Guiding Principles for Sustainable Staff Screening

This information has been taken from SharedHealth.

Goals for Sustainable Staff Screening

1. Staff maintain awareness that they need to self-evaluate health daily, so they are fit to work and do not come to work symptomatic or sick.

2. Includes a process such that employees declare at the start of each shift that they have self-screened and are fit to work.

3. Is auditable in a way that balances the frequency of audit with workload related to reporting.

4. Increases efficiency of the employee self-screen process.

• Reduce staff effort dedicated to screening (does not add administrative burden);

• Put onus on the employee to be accountable; and

• Ensure quick implementation (with option to improve in the future).

Roles and Responsibilities

Healthcare workers requirements:

• At home on a daily basis, review the COVID-19 staff screening criteria and:

a. If healthy and deemed “fit to work” based on the answers to the questions, go to the site and self-declare ability to work based on self-screen assessment (specific process to be determined by site operations).

b. If not well enough to work, follow their organizations’ usual sick notification procedures and sick time tracking processes. If COVID-19 testing is required, contact your OESH team or local Infection Prevention and Control. Staff can be referred to the following memo on Covid-19 Workplace and HR FAQs for additional information - https://sharedhealthmb.ca/files/covid-19-workplace-and-hr-faqs.pdf. Leaders can refer to the memo on Paid Leave for Self-Isolation Period After Work Related Exposure (dated April 23, 2020)

c. If the employee was deemed fit to work at the start of the shift but then begins to feel sick while at work, the employee should immediately avoid human contact by social distancing, redo the self-assessment and notify their supervisor of any change in results. If deemed not fit to work, the employee should immediately leave the workplace and follow instructions under #b.

COVID-19 Staff Self-Screening FAQs

1. Why did we have self-screening?

It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that we are taking all possible precautions protect ourselves, our patients and our colleagues. Health care workers understand the importance of ensuring they are fit to work and do not pose a risk to their patients, colleagues and community. This new staff screening model will empower staff to attest that they are fit to work, with appropriate checks and balances in place to ensure compliance.

2. Do I need to fill in a screening tool?

Yes. You are required to complete the tool by following the directions provided but you do not need to bring a completed copy with you to work. Once you get to the work site, you will be expected to sign in and indicate that you have self screened using the tool and the results indicated that you are deemed fit to work.

If your responses to the screening tool indicate you are “fit to work”, you will go to work as normal and declare that you have completed the self-screening process as directed.

If your responses to the screening tool indicate you are not cleared for work, you will follow your organization’s usual sick notification procedures and sick time tracking processes.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested, you will follow the instructions for health care workers and COVID-19 testing available at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/files/memo-hcw-and-fr-testing-and-oh.pdf. Be mindful of your organization/collective agreement’s required sick notification processes and ensure you are allowing sufficient time to complete the tool.

3. What if I get to work and develop symptoms?

If you develop symptoms while at work, you should immediately redo the self-assessment while ensuring you avoid contact with others. Notify your supervisor of any change in your screening results. If your supervisor deems you not fit to work, you should immediately leave the workplace and follow instructions https://sharedhealthmb.ca/files/memo-hcw-and-fr-testing-and-oh.pdf.

4. Can I use an online tool?

Yes, our employee software. now has a built-in screening tool and will prompt you a few hours before your shift to fill it in for our records.

5. What do I need to do when I get to my place of work?

You will be required to sign a self-declaration form or follow the process your region/site/program indicates is necessary to confirm you are compliant with the self-screening requirement and are fit to work.

6. What if I forget to sign the declaration or bypass the indicated self-declaration process?

Declaration of compliance with the self-screening requirement is not optional and should be completed in a timely manner.

9. Where can I get more information?

Please refer to the following memo on COVID-19 Workplace and HR FAQs for additional information:
https://sharedhealthmb.ca/files/covid-19-workplace-and-hr-faqs.pdf.