COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS PLAN

Promise Care Inc. is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all our workers, clients, caregivers, visitors and guests. To ensure we have a safe and healthy workplace, Promise Care Inc. has developed the following plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers and employees are responsible for implementing this plan. Our goal is to decrease the potential for transmission of the virus in our workplaces and communities. This requires full cooperation among workers and management.

Our workers are our most important assets.  Promise Care Inc. is serious about safety and health and protecting our workers.  Their involvement is essential in developing and implementing a successful COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.  We have involved our workers in this process by:

  • Providing information and education on the Pandemic
  • Providing opportunities for them to ask questions
  • Providing each employee who provides direct care the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to do their work safely.
  • Having a supervisor or management persona available at all times to respond to their questions and concerns
  • Posting information about the precautions needed in the group homes, office, bathrooms and any areas where staff of the agency would be present

Promise Care Inc., COVID-19 Preparedness follows the industry guidance developed by the State of Minnesota, available at the Stay Safe Minnesota website (https://staysafe.mn.gov), which is based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines for COVID-19, Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) statutes, rules and standards and Minnesota’s relevant and current executive orders.  It addresses:

  • Ensuring sick workers stay home and promptly identify and isolate persons who are sick:
    • All employees are expected to check their temperature daily before going to work and to report to their manager/supervisor any temperature greater than 99 degrees and/or any of the symptoms of COVID-19—described in attached handout
  • Social distancing:  Workers must be at least six feet apart. If office staff can work from home, that option should be considered. If they cannot, workplaces will establish safe distancing guidelines and employees will wear masks.  Direct Care staff should not come into the office except as needed for dropping paperwork and/or getting supplies.  
  • Worker hygiene and source controls, including face coverings:
    • All employees who provide direct care to clients will wear a mask (not cloth), goggles or face shield and gloves.
    • Workers will have adequate supplies of these items and must call to request additional supplies.   
    • All employees will always have hand sanitizer with them. This does not substitute for handwashing after using the bathroom and before preparing food or medications.
    • Gowns will be available for employees working with COVID-19 positive clients and in situations where there may be droplet exposure
  • Workplace building and ventilation protocol:
    • Building engineering has maintained building operations through COVID 19 with
      • HVAC ventilation, domestic water flow and preventive maintenance schedules.
  • Workplace cleaning and disinfection protocols:
    • All common surfaces must be cleaned daily with a disinfectant that is recommended to kill viruses as well as other contaminants.   All doorknobs, breakrooms, bathrooms, phones, and equipment used by many such as printer, copiers, etc.
  • Drop off, pick-up, and delivery practices and protocols:
    • Arrange for deliveries made to the door and limit the presence of delivery people in the workspace
  • Communications and training practices and protocols—(see attachments)

Promise Care Inc. has reviewed and incorporated the industry guidance applicable to our business provided by the state of Minnesota for the development of this plan, including the industry guidance for Health Care and Home Care.  Other conditions and circumstances included in the industry guidance and addressed in the plan include:

  • Additional protections and protocols for customers, clients, guests and visitors:
  • This will vary with the workplace.   All customers, guests and visitors will be seen by appointment only in the home care offices and everyone must wear a mask.   
  • Visitors to client homes should be restricted based on the risk to the client and other family members.   Visitors to group home settings must be screened with the questionnaire and temperature checks before visiting.   (attachments included)
  • Additional protections and protocol for access and assignment:
  • Each agency will establish protections and protocols.  These will be printed and shared with all employees of the company.  Signs will be posted to direct actions for those who are entering the workplace.
  • Additional protections and protocol for sanitation and hygiene:
  • Protocols for sanitation and hygiene are reviewed with all new and current employees
  • The information is incorporated into the agency infection control training
  • Procedures and protocols are adopted based on agency needs—(See Attachments)
  • Additional protections and protocols for work clothes and handwashing:
  • When possible, staff providing care to clients in their homes will wear scrubs or washable clothing that can be washed daily. Handwashing protocols will be posted in agency workplace and in bathrooms. Employees will receive handouts explaining accepted practice and all will have hand sanitizer.
  • If the work setting is a group home where all care providers are staff of the agency, the postings will also be placed in the home and clients/caregivers will be trained and deemed competent in the practices.
  • Additional protections and protocols for managing occupancy:
    • Decisions to restrict admissions will be based on the agency’s ability to respond and provide safe effective care.
    • Staff changes related to COVID-19 must be communicated as soon as testing is positive or there are symptoms of the illness.   If the numbers of staff available is not adequate, there will be a back up plan. If the agency’s ability to respond to new client’s changes, admissions will be placed on hold.

ENSURE SICK WORKERS STAY HOME AND PROMPT IDENTIFICATION AND ISOLATION OF SICK PERSONS

  • Workers are informed of and instructed to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.  The following policies and procedures are being implemented to assess workers’ health status prior to entering the workplace and for workers to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms.
  • Workers are to check their temperature daily before reporting for work and to screen for any other symptoms of COVID-19.  If they have symptoms they are instructed to stay home and call the office as soon as possible.   Details of positive screenings are documented by the supervisor.   Per this discussion, an action plan is developed for home isolation, testing or monitoring symptoms per CDC guidelines.   If an employee becomes ill at work, they are to contact a supervisor- go home immediately if they have coverage.   
  • Promise Care Inc. has implemented a policy for informing workers if they have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 at their workplace and requiring them to quarantine for the required amount of time.   
  • In addition, a policy has been implemented o protect the privacy of workers’ health status and health information—Refer to Agency HIPAA Policies.
  • Clients are contacted prior to home entry regarding COVID-19 signs and symptoms. Alternative arrangements for services may be made based on client need.

HAND HYGIENE

  • Basic infection prevention measures are implemented in the workplace at all times. Employees are instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day, but especially at the beginning and end of their shift, prior to any mealtimes and after using the bathroom.  
  • All employees and visitors to the workplace will be required to wash or sanitize their hands prior to and immediately upon entering the agency/facility.  Hand sanitizers (with greater than 60% alcohol content) are available at entrances and locations in the workplace so they can be used for hand hygiene in place of soap and water if hands are not visibly soiled.   
  • All direct care staff are supplied with hand sanitizer and or disinfectant soap for use prior to, during and after client care.

RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

  • Employees, clients and visitors are being instructed to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or a tissue when coughing or sneezing and to avoid touching their face, their mouth, nose and eyes with their hands.   Tissues are to be disposed of in trash receptacles and their hands should be washed or sanitized immediately.  Respiratory etiquette is demonstrated on posters and supported by making tissues and trash containers available to all employees and visitors.  
  • Instruction and training are provided to all staff during orientation, when there are changes and as needed.
  • Direct caregivers are instructed to wear required personal protective equipment during all home care visits.   All direct caregivers wear masks and eye protection at every visit (goggles or face shield).  If there is suspected or confirmed COVID-19 within the home, staff wear personal protective equipment per the PPE Protocol.  (attachment)
  • Cloth or surgical masks are worn by employees in the office if social distancing of less than six feet is not maintained.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Social distancing of six feet is implemented and maintained between employees, clients (if able), and visitors in the workplace through the following controls:

  • Office staff are minimized and provided with resources to work from home.   
  • In office employees are separated to maximize the distance between employees; signs are posted in the office to maintain social distancing and ongoing training of staff.  
  • Visitors are restricted in the office and a screening document posted prior to entering the building/office.   
  • Face masks are required when visitors are in the office.
  • Direct care staff are instructed to maintain distancing when screening at the visits and putting on PPE and removing PPE.

CLEANING DISINFECTION, AND VENTILATION

  • Regular housekeeping practices are implemented within the office, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of work surfaces, equipment and areas in the work environment, including restrooms, break rooms, meeting rooms after use and drop off and pick up locations.
  • Frequent cleaning and disinfecting are conducted in high touch areas such as phones, keyboards, touch screens, controls, door handles, elevator panels, railings, copy machines etc.
  • Direct care staff minimize equipment that is taken into the client’s home and disinfect all equipment used during the home visit.
  • All disinfecting products purchased meet the CDC guidelines in the N list of products for disinfecting COVID-19.
  • Steps are taken to minimize air flow blowing across people.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TRAINING PRACTICES AND PROTOCOL

  • The COVID-19 Preparedness Plan was communicated to all workers on ___________________.
  • Necessary training was provided.  
  • Training will be provided to all workers who did not receive the initial training and prior to initial assignment or reassignment.
  • Instructions will be communicated to all workers including employees, temporary workers, independent contractors, subcontractors, vendors and customers, clients, guests and visitors about protections and protocols including:
    • Social Distancing protocols and practices.
    • Drop-off, pick-up, delivery etc.
    • Practices for hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
    • Requirements regarding the use of face-coverings and/or face-shields by worker, customers, clients, patrons, guests and visitors.   
    • ALL workers and others will be advised not to enter the workplace if they are experiencing  symptoms or have contracted COVID-19.
  • Managers and Supervisors are expected to monitor how effectively the program has been implemented.
    • All managers and workers are to take an active role and collaborate in carrying out the various aspects of this plan and update the protections, protocols, work practices and training as necessary.

The COVID-19 Preparedness Plan has been certified by Promise Care Inc. management and the plan is posted throughout the workplace and made available to employees.    It will be updated as necessary by Jamie Bagley, Human Resource Manager (designated plan administrator).