Mrs Nicole Vause1, Mr Gavin Pead-Ferenczi2, Mrs Peggy Ooi3, Mrs Fiona Dillon4, Mrs Rebecca Sakatunoff5
1Department Of Health & Wellbeing SA, Adelaide, Australia
2Nursing & Midwifery Office, Adelaide, Australia
3COVID-19 Response Care Team, Adelaide, Australia
4COVID-19 Response Care Team, Adelaide, Australia
5COVID-19 Response Care Team, Adelaide, Australia
The COVID-19 pandemic demanded innovative responses to infection control practices world-wide. The South Australian response to the COVID-19 pandemic included the implementation of models of care in the quarantine system incorporating Medi-Hotels, Hospital in the Hotel (for COVID-19 positive patients) and community quarantine. The COVID-19 quarantine system workforce included 137 graduate nurses and midwives. A scaffolded approach to infection prevention and control (IPC) learning was implemented through a range of educational opportunities targeting graduates to safely implement IPC principles including requirements for the acute care setting.
Central to this scaffolded approach was an innovative IPC Study Day incorporating a multi-modal approach to graduate learning. A co-design method and collaborative delivery of content was used by the Nursing Director and Nurse Consultant for IPC and COVID-19 Response Care Team Educators. The study day followed pedagogical principles to ensure that delivery met the learning needs of the graduate cohort. Content was in line with national IPC recommendations as well as Statewide guidelines and resources. Formal feedback through online evaluations were received from 77/135 participants. The study day was positively evaluated through formal feedback and supported through participant engagement and discussions throughout the day.
Results from the evaluations reinforced the need for the inclusion of IPC knowledge within the graduate workforce. This study day has facilitated the translation of IPC knowledge to future generations of nurses and midwives in South Australia.
Biography: Nicole Vause was the Nursing Program Director for Infection Prevention and Control with the COVID-19 Response Care Team until June 2022. She is currently the Nursing Program Director-Emergency and Pandemic Response and Recovery for the Department of Health in South Australia. She is credentialled with the Australasian College for Infection Prevention & Control (ACIPC) at the expert level since May 2012. She completed a Master of Advanced Practice -Infection Control & Prevention in 2011. She was a member of the ACIPC Education Committee from 2014-2020.