Biosecurity and patient safety within the ward environment;
We have many ways of keeping patients and staff safe within wards in regard to infection control. The hospital has a biosecurity system which allows us to fit all patients that come into the hospital into a category. Each category has a set colour which makes the patients biosecurity status easier to identify. For each colour there is protocol in place to ensure that the correct barrier nursing method is used.
Barrier nursing ensures that all staff handling or dealing with the patient uses the correct PPE (personal protective equipment). This usually includes gloves and an apron which is disposed of straight after finishing interventions with that particular patient. All patients have their own equipment only to be used for them. When toileting the patients that are being barrier nursed, they have their own set pen in our outside area to contain anything passed.
We also have an isolation unit where some of the infectious patients are housed. Full body suits, gloves, gowns and shoe covers are the required PPE for entering isolation to care for these patients. Isolation has its own exercise area and all of its own equipment so there is no cross contamination.
Any patients being barrier nursed will have a green barrier nurse sign on the kennel, so all staff members are aware they need to be wearing suitable PPE before entering the kennel. All of these precautions prevent the spread of anything to other patients within the hospital or to member of staff working within the ward environment.
Here is an example of the biosecurity tier system we use:
