13. MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS
EXPOSED to SARS
PATIENTS
·
The hospital shall designate a health officer who
will be responsible for actively monitoring and recording HCWs according to
their date and type of contact with SARS cases and development of symptoms.
·
It is highly recommended that a hospital SHOULD
identify a dedicated team of personnel composed of two or more sets of health
care workers who will go on duty ONLY at SARS-designated areas for a two-week
period alternated with a two-week quarantine at home. While one team is on
duty, the other team will be on quarantine.
·
HCWs should do twice-daily monitoring of body
temperature and the development of respiratory symptoms such as cough and
difficulty of breathing.
·
The designated hospital physician must promptly
evaluate, for the possibility of SARS, a healthcare worker who becomes symptomatic
with cough and fever. Degree of contact with SARS patients and exclusion of
other medical reasons must be considered.
If the health care worker is assessed to be a SARS suspect, he or she
should be admitted and managed accordingly.
·
Exclusion from duty should be continued for 10 days
after the resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms. During this period, the
infected workers should avoid contact with persons both in the facility and in
the community.
·
Exclusion
from duty is not recommended for an exposed healthcare worker with proper
protective equipment if they do not have either fever or respiratory symptoms.
·
Any unprotected exposure (contact without the
prescribed PPE) of any hospital personnel
to SARS patients should also be reported to the designated health
officer immediately. This HCW is at high risk for SARS infection and must be
placed on voluntary home confinement for 14 days.
·
All
healthcare facility workers should be educated concerning the symptoms of SARS.