Nurse Maude cuts down home visits during lockdown

Photo: RNZ
Photo: RNZ
Nurse Maude has cut back on home visits in Canterbury during the Covid-19 lockdown in a bid to reduce the risk of clients contracting the virus.

The Ministry of Health has also said Nurse Maude needs to cease non-essential tasks.

As a result, any nursing assessments or palliative support will initially be done by phone and if staff find a visit is needed, it will be arranged.

Where a family member lives on the same property as a client, one person in the family will be taught to provide care like applying eye drops or managing dressing changes.

Nurse Maude general marketing manager Sue Bramwell said this is either done by telephone or video such as Skype.

"This significantly reduces close contact and therefore risk. We will support and work with clients and their families to manage this."

Housework has also been ceased during the lockdown period.

During home visits, nurses, specialist nursing services and home support workers ask each client a series of questions from a distance of 2m before they begin tasks.

Ms Bramwell said Nurse Maude staff are well trained and are being regularly updated about the situation and about what they need to do to keep clients and themselves safe.

The measures include following Ministry of Health guidelines and requirements, maintaining a strong focus on impeccable infection prevention measures and wearing personal protective equipment where and when it's appropriate.

She said there is regular contact with staff to ensure they are well while working, and they know to stay away from work if they think they are becoming unwell.