This Week’s Question

Staff have been reporting frustrations around fit testing availability, especially for night shifters. It used to be available during the sessions for the annual competency fair (fall/winter time), which made it significantly easier for staff to remain compliant with this required task. Since it was not available at competencies this year, staff are reporting they are struggling to find openings that work with their schedule — night shifters are coming in on their day off/during their sleep window to be able to complete this task as there are very few appointments available at the end of their shifts (7:30 a.m.). Can we consider bringing this back to competencies this year? Also, would it be possible to do a flu shot station/clinic during the competencies as well? Having these available as options for staff to complete while they are already here might facilitate higher compliance rates with these mandatory obligations.

Thank you for sharing your concerns. Our infection prevention leaders have been talking about some of these suggestions already and are exploring potential solutions to the questions raised.

As for the flu shot suggestion, we certainly could look into some strategic scheduling that would allow for a mobile immunizer to be available at the end of third shift to try to meet the demand for influenza vaccination.

More to come on these; thank you for raising them.

---

 

Do You Have a Question for Dr. Andy?

Dear Dr. Andy is a forum to submit questions about anything. In addition to a personal response back to you, questions and answers may be posted on The Hub’s homepage or in other forums. You can choose to remain anonymous by not including your name, department, and email.

Questions selected for publication will not include the submitter’s name and email, and may be edited for length, style, and grammar.