EP Readiness Exercise for Pandemic Outbreak
Two runs of the EP Readiness Exercise held on the 3 October 2019, and Run 2 on the 30 October 2019. The nursing home service providers are required to undergo multiple briefing sessions for participants and observers, to prepare them for their various roles in the Exercise. Read more about the programme overview, objectives and schedule.
The Nursing Home Service Providers involved in these exercises took turns playing Participants and/or Observers in Run 1, then switching roles during Run 2.
| Participant | One or more internal persons representing the Nursing Home or Centre, involved in responding to the exercise scenario and injects |
| Observer | An external person tasked to facilitate, observe and record the findings in an exercise conducted for a Nursing Home or Centre-based Provider. |
Both runs saw incredible success with all Participating Homes. Participants were attentive towards the preemptive injects (that happened prior to the Exercise on the 3 and 30 October), prepared for the Exercise day itself, and were able to tackle and handle the 15 injects scattered across the Exercise that were meant to test, challenge, and validate their Emergency Preparedness plans (sometimes, referred to as the business continuity plan for infectious diseases).
Areas Tested in EP Readiness Exercise
Having completed the two EP exercises (Runs), there is a fair bit learning after the completion of the exercises. We will now will take a look at how both runs fared on certain key tested areas of the Exercise
1. Access Control
In the context of Nursing Homes, "Access Control is the means to control, monitor and restrict the movement of people, assets, or vehicles in, out and around a Nursing Home. During Exercise, Hosting Participants were tested on their responses to visitors during different DORSCON alerts, as well as how well they were able to gauge whether a visitor should be allowed access into the Nursing Home, and what to do if they were deemed not suitable to do so.
|
Item |
Run 1 |
Run 2 |
|
Temperature Screening Station |
Well Done. All necessary items were in place. |
Well Done. All necessary items were in place. |
|
Staff |
Well Done. Staff donned PPE before interacting with visitors and were competent in handling visitors |
Generally well done. Staff donned PPE before interacting with visitors and were competent in handling visitors. However, some staff were unable to adequately handle ‘out of the box’ scenarios |
|
Entry and Exit Points |
Most Homes have separate Entry and Exit points |
Most Homes have separate Entry and Exit Points |
|
Signage |
Generally well done. However- Signage was not available for the Entry and Exit points in some Homes. Signage was also only in English. |
Signage was generally well done. |
|
Cooling Station |
For some Homes, Cooling Station was too close to the Temperature Screening Station |
Cooling Station was generally well utilized |
Environmental Cleansing
|
Item |
Run 1 |
Run 2 |
|
Cleaning equipment |
Separate mops were used for each different disinfectant purposes. Mops used for disinfectant purposed were in differently colored and were discarded after being used. |
Separate mops were used for each different disinfectant purposes. Mops used for disinfectant purposed were in differently colored and were discarded after being used. |
|
Staff |
Staff were generally well equipped to deal with spillage and well versed in environmental cleansing. However, there was some general confusion over on whether to wipe up the vomitus first, or whether to pour the solution first |
While Clinical staff seemed to be well equipped to deal with spillage, Housekeeping staff in some Homes seemed a little unsure of how to proceed in Environmental Cleansing |
|
Signage |
Signage (Including the Caution: Wet Floor Sign) was available around sensitive areas in the Nursing Home to indicate it as such |
Signage (Including the Caution: Wet Floor Sign) was available around sensitive areas in the Nursing Home to indicate it as such |
|
Infection Control Measures |
Infection Control Measures were well done and properly articulated by staff from all Homes |
Infection Control Measures were well done and properly articulated by staff from all Homes |
Isolation
Isolation is the prevention of infectious disease spread by the quarantine of suspect cases. In the Exercise, Hosting Participants were tested on how they would handle a suspect case in one of their wards, as well as the state of their isolation facilities.
|
Run 1 |
Run 2 |
|
|
Room features |
Isolation room well equipped with bathroom, toilet, hand hygiene facilities, and biohazard bin |
Isolation room well equipped with bathroom, toilet, hand hygiene facilities, and biohazard bin |
|
Evacuation Route |
Evacuation route to ambulance pickup point is established. However, the route wasn’t cordoned off when escorting the suspect case to the pickup point for some Homes |
Evacuation route to ambulance pickup point is established. |
|
Signage |
Signage indicating the Isolation Room as such is available |
Signage indicating the Isolation Room as such is available |
Management of Suspects, Staff, and Suppliers
Management of Suspect, Staff and Suppliers was the biggest focus of the EP Exercise. It dealt with how the Nursing Home would handle the identification, precautionary measures, and quarantine of Suspect Cases not only amongst their residents, but also amongst working staff as well. Outside the area of Pandemic disease, it also dealt with how the Nursing Home would manage some of the non-pandemic related difficulties staff, residents, and suppliers faced during a Pandemic. It is important to note that the nursing homes should have a clear understanding of the DORSCON levels issued by the Singapore Ministry of Health.
Read more about the handling of suspect management.
|
Item |
Run 1 |
Run 2 |
|
Suspect Case Management |
Suspect case management was generally well done |
Suspect case management was generally well done – with one minor quibble. In some Homes, temperate taking was only done after escorting the suspect case to the Isolation Room |
|
Staff Communication |
PA system was used to announce DORSCON change and provide important information/updates to all staff members within the nursing home Emails were formally sent out to all staff members within the Nursing Home |
PA system was used to announce DORSCON change and provide important information/updates to all staff members within the nursing home Emails were formally sent out to all staff members within the Nursing Home |
|
Signage |
Signage for Donning & Doffing of PPE and Hand Hygiene posters were placed around the Home in key areas |
Signage for Donning & Doffing of PPE and Hand Hygiene posters were placed around the Home in key areas |
|
Manpower shortage |
Homes were able to highlight contingencies/measures during a manpower shortage during DORSCON red and draft up a revised duty roster |
Homes were able to highlight contingencies/measures during a manpower shortage during DORSCON red and draft up a revised duty roster |
Response to Media, Public & Family
Response to Media, Public, & Family is the Nursing Home's management and response to external stakeholders, including concerned Next-of-Kin (NOK) of the residents, the public, and both traditional and social media. Managing these stakeholders is key to maintaining the Nursing Home's reputation.
|
Item |
Run 1 |
Run 2 |
|
Response to Media |
Media response drafts and/or sample media templates were provided in response to allegations against the Nursing Home |
Media response drafts and/or sample media templates were provided in response to allegations against the Nursing Home |
|
Construction of FAQ draft |
Hotline and basic FAQ were set up |
Hotline and basic FAQ were set up |
Thus concludes the comparisons between Run 1 and Run 2 of the this year's EP Readiness Exercise. We would like to once again thank the Participants and Observers of both Runs for the tremendous amount of time and effort they have contributed to the success of this Exercise, as well as the team from AIC for their assistance.
