Chief Executive COVID-19 Update: 7 October – Wearing an N95 mask at Monash Health during COVID-19 Peak

Wearing an N95 mask at Monash Health during COVID-19 Peak

Healthcare workers (HCW) providing care to a COVID-19 positive or SCOVID (Suspected COVID) patient must be fit tested and wear an N95 mask. They must also perform a fit check before entering a room or area where COVID-19 patients are being cared for. This includes both hospital and community-based patients.

Healthcare workers working in the Emergency Department must also be fit tested and wear an N95 mask.

At Monash Health, COVID-19 positive patients are cared for in designated COVID-19 streaming areas.

Currently, these are:

All three Monash Emergency Departments

Monash Medical Centre

• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Birth Suite
• Ward 32

Monash Children’s Hospital

• Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Ward Forest 3A

Casey Hospital

• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Ward IPU 2

Dandenong Hospital

• Acute Assessment Unit (AAU)
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Community Care

• COVID Care Pathways
• HITH Programs

In addition, COVID-19 positive patients are cared for from time to time in rooms in Birth Suite, the Pregnancy Assessment Unit and other parts of the health service as required. In all these circumstances, when entering a COVID-19 room or a designated COVID-19 ward, a fit tested and fit checked N95 must be worn.

SCOVID patients are treated in single rooms within home unit wards. HCWs who provide care for SCOVID patients (or enter the room where a SCOVID patient is being cared for) must be fit tested, wear an N95 mask and do a fit check.

Where demand exceeds single room capacity, SCOVID patients will be managed in shared rooms. When that happens, all HCWs who enter the room must be fit tested and wear an N95 after fit checking that mask.

HCWs working in all other areas where N95 masks are required are permitted to wear a fit checked N95 masks if they have not yet been fit tested.

In the unusual circumstance where a person has failed a fit test, they will not be asked to care for COVID-19 or SCOVID patients until their failed fit test can be reassessed.

All HCWs are strongly encouraged to undertake fit testing as soon as possible to ensure the greatest safety in their workplace. Managers have a key role in prioritising fit testing for their employees.

Thank you for your efforts to ensure a COVID-19 ready workforce.

Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive