Too slow/stop the risk of infection is it better to rotate staff or keep the same staff on.

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My hospital has 2 units dedicated to COVID-19. The same people work the units would it be better to rotate them out at least once a week?

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I guess that depends on your caseload. But you have to find a balance between getting the job done and not going crazy. If you have the resources then rotate them so they can get a break. It's tough on a team to get hammered day in and day out with no light at the end of the tunnel.

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Oooh excellent question! This was actually brought up when we first started seeing Covid patients. Reason being some of the nurses who left to go to other units due to Covid for health reasons pregnancy and the like were wondering if the nurses who were rotating on and off Covid units could be asymptomatic carriers hence spreading the virus throughout.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Good question. While you don't want to rotate potentially exposed staff to care for susceptible patients it's also not fair to staff to not give them some kind of break. Plus it could be difficult for scheduling to not have any flexibility to move staff around where needed.

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Specializes in OB.

At the large academic medical center where I have privileges, the OB team has divided into "squads" and are rotating in 2 week increments of clinic coverage vs. hospital coverage.

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