PROCEDURE FOR SARS (SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY
SYNDROME)
NSAC POLICY: Health Services will adhere to the following guidelines
when screening students arriving from abroad for possible SARS.
A. Nursing assessment as follows:
Have interpreter available.
Interview the students on arrival by telephone or in person
depending on the level of risk before they begin classes or
check into residence or in treatment room in Health Services.
Question if they have had household contact with or provided
care for a person with SARS in the last 10 days.
Are they experiencing any of the SARS symptoms: fever (38°)
and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, and one of
the following: chills, muscle aches, headache, cough, feeling
generally "unwell".
If student is experiencing above symptoms, provide surgical
mask, nurse put on N95 (gown, gloves).
B. Nursing intervention:
If answer ‘No' to the above questions, give information
sheet on SARS.
If answer yes to either of the above questions, call public health
(893-5820) for further guidance
Call an ambulance to transport the person to the Emergency
Dept. for further assessment
Inform ambulance dispatcher that person may have been exposed
to SARS and is symptomatic.
Inform Emergency Dept.
Following initial interview (assuming all is well), students
will take their own temperature twice a day (8 am to 3 pm)
for 10 days after their last exposure to the country where
SARS cases were occurring.
Call Health Services (893-6300) if student develops a fever
or any symptoms as previously mentioned.
Record in client's health care record.
Further information on SARS is available at the following:
www.sars.gc.ca
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/exposureguidance.htm
SARS Hotline: 1-866-375-7277
| 
|
