COVID19 Screening

[DeDe245]

I'm wondering if staff are being screened for COVID19 as well as patients?

As psych units are limited to what you can do with social distancing especially with hands on incidents.

I work as a Psych RN Traveler but have been out recovering from a surgery before this virus took over and now at 100% ready to help.

I've communicated with other travelers I know and they said patients were being pre-screened before admission. I don't know yet if that is routine everywhere.

I'm thinking though as Travelers come and go from many areas it would be critical to pre-screen them as well as you can be an aymptomatic carrier or have mild symptoms which could be allergies as well this time of year.

Interested in others experiences on their units.

Has this affected your census? Have there been census caps put into place?

I imagine these lockdowns are creating big problems in the homeless community many of which are dealing with mental health issues.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

Screening is pretty routine in my area. But screening only involves a few questions, respiratory symptoms, and temp. Many folks could be screened and have no symptoms, but still be positive and can transmit the virus. I'm doubtful about the usefulness of screening.

[Safety Coach RN]

We have a temperature log we do at beginning and end of shift, along with documenting any symptoms.

[B52, BSN, MSN, RN]

Staff screening is useless. Temperature is supposed to be checked at the beginning of shift, but there are workarounds. Last week, a mental health tech came down to the E.R. in the middle of his shift with a high fever, tested positive, and was admitted.

All patients, however, are tested before admission.

[penelopelp]

My facility doesn’t screen staff. Our patients just get a basic screening of if they are having symptoms. Our census is low—probably because everyone is staying away from hospitals.