Saturday, December 4, 2021

Outbreaks Originating in Staff

A study out of BC found that the majority of COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes originated in staff members

Out of 365 outbreaks in 210 sites between March 2020 and February 2021, 76 percent were traced to a staff member. The study, which surveyed over 6,500 workers, found that 40 percent had gone to work while feeling ill on one or more occasions. The majority of workers say they are worried about infecting residents or their own family members.

So why are they going to work ill?

• 55% felt obligated to their coworkers.

• 38% felt obligated to their residents.

• 29% felt pressured by their employer.

• 20% would not have been paid for staying home.

Three-quarters of staff reported that their workplace was always, usually, or sometimes understaffed. Staying home from work in a situation like this is more difficult.

COVID-19 can be spread by asymptomatic people as well, so even if someone doesn’t feel ill, they could still pass it on.

While almost all workers say they put a fresh mask on at the start of their shift, only 64 percent put a fresh one on after taking it off at mealtime.

In terms of training to prevent the spread of disease, 75 percent of staff received infection prevention and control training, and most received additional PPE training in an outbreak situation. But staff still felt undertrained in how to care for COVID-19 positive patients.

With all of the added pressures from COVID-19 risks and protocols, nearly two-thirds of staff say their mental health has declined over the pandemic, and over 50 percent say they have had less quality-time with their own family members.

Recommendations for supporting staff include increasing sick time as well as the number of staff members.

If you have a concern, please talk to your steward or representative to ensure that you, your family, and your residents can remain safe and healthy.

Source: thesafetymag.com

Outbreaks Originating in Staff

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