Rutland Regional Medical Center has restricted visitor access to its Inpatient Medical Oncology Unit (MOU)* after a fifth staff member on the unit tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital has been working closely with the Vermont Department of Health to conduct contact tracing and has expanded testing for any staff or patients who may have been exposed. Teams are identifying and reaching out to anyone who may have come into recent contact with the infected staff members, including any discharged patients.
“We want to be sure that we contain the virus, and restricting access is just one of several key steps we are taking,” explained Betsy Hassan, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CPPS, Chief Nursing Officer “We are testing all staff and patients on the unit for COVID-19 and have implemented higher level transmission-based precautions throughout the unit.”
The infected staff members are in quarantine at home and will not return to work until they are medically cleared.
Hospital officials said that they will consider lifting the access restrictions once they are assured that the situation is contained.
“Our first priority is the safety of our patients and the staff who care for them,” said Hassan. “Once we have determined the extent of the cluster, we can consider lifting the restrictions.”
*This is a separate unit from our the Foley Cancer Care Center.
