Posted on: August 19, 2024
With the September 14 go-live for CPOE quickly approaching at VGH, GRH and SISC, excitement is rising at the promise of the advanced technology coming to these sites. However, with this innovation comes responsibility, particularly when it comes to infection prevention and control (IPAC).
CPOE allows providers to move to the patient with their workstation-on-wheels (WOW) transforming how we do documentation and medication preparation. With this comes the potential risk of spreading infection from patient to patient through user contact with a contaminated WOW. To support this critical change, IPAC is guiding staff at these sites on how to prevent infections with new computer charting procedures.
It has always been the responsibility of the user to clean their own WOW, as outlined in the Cleaning and Disinfecting Manual for Information Technology (IMIT) Equipment. Two other supportive documents available on the Intranet are the:
- Non-critical Medical Devices and Information Management/Information Technology Equipment Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol and
- Medical Devices and Information Management/Information Technology Equipment Cleaning and Disinfection Policy.
Moving to CPOE will likely feel overwhelming for many reasons, so IPAC is here to help. In addition to these great resources, we have created a quick-reference document that will be laminated and hung on the WOW for easy access to all staff.
The WOW Cleaning with CPOE quick-reference guide is available for staff to download and print from the IPAC Resources page on the Intranet. If you would like an Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) to come answer questions from your staff or provide in-person information to a specific user group please contact your site ICPs to make these arrangements.
Please contact ipac.vgh@islandhealth.ca if you would like more information.