Preparedness of residential and nursing homes for pandemic flu
1Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Training Scheme, Yorkshire Deanery, Academic Unit of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, 101 Clarendon Road, Leeds LS2 9LJ, UK. greg.fell@nhs.net
Background:
Work is being undertaken across a wide range of agencies to ensure a high level of preparedness for pandemic influenza. In England, the Department of Health has published a range of guidance to support this. The impact of pandemic flu on care homes, especially if unprepared may have a major knock on effect on the rest of the health and social care system.
Objective:
and Methods A rapid survey was undertaken of a small number of care homes in West Yorkshire to assess preparedness. The homes were both local authority and privately owned.
Results:
It was apparent that little preparation had been done at the time of the survey. A range of readily implementable ideas that may help this sector prepare was identified.
Conclusion:
Planning for pandemic flu in this sector will require effort and coordination across a range of sectors; it might best be coordinated through Local Resilience Forums.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed.
01:21Planning Nursing Care I
01:27Influenza
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...