7.1.1 Patient flow and distribution
The organization presented in this chapter corresponds to the CTC layout suggested in Appendix 11 with 3 main sectors for patient case management: triage, hospitalisation, observation.
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TRIAGE |
For less severe cases, it is essential to maintain visual contact while they await triage (the patient’s condition may deteriorate while waiting). These patients should not wait more than 10 minutes between arriving and being attended to.
The doctor/nurse opens an individual patient file and registers patients (cholera case register). Patients are then accompanied by an auxiliary nurse to the appropriate sector for treatment (hospitalisation or observation), with their individual patient file.
The doctor/nurse immediately inserts an IV line and starts rehydration. The interview, registering and transfer to the appropriate sector are carried out once patients are stabilised. |
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HOSPITALISATION |
Patients are treated in OT or IVT sector depending on the triage prescription.
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OBSERVATION |
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Patients with no dehydration are admitted to this sector and receive treatment under observation for a few hours. As in the hospitalisation sector, pregnant women and children < 5 years are grouped together to improve monitoring. |
This distribution of patients covers all treatment needs (treatment of dehydration and prevention of dehydration or maintenance therapy) while paying specific attention to the most vulnerable or complex cases (e.g. young children, pregnant women).
Note that patient sectors can be divided in other ways. Another model could be:
| TRIAGE |
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As above. |
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OBSERVATION |
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All patients on oral treatment only are oriented in this CTC area. In this event, the area is divided into 2 sectors:
Do not mix these patients to ensure correct monitoring. |
| HOSPITALISATION |
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All patients on IV treatment are treated in this area. |
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RECOVERY OR CONVALESCENCE |
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Patients that have finished IV rehydration switch to oral maintenance therapy under observation, but no longer need a bed. They stay in the recovery area a few hours (for the night if their IV treatment finishes late) until being discharged. This organization makes beds available quicker. However convalescent patients are not yet fully cured and the administration of ORS and fluid loss should be monitored as closely as in “observation”. |
Notes:
- In CTUs, there are fewer numbers of patients but the principle of grouping patients by age and category of treatment remains the same (on one side of the room, patients on IV treatment, on the other side, patients on oral treatment, and on each side, children < 5 years together).
- In ORPs it is better to separate dehydrated patients and patients with no dehydration if the premises allow it, and to group together children < 5 years in each treatment category.
7.1.2 Attendants
Adult, autonomous patients can be admitted unaccompanied to the CTC. Often, this can only be applied to adult males and adult women should preferably, or must imperatively, be admitted with an attendant.
Children and adolescents (all minors), pregnant women and anyone that requires assistance (the elderly, disabled individuals, etc.) or is in a serious condition are admitted with an attendant that stays with them throughout their stay.
Allow only one attendant per patient. This same person remains throughout the patient’s stay, in order to limit comings and goings and to avoid exposing more people than necessary to the vibrio. It may be useful to issue attendants authorised to stay in the CTC with a bracelet.
The attendant takes an active role in treatment, e.g. administration of ORS, comfort and monitoring of the patient. S/he can, and should be encouraged to, alert staff in the event of accidental interruption of IV treatment (catheter pulled out, empty infusion bag, etc.) or other situations that do not seem normal. Nevertheless medical staff remains responsible for medical care: monitoring of clinical evolution and treatment should not be delegated to attendants.
As for patients, attendants’ needs are covered by the facility. Logistics officers should take into account attendants’ needs: shelter, blankets, food, water, hygiene, sanitation, etc.
Means should be set up to avoid the attendant being contaminated (hand-washing points, showers, hygiene promotion, etc.).
7.1.3 Communication with patients and attendants
The patient and attendant should receive the following information:
On admission
- Patient’s problem and treatment required:
The explanation will vary depending on the knowledge and concepts of the population and the condition of the patient, but it should be simple and concrete. The aim of treatment is to give the patient the same quantity of water that s/he is losing (or has lost) through diarrhoea, by drinking ORS or IV treatment, depending on the case. The administration of ORS must be explained and understood.
- Description of the installations (potable water, showers men/women, latrines men/women, off-limit areas, etc.) and hygiene rules in the CTC:
- Hand-washing, shower and laundry.
- Dishes (cups, meals) must not be shared between patients and attendants.
- Breastfeeding women: hand-washing and washing of breasts with soap and water (do not apply chlorine solution) before breastfeeding.
- Collection of stools and vomit in buckets.
On discharge
- Maintenance therapy to be continued at home (Section 5.6).
- Means of avoiding cholera at individual and family level.
Depending on the setup and for all facilities (CTC, CTU, ORP), communication is entrusted to health promoters or nursing auxiliaries supervised by nurses, or to the nurses themselves.