Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) develops, implements, and provides ongoing management of the IPAC programs to prevent the development of new infections and the spread of existing ones and to minimize the risk of healthcare-associated infections in residents, families, staff and visitors. It also develops and maintains a surveillance system for the timely collection, tabulation, analysis and reporting of communicable diseases.

IPAC develops, evaluates, and updates policies and procedures regarding IPAC based on applicable regulations, organizational priorities, evidence, and best practices for continual improvement. It is also involved in the orientation of staff, residents, families, companions, volunteers, and visitors.

There is an IPAC Committee which actively participates in addressing Occupational Health and Safety issues related to IPAC, including:

• Ensuring the provision of resources needed to support IPAC activities based on the size of the organization and the type services it provides.
• Ensuring the provision of Influenza vaccine to staff, companions, volunteers and residents and Pneumococcal vaccine to residents.
• Maintaining records of immunization.

The IPAC team provides input during the planning and designing of the physical environment including plans for construction and renovation, based on national standards.

There is a fulltime Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) who acts as a liaison between Louis Brier and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and the BC Centre for Disease Control during disease outbreaks and pandemics, and communicates and ensures adherence to control measures as recommended by the Medical Health Officer. The ICP is also accountable for quality oversight and coordinating reprocessing of medical devices and equipment in the facility.

COVID-19

The IPAC team played an integral role in Louis Brier’s efforts to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. They established, implemented, and enhanced protocols and practices, in alignment with Ministry of Health, VCH Licensing, VCH-PHC Emergency Operation Centre, and Medical Health Officers.

In collaboration with our internal Stores department, local vendors, PHSA, SafeCareBC, and donors, the IPAC team was successful in proactively securing PPEs and establishing a Pandemic Stockpile as early as January 2020.

The IPAC team also collaborated with the Interdisciplinary Team in facilitating staff education around IPAC guidelines, including donning, and doffing of PPEs, and pandemic planning, as well as increased levels of monitoring and surveillance to ensure relevant standards are met.