Statewide audit recommended into fit testing of Qld nurses’ masks
Queensland Health has ordered its hospitals to carry out an audit into whether nurses on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis have adequately fitted masks.
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Queensland Health has ordered its hospitals to undertake an audit of personal protective equipment to ensure nurses on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis have adequately fitted masks after the state’s industrial umpire called for action.
The requirement for hospital and health services follows safety concerns raised by the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union in the state’s industrial relations commission.
QNMU secretary Beth Mohle said the union was “extremely concerned” that nurses and other health workers treating COVID positive cases, or potentially positive patients, were not being properly fit-tested for face masks.
“The consequences of this could be catastrophic,” she said ahead of a dispute hearing in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
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Where audits have identified deficiencies in fit testing, hospital and health services will be asked to provide an action plan for remedying the situation.
During the hearing yesterday, the QIRC called for an urgent audit of fit testing of personal protective equipment used by health workers at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a problem right across our public health system from COVID wards to testing clinics, emergency departments, intensive care units and theatres – nurses must be properly fitted with PPE to be safe and to keep our community safe,” Ms Mohle said.
“Currently there are no guarantees that all health staff working with COVID patients or those suspected of having the virus have been fit tested.”
After the hearing, Queensland Health said it would require its hospital and health services to undertake an audit of its personal protective equipment, including fit testing, to “ensure the ongoing protection of our health care workers”.
“Hospital and health services currently maintain their own database of fit testing data to ensure safety and compliance is routinely monitored,” a department spokesman said.
“Steps have been established by Queensland Health to centralise and mandate this database.”
Queensland Health is required to report back to the QIRC on April 27.
Ms Mohle said the union welcomed the commission’s assistance.
Under the QIRC recommendation, high priority hospital and health services, including Torres and Cape York, Metro North, Metro South, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Cairns, have been given to April 19 to complete the audit.
All other HHS’s must have their audits finished by April 22.
“The QNMU will be following the status of these audits very closely,” Ms Mohle said.
The union’s concerns have been heightened by two recent COVID-19 virus outbreaks linked to the Princess Alexandra Hospital’s infectious diseases ward, 5D, which involved three nurses and a doctor.
About 580 Princess Alexandra Hospital workers were forced into 14 days’ quarantine as a result of the clusters, which collectively grew to 23 people.
Ward 5D was closed and is yet to reopen.
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