TO: Ballad Health All
FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center
DATE: May 24, 2022
TITLE: Implementation of Contingency Staffing
ACTION: Please post and cascade to all team members.
Due to an increase in community transmission of COVID-19, and to the ongoing clinical staffing resource limitations, Ballad Health will upgrade to contingency staffing for team members who have high-risk exposures, effective Wednesday, May 25.
Contingency staffing is applied when increased clinical staffing needs are occurring or are expected due to quarantine measures. High-risk areas, such as cancer centers and oncology units, Hospitots and the Niswonger Children’s Network, will follow conventional guidelines when determining if COVID-exposed team members can return to work.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We are making a slight change in how we implement contingency staffing this time, in that team members exposed to COVID-19 will follow contingency guidelines, but team members who are positive for COVID-19 will continue to follow conventional staffing guidelines.
Our systemwide COVID-19 inpatient census, which had stabilized for several weeks around 30 patients, has risen during the last eight days to 53 patients. That increase, along with the increase in community transmission and exposures, has led us to make this change.
Key points to know about contingency staffing
- Team members who have an exposure to COVID-19 will follow contingency guidelines and can work during the incubation period, and will be monitored for symptoms, regardless of vaccine status.
- Team members who test positive for COVID-19 will remain in conventional status (stay home from work for 10 days, or test on Day 7 and, if negative, come back to work on Day 8).
- All team members will continue to consult with Team Member Health for clearance to return to work.
Contacts with COVID-19
- High-risk contacts who are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations (primary series and booster) do not need to quarantine but must monitor for symptoms.
- High-risk contacts who are NOT up-to-date with their vaccination can work but must be tested on Day 2 and on Day 6 and monitor for symptoms.
Guidelines for team members returning to work
Team members who have tested positive for COVID-19:
For team members who test positive for COVID-19, we will continue to follow conventional staffing. This means team members or providers who test positive will isolate for seven days and may return to work on Day 8 with a negative COVID-19 test. If the test is positive, the team member will continue to isolate through Day 10 and return to work on Day 11.
For team members who have had high-risk exposure to COVID-19, but were not known to be infected:
- Team members identified as having a high-risk exposure in the workplace will be notified via their Ballad Health email, which will contain instructions for next steps.
- If the team member is vaccinated and boosted, no work restrictions are required for contingency staffing
.- The team member will use a respirator or well-fitting face mask at all times in the facility. The team member must be alone when removing their respirator to eat or drink.
- The team member will self-monitor temperature and symptoms daily. If the team member develops even mild symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they will either not report to work, or stop working and notify their supervisor and Team Member Health before leaving work.
- If team members are tested and found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, they will be excluded from work until they meet all Return to Work Criteria.
- If the team member has not received all COVID-19 vaccine doses, including a booster dose, as recommended by CDC, they may continue to work onsite throughout their 10-day post-exposure period if:
- They are tested on Day 2 after the exposure, and if negative, again on Day 6. Date of exposure is considered Day 0.
- They will use a respirator or well-fitting face mask at all times in the facility. The team member must be alone when removing their respirator or mask to eat or drink.
- The team member will self-monitor temperature and symptoms daily. If the team member develops even mild symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they will either not report to work, or stop working and notify their supervisor and Team Member Health before leaving work.
- If team members are tested and found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, they will be excluded from work until they meet all Return to Work Criteria.
Defining high-risk exposure
High-risk exposure is defined by the CDC as a team member having prolonged contact (closer than 6 feet for a cumulative time of 15 minutes) with a patient, visitor or team member who has confirmed COVID-19 infection and was not wearing a respirator (N95), OR if wearing a facemask, the person with SARS-CoV-2 infection was not wearing a face mask.
In an effort to reduce high-risk exposures, it is imperative that all team members advise the patient to don their face mask before each team member entry into the room. Any issue with visitors who are noncompliant with mask-wearing or personal protective equipment (PPE) will be escalated through the appropriate chain of command.
Questions
Have a question about vaccines, the Omicron variant or other COVID-related topics? Contact the Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center at BalladHealthCorporateEOC@balladhealth.org.
