Authors (including presenting author) :
KWAN WS(1), LAU LW(1), CHAN SK(1), CHAN FY(1), CHEUNG YY(1), CHENG PPP(2)
Affiliation :
(1)Community Nursing Service, (2)Department of Medical, Yan Chai Hospital
Introduction :
Over 4,100 elderly lives in 42 Residential Care Homes for the Elderly (RCHEs) with Yan Chai Hospital (YCH) supported. In 2017/18, 132 RCHE residents suffered from various infectious diseases. YCH Community Geriatric Assessment Team (CGAT) had managed 15 episodes of Infectious Disease Outbreak in 11 RCHEs. With the impacts of COVID-19, many residents attended A&E and even admitted due to the infectious diseases. YCH Community Nursing Service (CNS) had initiated this program since 2018 and cooperated with Tsuen Wan Safe & Healthy Community Steering Committee, and Social Welfare Department, aiming at enhancing Infectious Disease Control and Management in RCHEs.
Objectives :
Enhance knowledge on Infection Control Measure and Infectious Disease Outbreak Management in RCHEs; Evaluate performance and compliance on Infection Control Measure, Outbreak Management and Environmental Hygiene; Enhance elderly’s quality of care in RCHE; Reduce hospital service utilization by RCHE residents.
Methodology :
A workgroup was established to organize the program. A nurse from Center for Health Protection (CHP) delivered a talk to RCHE staff in a seminar. In the workshop, 3 booths and tailor-made photo guides on “Outbreak Management of Influenza, Gastroenteritis and Scabies” were provided for empowering the Management and Reporting Mechanism. To strengthen the good practice, on-site RCHE visits were arranged for assessing environment and competence on infection control measures. Moreover, 5 top outbreak RCHEs were invited to join an On-site Infectious Disease Outbreak Management Drill Exercise. In 2020, YCH CNS had run an upgraded program to prevent COVID-19 Outbreak in RCHEs.
Result & Outcome :
In April 2018, 48 staff from 31 RCHEs (76%) attended the seminar. 48 staff from 34 RCHEs (83%) joined a workshop in December 2018 with Game Booth, Gown up & down Assessment, and Hand Hygiene. All participants (100%) satisfied the events. Then 30 RCHEs (75%) had on-site assessment and staff coaching by 17 nurse volunteers during February - March 2019. The overall compliance rate was 94.4%. In June - August 2019, 5 RCHEs had completed the On-site Infectious Disease Outbreak Management Drill with 94.7 % overall compliance. Lastly, all RCHEs had finished COVID-19 Prevention Program in April 2020 obtaining excellent results e.g. 16.2% increase in compliance rate, more RCHEs achieving Full marks (from 5%(pre) to 78%(post)). The overall outbreak episodes in RCHEs had 70% reduction from 10(2017) to 3(2020).
