INFECTION PROTECTION
Pandemic preparations must not
exclude psychosocial preparedness
by Wava Truscott, PhD Director Scientific Affairs and Clinical Education, Kimberly-Clark Health Care
W
ith the universally acknowl- • Ensure qualified behavioral services train flashlights, batteries, disinfecting sup-
edged concern that it is when, HCPs, support staff, management and ad- plies, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, soap,
not if, an influenza A virus strain ministrators; plus provide monitoring and vitamins, thermometer, tissue, diarrhea
will mutate just enough to be novel, conta- assistance and pain medication, electrolytes, gloves,
gious and virulent, governments and health- • Train supervisor and staff for maintaining masks (for patient), N95 respirators (for
care facilities throughout the world are pre- a supportive environment direct patient care)
paring to care for severely ill patients and to • Prepare alternate commuting means to • Write out a plan for taking care of sick fam-
protect healthcare providers from infection. transport staff as public systems may be ily members
These are obvious and vital preparations. minimal • Obtain an extra battery charger for your
However, we must not neglect the critical • Train staff on behavioral health, resilience, cell phone at work
areas of staff psychosocial preparation for stress, grief, anger, fear, exhaustion, cop- • Ready for stress of agitated families/visi-
coping and resiliency during a pandemic ing skills, importance of and how to listen tors/patients in quarantine
wave. Healthcare providers (HCP) in • Provide access to candid, up-to-date infor- • Keep an extra full set of comfortable clothes
Toronto, China and Hong Kong were not mation on healthcare training issues and at work—just in case
prepared for the emotional and psychologi- local pandemic status • Speak with neighbors or relatives who can
cal impact of the threat of acquiring SARS, • Establish services that will support staff in immediately pick up or take care of the kids
watching their colleagues fall prey to the ill- resolving related personal, professional, or dependent elderly in an emergency and
ness and sometimes die; nor did they expectINFECTION PROTECTION and family issues; help family deal with plan for longer “what if’s”
the consequences of quarantine. Responsi- situations • Teach family the how-to’s and critical im-
bilities for pandemic preparation addressing • Establish pandemic policies that address portance of social distancing (6ft), cough
these unmet needs fall to both facility man- salaries, insurance, sick-leave, work rota- and respiratory etiquette, frequent and
agement and to HCP themselves. Being pre- tion, sick family proper hand hygiene
pared in these critical areas is necessary if • Ensure access to means of communicating • Talk to your pharmacist and insurance Co.
care givers are to remain available and effec- with families to understand how you can store or access
tive during a pandemic. • Keep an extra full set of clothes and com- needed medications
fortable shoes at the office – Assure staff • Get family members vaccinated for sea-
What psychosocial pressures? you will be in the trenches with them sonal (and pandemic flu if available)
HCPs caring for patients during a pandemic, • Written procedures for critical tasks that • Have a planned means of communication
will likely face: may need to be performed by untrained in the event of an outbreak announcement
•Increased risk of infection and the possibil- HCPs • Post phone numbers and/or email num-
ity of transmission to family • Provide information on what to do if HCP bers of key contacts
• Ethical conflict between role as HCP and or their children are discriminated against • Mentally prepare for long hours, quaran-
parent, spouse; in difficult triage decisions because they are caring for those infected tine, PPE use, ethical decisions on priority
• Expectations to maintain level of care and • Prepare access to stress relievers: rest, hot care and cross training - just in case
perform unfamiliar tasks showers, nutritious snacks, light exercise, • Explain to children you will be needed to
• Stigmatization due to possible source of movies, music, board games, novels, etc. take care of very sick people that will also
spreading virus • Listen to each HCP during pandemic; pro- help protect your family and the commu-
• Concerns about preferential selection for vide anonymous “comment box”, confi- nity (seeing the hero side helps them)
vaccines or anti-virals dential help line, website information • Plan for school and daycare closures
• Physical isolation of PPE that limits inter- updates • Insure adequate supplies and care plan set
personal contact up for pets
• Possible individual or group quarantine - How can HCPs prepare? • Mentally prepare for isolation and for sup-
may include isolation from family There are several things HCPs should do porting colleagues (even the ones you may
• Increased difficulties as patients increase, now to prepare for extended work hours now have a hard time with!)
workers decrease, supplies depleted for up to 10 weeks duration, the possibil-
• Infection and death of patients, colleagues, ity of 3-4 such wave-outbreaks occurring, Everyone’s responsibility:
and family members – and fearing their own and the potential of home or healthcare Pandemic disease outbreaks may last 5 to
facility quarantine. In so doing, guilt, frus- 10 weeks in a community and repeat every
How can healthcare facilities prepare? tration and worry are reduced and confi- few months for 3-4 waves. Thus, maintain-
HCPs need to know that their “management dence builds. Depending on the HCPs cir- ing physically and mentally healthy, effec-
team” understands and cares about what cumstances, preparations may require tive teams where individual staff members
they may experience during a pandemic and them to: know their sacrifices are understood and
have a plan of action before an outbreak • Store minimum 2-week food (no refrig- appreciated, and that they are supported by
strikes their community: eration needed), water, first aid supplies, their management is essential. HPN
28 November 2009 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS www.hpnonline.com
0911-IP.pmd 28 10/13/2009, 8:38 AM
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