[ANSWER] SCENARIO: YOU ARE THE INFECTION CONTROL NURSE OF A 100-BED INPATIENT HEALTHCARE FACILITY. WITH THE INCREASING POTENTIAL FOR A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE EXPOSURE IN YOUR FACILITY, THE CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER HAS TASKED YOU WITH THE CREATION OF A HOSPITAL RESPONSE PLAN FOR A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE OUTBREAK IN YOUR HEALTHCARE FACILITY.

Scenario:

You are the infection control nurse of a 100-bed inpatient healthcare facility. With the increasing potential for a communicable disease exposure in your facility, the chief clinical officer has tasked you with the creation of a hospital response plan for a communicable disease outbreak in your healthcare facility.

Instructions:

Create a hospital response plan that effectively addresses a healthcare facility’s actions in response to a communicable disease outbreak of your choosing. The response plan should:

1. Identify a communicable disease and explain why this particular disease necessitates a response plan.
2. Be supported by current evidence.
3. Include guidance on the following:
4. Logistics: adequate physical resources and services required
5. Triage: appropriate protocols and location
6. Communication: timely and effective contact internal and external of the facility regarding a suspected or confirmed outbreak
7. Infection control: sufficient measures to protect hospital employees, patients, and the public
8. Human resources: efficient management of human capital in response to a suspected or confirmed outbreak
9. Responsibilities of various hospital departments: effective interventions by primary and ancillary departments in response to a suspected or confirmed outbreak
10. Reflect the nurse’s ability to:
11. Assess and identify the disease outbreak
12. Support containment and treatment of the disease
13. Facilitate timely communication regarding the outbreak