NURSING AT McLEAN
Preparing for a Pandemic
-by Paula Bolton, NP
Did you know McLean Hospital is developing a plan to deal with a flu pandemic? Why, you ask? Healthcare institutions across the country are being asked by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to develop plans to handle an influx of patients should a pandemic influenza occur.
At McLean Hospital, The Pandemic Planning Task Force, with representation from all disciplines, has been exploring issues such as: who should report to work in the event of a flu outbreak; what will be considered non-essential patient care services; where will physically ill patients be cared for; and what can we do to prepare for an influx of psychiatric patients if other institutions need to use psychiatric beds to accommodate flu patients.
If a flu pandemic occurs, we will be in close contact with the Massachusetts Department of Health and other hospitals (including Partners affiliates) to monitor the potential impact on the McLean community. Information will be shared with staff as soon as it becomes available.
There are a number of things we can do to ensure a heightened state of readiness. All employees should strictly adhere to hand-hygiene guidelines (washing hands before and after contact with the patient's environment, and frequently throughout the day); employees should practice cough hygiene and encourage patients to do the same; and everyone should limit exposure to large crowds.
Immunization is an important step in minimizing the spread of the flu. McLean offers flu vaccination to all employees. Anyone who has direct contact with patients is encouraged to receive the vaccine.
Another step in preparing for a pandemic involves planning for a timely discharge of patients to appropriate resources in the community. A 'coring-down' of services allows rapid re-deployment of staff should the workforce be depleted by illness.
McLean has increased its supply of hand-hygiene materials, gloves, masks, and respiratory equipment, working closely with vendors to ensure they have a plan for continued service during a pandemic. Dietary, Building Service, and other contractors are being asked to develop plans to meet our needs should they experience a shortage of staff.
In the event of a flu pandemic, we can anticipate a 20-30% illness rate among staff. Planning for a shortage of this magnitude requires forethought, organization, and imagination. The task force has looked at the current disaster plan and used it as a model to develop a plan to meet the challenges we would face should a flu pandemic occur in this country.
Although the threat of pandemic influenza does not seem imminent at this time, new viruses can emerge at any time. The World Health Organization and the CDC continue to monitor new infections around the world. McLean Hospital's Pandemic Planning Task Force meets regularly to maintain an ongoing state of preparedness in the unlikely event of a flu pandemic.