank you everyone for doing such a fabulous job!  Onwards and upwards!

Some important updates today:

Fit Testing

Fit testing remains one of the highest priorities for our hospital, and we need to ensure that all TPCH staff working in high risk areas are fit tested by Friday 28 January.

Managers and team leaders of high-risk areas with staff who have not been fit tested yet, are asked to promptly make the necessary arrangements for these staff to be fit tested. See details below.

• Priority staff – TPCH Fit Testers are continuing to work though high priority staff which include:
  • staff working in high risk areas
  • new starters and staff who have not been fit tested
  • staff who have been fit tested to a single mask that may be in short supply (Proshield). All other masks are in supply and are monitored for surety and availability.
• Hours – To support as many TPCH staff as possible to get fit tested, TPCH’s fit testing service will offer an extended service dependent on Fit Tester availability
• How to book your fit test – Staff can continue to use the online booking if they are not identified as priority as per the above criteria. Staff who meet the above criteria are advised to discuss with their line manager, who will then email their details to Bradley.Maunder@health.qld.gov.au
  Details should include: employee name, availability and contact details so a convenient time can be coordinated.
•  More Fit Testers needed – Staff interested in becoming a fit tester should email Darren.Stead@health.qld.gov.au. Clinical and non-clinical staff are invited to express their interest.

Fit checking

Please do not forget that a fit check should be completed each time you apply a P2/N95 mask even if you have been fit tested successfully to that mask. A short video reminding you of the fit check process is on the Metro North COVID website.

For any queries about fit testing, please email: Bradley.Maunder@health.qld.gov.au
Un-fit-ing behaviours don’t pass the test

Regrettably, there have been multiple instances of TPCH staff displaying poor conduct towards our fit testers. As an example, a senior staff member recently arrived at the fit testing clinic, self-identifying as requiring an urgent walk-in fit test.  There were numerous other staff already lined up at the time, and upon checking their information, the fit tester informed the senior staff member that they didn’t meet the current criteria for ‘urgent testing’ and would therefore, be unable to be fit tested at that time.  The senior staff member was clearly frustrated and proceeded to vent their frustration at the fit tester, through being rude and discourteous.  These behaviours are not consistent with Metro North’s values – respect, integrity, compassion, high performance and teamwork.

We understand that staff are currently receiving a large volume of information from multiple sources about fit testing, which may be causing some confusion. However please be assured that our fit testers are provided with the most up-to-date information on a daily basis, so their advice should be taken with respect and cooperation.

Returning COVID-19 impacted staff to work

We would like to clarify the process that staff need to follow if they have tested positive or are in quarantine, when planning their return to the workplace.

Step 1

If you test positive for COVID or are a close contact notify your line manager and email TPCHContacttracing@health.qld.gov.au with your name and mobile phone number

Step 2

Staff member will be contacted by TPCH Contact Tracing (7 days a week service) upon notification.  Their situation will be assessed and staff member provided with a potential return to work date.

Step 3

Staff member to notify their line manager of potential return to work date.

Step 4

For a staff member who is a close contact and asymptomatic to be considered as an essential employee for return to work, they need to be assessed by the TPCH Contact Tracing Team and if they meet the criteria for essential staff, a discussion will occur with their line manager and if approved by the Incident Controller, the staff member will be given approval to be returned to work.

Step 5

Staff member will be contacted on Day 7 of their isolation or quarantine to ensure conditions have been met for release and TPCH Contact Tracing Service will give staff member official release from Isolation or Quarantine

Step 6

Staff member is to notify their line manager that they have been released from Isolation or Quarantine and that they are able to return to work

Criteria – Essential Staff

Here are the criteria staff must meet to be considered for approval as Essential Staff:

• The staff member must have separated from the residence where the COVID-19 positive person is for at least 48 hours prior to returning to work
• The staff member must have a negative RAT two days after separating from the residence and be asymptomatic
• The staff member’s Line Manager deems them essential to continue the service their role provides

Emergency Department Medical Tent

Today, TPCH commenced operation of its Emergency Department (ED) Medical Tent. This Tent, which operates from 10am to 6pm, 7 days a week, is being utilised as an additional waiting area for COVID-19 positive patients who present to our ED for care. The presence of the Medical Tent will help improve patient flow through the ED and support the timely care and treatment of patients, particularly during surge periods.

A special thanks to Maryanne Humphries and the entire ED team for their work in developing the model of care document for the ED Medical Tent. Thanks also goes to Karen Leighton, Matthew Klein and Tenille King who have been responsible for the logistics of getting the tent up and running. Well done!

Tanya Beaumont, A/DON, Stephen Callaway, CNC ED, and Maryanne Humphries, A/ND Clinical Effectiveness at the new ED medi tent>Nicki Dunn, CN Sleep Disorders Centre and Sarah Hazelwood, RN ED inside the tent

Other TPCH News

Extended Café Operating Hours

To support our healthcare teams during this challenging period, The Café for The Common Good will be extending trading hours for the main café.

From Monday 31 January until the end of February, the café will extend their Monday to Friday trading hours to provide delicious Merlo coffee, nutritious food and snacks until 8.00pm.

When you support The Café for The Common Good, you are helping power medical research taking place right here at The Prince Charles Hospital. Read more about the impacts of The Café for The Common Good social enterprise here.

My quote for today:
“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners” – Laurence Sterne

Tami Photinos
Executive Director