Prompt List For D&V Ward Outbreaks

Outbreak Co-ordinator’s Name/Designation:
Date and Time:
Name of Community Hospital and Ward
Date of Onset:
Number of patients affected out of total beds occupied:
Symptoms: / Diarrhoea Vomiting Nausea
Staff affected out of total employed:
Affected staff work area: / Nursing Domestic Porters Catering
Layout – number of wards/bays affected:

Actions:

Ensure all staff on ward and hospital are informed / GPs and GP Practices informed
Inform adjacent team/ward of symptoms/outbreak / Visiting healthcare professionals informed
Obtain faecal Specimens: Request MC&S & Virology / Domestic Team/Staff informed
IPC Team informed / Agency staff/Agencies informed (if required)
Hospital Manager informed: / Inform volunteers/Sit and See
Ward Co-ordinator informed / Outbreak monitoring form on yellow clipboard

Immediate Actions:

Isolate/ Cohort: Doors to be closed, isolate
Checklist: Compete isolation checklists and email to
Allocate: Staff to be allocated to affected and non-affected areas
Exclude: Symptomatic staff to be sent home and remain until symptom free 48 hrs
Cleaning: Domestics/Hotel Services Team - Tristel Fusion/Jet, increase Domestics/frequency of cleaning
Alert: Visitors. Close main ward doors and doors between wards and keep closed.
Inform:Put up outbreak poster. Provide information leaflets for visitors and hand washing advice
Staff: Increase staffing ratios for workload of symptomatic patients and domestic cleaning/terminal cleans
Hand washing: At point of care with water and liquid soap NOT alcohol hand gel
PPE/Linen/Waste: To be available at point of care (gloves/aprons/masks/alginate bags/waste bags)
Toilet facilities: En-suite, designated toilet or commode
Macerator: Daily checks completed, functioning and clean
Patient Equipment: Designate to symptomatic patients – commodes/bedpans/hoist slings/glide sheets/ BP cuffs/stethoscopes
Hydration: Encourage fluids in symptomatic patients
Medication Review: Stop laxatives in patients with diarrhoea
Patient Lockers: Remove fruit bowls, open packets of food, change water jugs twice daily ensure lids are used.
Kitchen: Wash all patient and staff crockery in dishwashers during outbreak. Ensure condiments are single use
Volunteers: To be informed not to visit and/or visit affected areas last
Visitors Chairs: Ensure visitor chairs remain in isolation bay or are cleaned prior to removal for storage/stacking
Ongoing Actions:
Daily Bay: outbreak monitoring form printed off and completed and placed on clipboard
Outbreak co-ordinator identified
IPC team updated daily: more often if required
Remind: Staff that patients need to be 48hrs free of symptoms before being transferred or attend outpatient appointments (N/A in an emergency)
Remind: Staff to advise Care Homes/Care Agencies of outbreak prior to discharge/transfer
Policies: available on SCHT website
Leaflets: Patient/Visitor/Volunteer leaflets available on SCHT website
Complete DATIX
Specimens: check review for results

IPC Team

April 2017