[ Print this page ]

 

3. Infection control measures


 

D. Practical checklist for running the department



 

Procedure for allocating appointments

  1. Reduce clinician's visits to the department by arranging a fax and telephone system for in-patient requests


  2. Reduce out-patient appointments to allow time to undertake infection control measures properly.


  3. Allocate appointments in the sequence of low to high risk and, stress the importance of keeping to out-patient appointment times.


  4. Restrict out-patient visitors to only those who accompany children, the very sick or aged relatives.


 

Procedure for preparing the patient

  1. Out-patients should be screened for SARS using a questionnaire on arrival for their examination. Those with suspected SARS should have the appointment postponed and asked to attend a screening clinic. Out-patients must follow personal infection control guidelines.


  2. In-patients need careful preparation before arriving in the radiology department.

    (a)The latest SARS status must be checked because this may have changed since the request was made.
     
    (b)Intravenous lines should be sited (and removed) on the ward, where appropriate consent forms should be signed on the ward and faxed to radiology.
     
    (c)Patients must follow personal infection control guidelines and if the patient requires oxygen a nasal cannula and not an oxygen mask should be used.
     
    (d)Finally the examination room should be ready for the patient to reduce waiting time in the department.
 

Procedure for examining the patient

  1. Staff must follow personal infection control guidelines and change in a designated site close to their examination room taking special care to following instructions on the sequence of preparation.


  2. Warning signs must be posted outside the room when scanning suspected/confirmed SARS patients.

  3. All clinical notes and X-ray packets from the ward should be left on the patient trolley outside the examination room and staff should avoid the handling these unless absolutely essential, previous examinations should be reloaded onto monitors rather than requesting old films.

  4. Equipment such as the examination couch should be protected by a new bed sheet that is changed in between patients.

  5. Where appropriate two radiographers should be in attendance. One radiographer should help with transferring and positioning, while the other should operate the control console.

  6. The examination should be shortened where appropriate while still ensuring the clinical question is answered.

  7. Only the minimum number of persons necessary should be in the room at any one time. Undergraduate or other teaching should not be undertaken in the vicinity of suspected or confirmed SARS patients.
 

Procedure after the examination has finished

  1. The porter should be ready to collect patients as soon as the examination is finished.


  2. Staff should remove contaminated apparel in designated rooms, according to the sequence on the instructions and place linen and laundry in designated bags.

  3. The cleaning staff should clean according to infection control guidelines.