Foire aux questions

KHSC and PCH staff who have a child who requires testing for COVID-19 can make an appointment between 1230 to 1300 for testing at the Beechgrove Assessment Centre by calling 613-548-2376.

Please note:

• Where the staff member and child both require testing, the staff member should contact OHSW and a joint appointment will scheduled at the Assessment Centre.
• Where only the child requires testing, staff are asked to contact the Assessment Centre directly.
• Swabs for staff and their child(ren) will be sent to the KHSC lab daily to ensure timely results and to support return to work.
• COVID-19 test results will be available via: https://covid19results.ehealthontario.ca:4443/agree 
• If the child’s result cannot be accessed online, staff can call HDH site at  ext. 4204 and leave a voicemail as per current process for the public.

If you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 you should not report to work and are required to contact the Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellness team immediately to schedule a swabbing appointment. Further instructions will be provided on a case-by-case basis.

The guidelines and restrictions to visitor presence at KHSC is ongoing and ever evolving in order to accommodate the needs of our patients and community while also preventing the spread of COVID-19. In order to learn more about the current visitor restrictions, please click here.

*Please note that you will need Google Authenticator in order to view this information if you are not currently at one of KHSC’s sites.

Patients and visitors at the HDH site are asked to enter through the Jeanne Mance main entrance off of Brock Street in order to be screened. Patients who are visiting the Urgent Care Centre are still permitted to use that entrance; screening will occur at the door.

Patients at the KGH site are asked to enter at the Davies 1 main entrance off of Stuart Street in order to be screened. Patients seeking care at the Cancer centre are permitted to enter through the Burr 0 entrance off of King Street; screening will occur as they enter. Similarly, patients seeking care at the Emergency Department are still permitted to use that entrance; screening will occur as they enter.

Employee screening is a series of questions that you must answer before being able to report to work. This process ensures employee, patient, and visitor safety during COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information, please review the Screening and Hospital Access page on the KHSC Intranet.

*Please note that you will need Google Authenticator in order to view this information if you are not currently on the KHSC network.

Parking around the KGH and HDH locations can be limited.

• To learn more about the City of Kingston Parking locations and charges associated, click here.
• To learn about Queen’s parking available to KHSC staff and the charges associated, click here.

Career Hub is KHSC’s internal portal where employees are able to review and apply for any internal job postings. For questions regarding the Career Hub portal, please reach out to the Recruitment team.

For the contact information of your union representatives, please refer to the Union Contact Information on the Employee and Labour Relations page of the Intranet.

*Please note that you will need google Authenticator in order to view this information if you are not currently at one of KHSC’s sites.

It can take up to 3 weeks to process and enroll new employees into the WorkPerks program. If you are experiencing issues 3 weeks after your start date, please reach out to the Total Rewards Team for guidance.

There are a number of different food options and places to eat while you are at KHSC. To learn more about these different locations, please click here.

Clocking in for your shift will depend on your departments specific processes. Please reach out to your manager to determine the correct steps.

Kronos is the time keeping system used by various departments at KHSC. If you have been deemed as a part of Kronos, you will receive further training on how to use it (i.e. clock in/out, request time off, swap shifts, etc.) in your KnowledgeNow account.

If you have not yet received your schedule, please contact your manager.

Moving forward, your schedule will be provided to you as per your department’s specific process. For example, some areas receive their schedule by email, while other employees are a part of the Kronos time keeping system.

IPO is only required for some positions at KHSC. If you are to attend IPO, you will receive notification from both your recruitment advisor and a member from Professional Practice.

Please speak with your manager to discuss the options available to you to complete any courses that remain in your My Learning tab after orientation.

If you are unable to complete all of the 6 priority courses before 16:00, please reach out to KnowledgeNow@Kingstonhsc.ca for some guidance. 

The six priority courses for you to complete as an employee are:

1. Accessibility Training
2. Annual Emergency Codes Review – Code Red, Green, and Orange
3. Health and Safety Awareness Training
4. WHMIS
5. Annual Privacy and ConnectingOntario Review for KHSC Staff
6. French Language Services Act

If you have any questions regarding these courses please refer to the Guide to Mandatory Employee Training or contact KnowledgeNow@kingstonhsc.ca.

To register with Microsoft Authenticator, follow the steps in this document. If you run into any issues, please contact the Help Desk at 613-549-6666 extension 4357.

If you are experiencing issues with Microsoft Teams (i.e. unable to join, cannot see presenters, audio not working), please contact your host at NewEmployeeWelcome@kingstonhsc.ca and wait for further instructions and troubleshooting.

If you have completed all of the eLearning that has been assigned to you in KnowledgeNow (not just the 6 priority courses that are highlighted in the Guide to Mandatory Employee Training), you and your manager may receive an email from KnowledgeNow providing further instructions.

If you do not receive this email, please contact KnowledgeNow@kingstonhsc.ca so we can confirm your completion and provide your further instructions.

If you are experiencing issues joining the meeting or have a question regarding your attendance, please email NewEmployeeWelcome@kingstonhsc.ca

If you are experiencing issues logging into KnowledgeNow or have questions regarding your eLearning, please email KnowledgeNow@kingstonhsc.ca

Completing the Mandatory Employee Training and participating in the New Employee Welcome is extremely challenging from your phone.  As such, it is recommended that you attend orientation using a desktop, laptop, or tablet. Phones (either used for video attendance or conferencing) should only be used in emergency situations.

The two computer labs at the KGH site are located on Dietary 2 (capacity of 8 people per lab).

The computer lab at the HDH site is located on Jonson 1 (capacity of 6 people).

*Please note that these rooms have a required maximum capacity (listed above) due to COVID-19 restrictions. Physical distancing and masking protocols should be adhered to while in these spaces.

Your participation in orientation is mandatory and planned in advance. If you have a personal appointment that cannot be rescheduled or if you have been scheduled to work a shift during orientation, please send an email outlining the situation to the following individuals:

1. The host of your orientation at NewEmployeeWelcome@kingstonhsc.ca
2. Your Manager
3. Your Recruitment Advisor

A solution will be negotiated on a case-by case basis.

**Please note that your attendance in orientation is required. In some cases, this can impact your start date. If you have any questions about missed time or changes to your schedule due to missed time, please contact your manager.

Please pick up your KHSC badge and IT credentials (usernames and temporary passwords) from the Security Office in Dietary 1 at the KGH site after the Wednesday before your scheduled orientation date. This information will be required during orientation and all shifts moving forward.

*Please note that temporary employees will be required to pay a $10.00 fee for their ID badge. This will be deducted from your first pay, and returned when your contract ends or if you become a permanent employee.

If you have recently completed at Respiratory Mask Fit Test and have a valid piece of confirmation of the test (i.e. a card/record of the test) please submit this to Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellness and they will provide you with further instruction.

If your recruitment advisor has not provided you with a date for an Occupational Health Appointment* or if you have lost the appointment invitation, please contact your recruitment advisor as soon as possible to make arrangements.

*Please note that this appointment is a requirement for your employment and missing this appointment can impact your start date at KHSC.

To ensure that our records are accurate, we must verify the SIN number that was initially provided to us matches what is on your card. In order to do this you must do one of the following:

• Send a scan or photo of your SIN card to the Total Rewards team at psforms@kingstonhsc.ca

OR

• Bring your SIN card to Watkins 4 at the KGH site and verify it with one of the Total Rewards Assistants

If you are submitting your employee documents after hours, please consider submitting the documents digitally (see below)  or use the drop-box on Watkins 4.

You can also submit scanned or photo versions of your employee documents (with the exception of CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK) to psforms@kingstonhsc.ca

**Please note that a delay in submitting your employee documents can result in notifications to your manager and can have impacts on your pay.

You can submit any physical copies of your employee documents to the Total Rewards team located on Watkins 4 at the KGH site. They are available from 8:00-16:00 Monday through Friday.

If you are submitting your employee documents after hours, please consider submitting the documents digitally (see below) or use the drop-box on Watkins 4.

You can also submit scanned or photo versions of your employee documents (with the exception of CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK) to psforms@kingstonhsc.ca

**Please note that a delay in submitting your employee documents can result in notifications to your manager and can have impacts on your pay.

A checklist of all of the required employee documents with links to copies of each form can be found here.

**Please note that a delay in submitting your employee documents can result in notifications to your manager and can have impacts on your pay.

Pour la gestion de la douleur, notre unité permet le travail et l'accouchement dans l’eau. Pour plus d'informations, visitez notre page sur les différents types d'accouchement possibles.

Vous pouvez également consulter notre brochure pour plus d'informations. 

It is too early to know if there will be any specific impact on jobs, however we do know that we will continue to deliver all of the services we currently offer to patients and families. That means we will continue to need the individuals who currently provide this care. We do anticipate there will be a reorganization of the management structure within the new academic health sciences centre.

As this process unfolds we will regularly provide updates to our staff, unions and all our stakeholders to ensure that they are aware of changes that are taking place. We are also committed to providing them with the opportunity to ask questions and share ideas with us as the process unfolds.

This is first and foremost about making a bold step for our community to improve the experience of patients and families by delivering better and more coordinated care. We believe that by integrating our hospitals we will provide more efficient care that may also result in some financial savings.

The choice to move forward with the integration was reached by both hospitals after consultation with the South East Local Health Integration Network, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, as well as the Roman Catholic sponsors of Hotel Dieu Hospital, Catholic Health International. With their support and with the agreement in principle of Kingston Archbishop Brendan O’Brien there is clear consensus in moving forward with the integration. 

HDH’s current Chief Executive Officer, Dr. David Pichora, will be the inaugural President and CEO of the new academic health science centre. The Boards of both hospitals and a selection committee carefully considered the needs of the new organization and felt that as a practicing physician who works at both KGH and HDH, in combination with his administrative role at HDH, Dr. Pichora was the ideal person to lead this new organization. His experience bridges both hospitals from an administrative, clinical and academic perspective and he embodies the already existing integration between the two hospitals.

The Board of Directors of Kingston General Hospital (KGH) and Hotel Dieu Hospital (HDH) have agreed to create a new integrated academic health sciences centre that will bring together the operations of the two hospitals. The new organization will operate as one hospital with one budget, on two separate sites, and will be overseen by one Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and Executive team.

Les renseignements que vous fournissez seront inscrits à votre dossier génétique aux services de génétique médicale ou au bureau du programme d'oncologie familiale. Ces bureaux font partie du Centre des sciences de la santé de Kingston et sont régis par les lois provinciales sur la protection des renseignements personnels sur la santé. Pour de plus amples informations sur la protection de la vie privée au CSSK, veuillez cliquer ici. 

La décision de procéder au dépistage génétique est très personnelle. Le conseiller en génétique ou le généticien médical vous parlera des avantages et des inconvénients du dépistage génétique et vous aidera à décider s’il s’agit d’un bon choix pour vous et votre famille. En général, le dépistage génétique se fait à l'aide d'un échantillon sanguin.

Vous rencontrerez tout d’abord un conseiller en génétique ou un généticien médical qui examinera vos antécédents médicaux et familiaux (ou ceux de votre enfant). Si cela s’avère nécessaire, le généticien médical procédera à un examen physique. Des tests supplémentaires peuvent également être recommandés. En cas de diagnostic d’une maladie quelconque, nous examinerons les informations en lien avec cette maladie, ce que cela peut signifier pour votre famille, et discuterons des plans de gestion et de suivi.

Vous consulterez un conseiller en génétique ou un généticien médical, ou parfois les deux. Les conseillers en génétique sont des professionnels de la santé ayant une formation spécialisée en consultation et en génétique. Les généticiens médicaux sont des médecins spécialistes qui ont une formation et une certification d'experts en génétique et maladies héréditaires.

La version céphalique externe (VCE) est une technique par laquelle un médecin tourne un bébé qui se présente par le siège dans l’utérus pour le placer la tête en bas. La procédure implique que le bébé soit tourné manuellement en exerçant une pression sur votre abdomen. La VCE est réalisée par un obstétricien avec l'aide d'un résident en obstétrique. Votre prestataire de soins peut prendre rendez-vous en votre nom avec l'un des obstétriciens qui effectue cette procédure. Nous vous demanderons de contacter l’aile Connell 5 le matin de la procédure afin de déterminer l’heure où l’intervention peut être réalisée. Le médecin discutera de la procédure et des risques avec vous. L'infirmière prendra vos signes vitaux et installera une perfusion intraveineuse. Bien que vous ressentirez l’application d’une grande pression pendant la procédure, cela ne devrait pas être douloureux. La procédure devrait durer environ cinq minutes. Si vous avez besoin de plus d'informations sur la VCE, consultez votre prestataire de soins.

Chaque nouvelle maman espère avoir un bébé en bonne santé, mais parfois les choses ne se passent pas comme prévu. Les bébés peuvent naître prématurément, avoir un problème de santé grave ou tomber malades après l'accouchement. L'unité de soins intensifs néonatals (USIN) dispose de l’équipement nécessaire pour prendre en charge les bébés ayant besoin de soins hautement spécialisés. Pendant votre séjour parmi nous, vous et l'équipe de l'USIN travaillerez de concert avec un seul but en tête, ramener votre bébé à la maison. L'USIN est située au même étage que l'unité postnatale, ce qui vous permettra de visiter votre bébé aussi souvent que vous le désirez. Si vous souhaitez en apprendre davantage sur l'USIN, cliquez ici. 

L'induction du travail est le déclenchement artificiel du travail. Cette procédure peut être réalisée à l’aide de médicaments ou en rompant la membrane amniotique. Nous pourrions avoir besoin de recourir à l’induction si vous ou votre bébé avez un problème de santé justifiant le besoin que l'accouchement se fasse plus tôt que prévu. Cela peut également être le cas si vous avez dépassé votre date prévue d’accouchement. Votre médecin ou votre sage-femme discutera avec vous du besoin possible d’avoir recours à l’induction. Pour plus d'informations, cliquez ici et rendez-vous au bas de la page. 

La dépression postnatale est une affection psychiatrique grave qui nécessite une attention immédiate. Vous pouvez avoir des sentiments de désespoir, de culpabilité ou d'anxiété, avoir des crises de panique, démontrer peu d'intérêt envers votre bébé ou entretenir des pensées suicidaires. Tout d'abord, informez immédiatement votre prestataire de soins. Ce dernier pourra alors vous prodiguer des soins et des conseils. Pour des soins urgents, veuillez vous rendre au service des urgences de l’HGK. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter le site Web de l’Association canadienne pour la santé mentale.

Lorsque vous obtiendrez votre congé de l’hôpital, votre médecin ou votre infirmière vous indiqueront les médicaments que vous devrez continuer de prendre à la maison, les médicaments que vous devrez cesser de prendre à la maison et ceux que vous devrez commencer à prendre.

Vous pouvez retourner à votre pharmacie habituelle. Nous vous encourageons à demander un entretien « MedsCheck» avec votre pharmacien afin d’obtenir une liste de médicaments à jour de votre pharmacie.

Le poids limite supporté par la table est de 180 kg (400 lb), la largeur maximale étant de 60 cm. Pour des images optimales, il est nécessaire que l’organe visé soit à l’intérieur de l’isocentre magnétique qui est situé directement au centre de l’appareil. Pour toute question des patients, contactez notre Service de réservation d’IRM.

Non. L’appareil peut prendre une image de presque n’importe quelle partie du corps, mais chaque image est limitée à un organe précis. Il faut environ 30 à 60 minutes pour prendre une image d’un organe.

Non. Bien que l’appareil d’IRM puisse produire du bruit pendant votre test, vous ne ressentirez aucune douleur pendant le processus.

Un radiologue, un médecin formé pour surveiller et interpréter les examens de radiologie, analysera les images et enverra un rapport signé à votre médecin traitant ou orienteur, qui en discutera les conclusions avec vous.

Des examens de suivi peuvent être nécessaires et votre médecin vous expliquera la raison exacte pour laquelle un autre examen est demandé. Parfois, un examen de suivi est exigé si une masse suspecte ou douteuse doit être clarifiée à l’aide d’images supplémentaires ou d’une technique d’imagerie particulière. Un examen de suivi peut également être nécessaire dans le but de surveiller au fil du temps l’évolution d’une quelconque anomalie. Les examens de suivi sont parfois le meilleur moyen de déterminer si un traitement fonctionne ou si une anomalie est stable dans le temps.

Since VAP is caused by bacteria in the lungs, it is treated with antibiotics. 

• Practising proper hand cleaning techniques
• Keeping the patient’s head of the bed elevated to a 30-45-degree angle
• Discontinuing mechanical ventilation as soon as safely possible
• and good oral care.

The most important symptoms include:

• Fever
• Low body temperature
• New purulent sputum (foul smelling infectious mucous or phlegm coughed up from the lungs or airway)
• Hypoxia (decreased amounts of oxygen in the blood)

Generally, people do not die if they infected with VRE. In severe cases of VRE bacteremias can lead to death. This is rare and tends to occur in those people with other severe health problems. The vast majority of people recover from VRE once their health is restored.

We do not routinely monitor or isolate persons who carry VRE. Patients with VRE infections are identified during their care and treated accordingly.

Here at KGH we do not routinely place patients on precautions or isolate those who carry or are infected with VRE. Routine Practices are used because VRE, like other germs can be spread from one person to another by contact; hand hygiene is critical to preventing the spread of all infections in a healthcare setting. Health care providers are routinely required to clean their hands before, during and after patient contact. We also clean and disinfect all patient rooms and equipment to help stop the spread of VRE and other germs. 

Risk factors for VRE acquisition include severe underlying illness, presence of invasive devices, prior colonization with VRE, antibiotic use and longer hospital stay.

Most infections are treated with antibiotics – the type of medication will depend on the germ causing the infection. An infected skin wound may be reopened and cleaned. If an infection occurs where an implant is placed, the implant may be removed. If the infection is deep within the body, another operation may be needed to treat it.

Health care providers should be taking the following precautions to prevent SSIs:

• Practicing proper hand-hygiene techniques. Before the operation, the surgeon and all operating room staff scrub their hands and arms with an antiseptic soap.
• Cleaning the site where your incision is made with an antiseptic solution.
• Wearing medical uniforms (scrub suits), long-sleeved surgical gowns, masks, caps, shoe covers and sterile gloves.
• Covering the patient with a sterile drape with a hole where the incision is made.
• Closely watching the patient’s blood sugar levels after surgery to make sure it stays within a normal range. High blood sugar can delay the wound from healing.
• Warming IV fluids, increasing the temperature in the operating room and providing warm-air blankets (if necessary) to ensure a normal body temperature. A lower-than-normal body temperature during or after surgery prevents oxygen from reaching the wound, making it harder for your body to fight infection.
• Clipping, not shaving any hair that has to be removed. This prevents tiny nicks and cuts through which germs can enter.
• Covering your closed wound (closed with stitches) with sterile dressing for one or two days. If your wound is open, packing it with sterile gauze and cover it with sterile dressing.

• Increased soreness, pain, or tenderness at the surgical site.
• A red streak, increased redness, or swelling near the incision.
• Greenish-yellow or foul-smelling discharge from the incision.
• Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.5 degrees Celsius) or higher

Symptoms can appear at any time from hours to days after surgery. Implants such as an artificial knee or hip can become infected up to 3 months or more after the operation.

Patient safety is a number one priority for all KGH. There are numerous checks and balances in place to ensure the safety of our hospital but hospital care is complicated and depends on many factors. The public reporting of hospitals’ checklist compliance rates is not intended to serve as a measure for hospitals to compare themselves against other organizations, or for the public to use as a measure of where to seek care. Like other patient safety indicators, it is important to look at checklist compliance rates in a broader context. The rates must be examined in order to get a sense of how hospitals are performing – where they excel and where improvements could be made. It is important to look at all of these indicators in combination.

Hospitals will post their bi-annual percentage compliance at the end of July and January.

As part of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s public reporting of patient safety indicators initiative, eligible hospitals are legally required to post their checklist compliance percentages. KGH strongly supports the provincial government’s strategy to publicly report patient safety Indicators because we believe it will enhance patient safety and strengthen the public’s confidence in our hospitals.

If you undergo a surgery at Kingston General Hospital, you can expect that the surgical safety checklist will be used as part of the procedure. As a patient, you will be asked questions by a surgical team member so that they can complete a portion of the checklist with you.  It will then be used by your surgical team members before, during and after your surgery to help the surgical team members familiarize themselves with your medical history and any special requirements that may be needed for your individual case. 

The checklist is used at three distinct stages or phases during surgery:

• pre-induction (before the patient is put to sleep)
• time out (just before the first incision)
• and debriefing (during or after surgical closure)

Some examples of items contained in the checklist include:

The briefing phase:

• Verify with patient name and procedure to be done
• Allergy check
• Medications check
• Operation site, side and procedure
• Lab tests, X-rays

The “time out” phase:

• Patient position
• Operation site and side and procedure
• Antibiotics check

The debriefing phase:

• Surgeon reviews important items
• Anesthesiologist reviews important items
• Nurse reviews correct counts 

Most people do not die if they are infected with MRSA. However in severe cases of MRSA bacteremia, death can occur. This is uncommon and tends to occur in those people with other severe health problems. The vast majority of people recover from MRSA, once their health is restored.

Swabs are performed when patients are admitted to the hospital and periodically for patients whom are at risk. The swabs are sent to the laboratory for analysis and if positive, the laboratory notifies infection prevention and control so that the patient can be placed on Contact Precautions.

Because MRSA is spread from one person to another by contact, hand hygiene is critical to preventing its spread in a health-care setting. KGH actively conducts regular surveillance to find cases of MRSA infection and to identify carriers of MRSA. If a patient is positive for MRSA they are placed on Contact Precautions.

Risk factors for MRSA infections include invasive procedures, prior treatment with antibiotics, prolonged hospital stay, stay in an intensive care or burn unit, surgical wound infection and close proximity to someone who is carrying MRSA. 

Staphylococcus aureus is a germ that lives on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people. Occasionally, Staphylococcus aureus is a  cause of human infection. When Staphylococcus aureus develops resistance to certain antibiotics, it is called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA.

The HSMR is an overall quality indicator and measurement tool that allows for comparison of an acute care hospital’s mortality rate with the overall mortality rate among peer hospitals and regions in Canada. HSMR has been used by many hospitals in several countries to assess and analyze in hospital mortality rates and to help improve quality of care and enhance patient safety. Ontario hospitals are beginning to use the HSMR for internal benchmarking purposes: to show hospitals how their HSMR has changed, where they have made progress and where they can continue to improve.

The rate reported by CIHI for KGH has included patients whose secondary diagnosis included palliative care. These are patients whose hospitalization was for the purpose of palliative care for the majority of their hospital stay. Because palliative care was not the primary diagnosis, CIHI has included these patients in their calculation for KGH’s HSMR. At KGH, palliative patients accounted for 64 per cent of deaths last year. Without these palliative care deaths, the HSMR would be lower. 

Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients. Hand cleaning is one of the best ways you and your health care team can prevent the spread of many infections. Patients and their visitors should also practice good hand hygiene before and after entering patient rooms.

More information is available at:

•  Ministry of Health and Long Term Care - Patient Safety  
• Public Health Ontario - Just Clean Your Hands campaign

For the purpose of public reporting, data will be reported on an annual basis. The decision was made to report annually so that hospitals were able to submit enough data and that the compliance rate was statistically valid.

No. Patient safety is a number one priority for all Ontario hospitals. There are numerous checks and balances in place to ensure the safety of public hospitals but hospital care is complicated and depends on many factors. The public reporting of hospitals’ hand hygiene compliance rates is not intended to serve as a measure for hospitals to compare themselves against other organizations, or for the public to use as a measure of where to seek care. Rates can vary from hospital to hospital, month to month. Some hospitals will have lower observation opportunities because they do not have as much direct provider-to-patient care opportunities. Due to the types and patient populations (i.e. mental health) of these hospitals, their rates may seem lower. Like other indicators, it is important to look at hand hygiene compliance rates in a broader context. The rates must be examined in order to get a sense of how hospitals are performing – where they excel and where improvements could be made. It is important to look at all of these indicators in combination.

Direct observation of hand hygiene practice is done by trained observers using the provincial audit tool. The observer conducts observations openly, recording what they see, with the identity of the health care provider is kept confidential.

Hand hygiene is the removal of visible soil and removal or killing of microorganisms from the hands. This can be accomplished using soap and water for visibly soiled hands or an alcohol-based hand rub.

It is not possible to prevent every case of C. difficile infection but each of us can protect ourselves and others by cleaning our hands often. Health-care providers in hospitals must clean their hands according the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s and hygiene guidelines. If you are receiving care in a hospital it is OK to ask anyone providing care to you if they have cleaned their hands. Cleaning your own hands after using the toilet, before you eat, after blowing your nose and any time they are dirty is a basic and important step to prevent the spread of all infections including C. difficile. Taking antibiotics only as needed and as prescribed by your doctor or nurse-practitioner (advanced practice nurse) and watching out for diarrhea are also important.

If CDI is suspected, a stool (bowel movement) sample is tested in a laboratory for the toxin it makes. The test takes several hours to perform and most hospitals do this test in their own laboratory. Those hospitals that do not do this test themselves will send the stool sample to another laboratory to do the test. Sometimes a doctor will look directly into the bowel with a special scope (called a sigmoidoscope or colonoscope) to detect abnormal changes in the lining of the bowel that mean that C. difficle is causing the diarrhea. 

C. difficile can be spread from one person to another by contact, hand hygiene is critical to preventing its spread in a health-care setting.

If a patient is positive for C. difficile they are placed on Contact Precautions.

So what are Contact Precautions?

Contact Precautions aim to limit the spread of C. difficile to other patients and to health care providers. You may be placed in a private room or with other patients who are also carrying the bacteria. A sign may be placed on your door to remind others who enter your room about these special Contact Precautions. Those caring for you as well as visitors will be asked to clean their hands, gown and glove before entering your room. Everyone who enters and leaves your room must clean their hands well. The room and equipment in the room will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

The C. difficile germ enters your body by ingestion of C. difficile spores. This is why cleaning your hands is so important to prevent picking up C. difficile and other germs. You can pick up the C. difficile germ anywhere, but the C. difficile germ is especially common in hospitals because hospitals have many people being given antibiotics. The chances of the C. difficile germ spreading from person to person is much higher in a hospital than it is in your own home, for example.

C. difficile is one of the most common infections found in hospitals and long-term care facilities, and has been a known cause of health-care associated diarrhea for about 30 years.

Here is an example of what this block looks like when placed on a page. 

Treatment depends on the type of catheter, the severity of the infection and the patient’s overall health. Generally, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection and the central line may need to be removed. In some cases, the line is flushed with high doses of antibiotics to kill the germs causing the infection so that the line does not have to be removed. 

• All health care providers should practice proper hand cleaning techniques.
• Everyone who touches the central line must wash their hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub.
• Wear sterile clothing – a mask, gloves and hair covering – when putting in the line.
• The patient should be covered with a sterile drape with a small hole where the line goes in.
• The patient’s skin should be cleaned with “chlorhexidine” (a type of soap) when the line is put in.
• Choose the most appropriate vein to insert the line.
• Check the line every day for infection.
• Replace the line as needed and not on a schedule.
• Remove the line as soon as it is no longer needed.  

Health care providers who insert a central line in the vein of a patient fill out a central line insertion check list and procedure note which dates, tracks and documents the procedure.

• Redness, pain or swelling at or near the catheter site
• Pain or tenderness along the path of the catheter
• Drainage from the skin around the catheter
• Sudden fever or chills 

Make sure to follow all instructions carefully about medications, food and drink, that you received from the Pre-Surgical Screening clinic.  Please call your surgeon's office if you have any questions.

In order to decrease your risk of infection, please shower or bathe before arriving for your surgery.

If your are being discharged the day of your surgery ( going home once recovered from surgery) arrange a ride home and plan to have someone stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery.

If for any reason you need to reschedule or cancel your surgery (you’re feeling sick, or you no  longer want to have the surgery), please call your surgeon’s office as soon as possible.

If you need to cancel or reschedule less than one week before your scheduled surgery date and you are unable to reach the surgeon's office, please call the KGH Operating Room at 613-548-7820.  

A member of our team will call you the night before your surgery (any time after 2:00 p.m.) to confirm the time that you are required to arrive at KGH’s Same Day Admission Centre which is located on Connell 2.