When you think “H1N1” on a college campus, most administrators will turn to the student health clinics. However, these clinics are not always the only organization providing healthcare services at colleges and universities. There are more than 250 fully operating campus-based EMS services in the country, with many more starting up every month.
EMS is generally the first link from the community to the public health system. Influenza-like illnesses (ILI’s) are a common EMS response for most communities and therefore, sometimes EMS professionals are the first healthcare providers to access these types of patients. Oftentimes, campus public safety personnel respond with EMS crews to these calls. Therefore, both campus EMS and public safety providers should have guidelines in place for handling such calls.
Here are five suggestions that administrators should implement as policy for EMS and public safety departments. It is important to understand that H1N1 is already a pandemic situation, so policies should take effect immediately.
1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Campus EMS providers and public safety officers need to place their own safety first. If they are injured or sick, there are less resources to respond to medical requests. Therefore, while it may not be common practice or routine during normal operations, it is strongly recommended that all patients exhibiting ILI symptoms be masked in addition to the crews being masked and gloved. Gowns/goggles for crews may be appropriate for extreme situations with great contact with bodily fluids (vomit, etc). PPE should also be provided to and available for campus public safety organizations that respond to emergency incidents.
2. Clean, Clean, Clean. The patient treatment module (often referred to as “the box”) is intended to be disinfected and cleaned with a 10 percent bleach solution on 100 percent of its surfaces, including handles, seats, doors, cabinets, counters, etc. The same thing can be said for most medical equipment (check with the manufacturers for specific device guidance).
That being said, crews should be cleaning everything on every call without exception. A good rule of thumb is that an ambulance unit does not return to service until that is done. This will reduce the spread of the disease by healthcare providers, which is often a common source of infection. Public Safety vehicles and equipment used should also be cleaned in an appropriate manner.
