Thank you for your work during these incredibly
challenging times. Please know you are very important to us and
especially the residents you care for.
The information and resources below is offered to
assist you in managing through these times. Our residents and your
co-workers depend on you to continue to remain healthy. We know that you
are well trained on Infection Control, but if you have any questions
please see the care center’s Infection Preventionist nurse or the
Administrator. A
copy of the policies and procedures specifically related to COVID-19 can be
accessed by through this link.
Many people around the country are having
challenges managing the many stressors associated with COVID-19c. Please know
the following resources available to you:
- St. Francis Health Services’ Employee Assistance Program: Offers
no-cost confidential assistance. This services
provides you with direct, 24/7 access to a Guidance Consultant, who will answer
your questions and, if needed, refer you to a counselor or other
resources.
Phone: 800.460.4374 TDD: 800.697.0353
Online: guidanceresources.com
Web ID: EAPEssential
App: GuidanceResources® Now
- The
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has set up a
free toll-free line to assist with managing stress during the COVID-19. SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7,
365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional
distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
Website: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline
Phone: 1-800-985-5990
Text: TalkWithUs to
66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
- If you are having
difficulty finding child care: Minnesota
has set up a child care
information
hotline open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Metro
number: 651-297-1304
Greater
Minnesota: 1-800-657-350
What
you should know about COVID-19 taken from the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC):
Based on what is currently known about COVID-19
and what is known about other coronaviruses, spread is thought to occur mostly
from person-to-person via respiratory droplets among close contacts. Close
contact can occur while caring for a resident, including:
- being within
approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a resident with COVID-19 for a prolonged
period of time.
- having direct contact
with infectious secretions from a resident with COVID-19. Infectious secretions
may include sputum, serum, blood, and respiratory droplets.
Please practice social
distancing, as able, in your interactions both at work and at home.
Our care centers are
following the recommendations of the CDC on using basic contact precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Current
information from the CDC and local and state health department is being shared
when it occurs. We are committed to following these recommended CDC
guidelines.
As employees, we will:
- Complete the screening information upon
reporting for work. If becoming ill any
time during the shift report to the charge nurse. Screening of temperatures may increase to
checking prior to leaving work, dependent on community illness.
- Use proper hand
washing hygiene including washing hands for at least 20
seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95%
alcohol upon entering the building and before and after interaction with
residents. Soap and water should be
used
if hands are visibly dirty, before and after meals, and using the restroom.
- Cover our mouth and nose with
a tissue when coughing or sneezing and avoid
touching face –
especially your eyes, nose and mouth – with unwashed hands. If a tissue is
not available, cough or sneeze in your sleeve/elbow.
- Perform routine environmental
cleaning. Routinely
clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations,
countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used
in these areas and follow the directions on the label. No special cleaning
is necessary for COVID-19.
- Assess
and monitor residents with acute respiratory symptoms for COVID-19 to minimize chances of exposure, including placing a
facemask on the resident and placing them in a room with the door closed.
- Use the
determined standard precautions
when caring for residents with confirmed or possible COVID-19.
- Practice
proper use of personal protective equipment (ppe) to prevent self-contamination.
- When
we return home after work,
remove and wash clothing immediately and continue to practice social
distancing as much as possible. This assists in managing virus exposure
outside of our care centers.
Your health and
well-being is important to us, please let any of us know if there is anything
more we can do to support you in this time of uncertainty. Thank you for
being a part of St. Francis Health Services and your care center.