Education for COVID-19 Testing

• Clinical leadership (e.g. HSM, team leads, etc.) are responsible to ensure documentation of mandatory education for all health care providers is complete prior to independent practice.
• Unlicensed health care providers are able to be assigned the task of specimen collection by a Regulated Health Care Provider. It is not within the scope of employment of the UHCP to screen or assess persons for the purposes of COVID-19 testing.
• An RN, PT or RRT must be on site at the COVID-19 Testing Center location in order to legally implement the Testing for COVID-19 Care Directive
• UHCPs can only collect specimens for COVID-19 testing from persons 4 years and older. They can collect specimens via swab or gargle.
• The type of swab collection that UHCPs are trained in depends on availability of those swabs at that site. They can be trained in both NP and throat/nares, or only NP, or only throat/nares.
• Models of care, patient flow and processes used to implement the care directives depend on local contexts with the following considerations:
  • All health care providers must work within scope of employment
  • All health care providers must receive appropriate education and training
  • All health care providers must follow appropriate policies, including infection control standards
• The lab requisition does not have to be completed by the health care provider taking the swab in every circumstance. If the local team has other care providers completing the lab requisition (either manually or electronically), then that part of the education/training is simply 'not applicable'.
• An unlicensed health care provider is accountable for all action or inaction, as per scope of employment with the health care organization (e.g. Nova Scotia Health). The health care organization is accountable to ensure the unlicensed health care provider has received appropriate education, training and support to provide safe care. 
• Clinical leadership are responsible to welcome new hires on first day, and to review information related to employment (e.g. role, responsibilities, expectations, vacation, illness, work schedule, etc.). 

The newly graduated care provider is new in a care provider role and would need to complete all components of the Self-Directed Learning Plan, including a review of all care directives, policies and procedures. This mandatory education would take approximately 2 hours. 

It is recommended that newly graduated care providers have face-to-face education delivered by IPP & L, IPAC or Clinical Leadership, with adequate time for demonstration, practice and questions (e.g. 2-3 hours). It is recommended that newly graduated care providers be offered a minimum of 7.5 hours of a preceptorship. They may require additional time with a preceptor, perhaps 7.5 to 15 or more hours, in order to attain competence and confidence in their role with COVID-19 testing.

An experienced nurse who is new to Nova Scotia Health may be competent in skills such as donning/doffing PPE and swab collection, but is still required to demonstrate this safely and effectively prior to independent practice, and to review all self-directed learning.

It is also important to note that these new hires also have mandatory education requirements related to their role in the organization, as well as site-specific learning that is required to perform their role (e.g. documentation, SIMs reporting etc.). This must be taken into consideration in their transition to practice plans. 

• Mandatory education must be completed prior to independent practice. It consists of 3.5 hours of self-directed learning and 7.5 hours of education/preceptored shift. 
• Clinical leadership (e.g. HSM, team leads etc.) are responsible to ensure documentation of UHCP mandatory education is complete prior to independent practice.
• An RN, PT or RRT must be on site at the testing centre location in order to legally implement the Testing for COVID-19 Care Directive.
• The type of swab collection that UHCPs are trained in depends on availability of those swabs at that site. They can be trained in both NP and throat/nares, or only NP, or only throat/nares. 
• Models of care, patient flow and processes used to implement the care directive depend on local contexts with the following considerations:
  • All health care providers must work within scope of employment
  • All health care providers must receive appropriate education and training
  • All health care providers must follow appropriate policies, including infection control standards
• The lab requisition does not have to be completed by the UHCP taking the swab in every circumstance. If the local team has other care providers completing the lab requisition (either manually or electronically) then that part of the education/training is simply 'not applicable'.
• An unlicensed health care provider is accountable for all action or inaction, as per scope of employment with the health care organization (e.g. Nova Scotia Health). The health care organization is accountable to ensure the unlicensed health care provider has received appropriate education, training and support to provide safe care. 
• Clinical leadership are responsible to welcome new hires on first day, and to review information related to employment (e.g. role, responsibilities, expectations, vacation, illness, work schedule etc.). 

Complete the COVID-19 Status or Reason for Work Absence Form if you are absent from work for the following reasons:

1. A confirmed case of COVID-19
2. Symptomatic with one or more of the following symptoms: new or worsening chronic cough OR two or more of the following (new/worsening): sore throat, runny nose, unexplained headache, shortness of breath, unexplained fever, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting
3. A household contact of a positive case
4. An exposed close contact of a confirmed positive case of COVID-19

Guidance regarding each scenario listed above will be provided as you move through the Occupational Health Safety and Wellness Webform