Ventilation in residential care

An education package

(Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.
© State of Victoria, Australia, Department of Health, May 2023)


What is this ventilation education package

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that indoor air quality is important for infection prevention and control. Improved ventilation improves indoor air quality.
This is a set of training materials that can be used to educate residential care management and staff about ventilation.
For further information, see Ventilation | health.vic.gov.au 

How to use it 

This package has three components, each aimed at a different audience. The level of detail and the recommended actions are tailored to each audience. 

This package has:
1. PowerPoint ‘Ventilation - for managers in residential care’.
2. PowerPoint ‘Ventilation - for staff in residential care’.
3. Fact sheets for residents and visitors



Power Point 1


Ventilation - for managers in residential care

Audience
Managers, administrators, supervisors, training managers and IPC Leads

Purpose
For managers and IPC Leads to identify ways to optimise ventilation in their facility.

Outcomes

At the end of this presentation, participants can:​

  • identify the types of ventilation in their building​
  • make the best use of their building’s systems of ventilation​
  • source portable air cleaners​
  • educate staff, residents and visitors about ventilation

Format

The presentation has 28 slides, but you will not need to look at them all. Of slides 9-24, you will choose only those slides about the type/s of ventilation that you have in your building. This is explained on Slide 2. Links in the slides will also help you navigate.

For each type of ventilation, the slides cover:

  • What does it look like?
  • What does it do?
  • Making the best use of this type of ventilation
  • What else can you do?

For more resources on ventilation and infection prevention and control, see the last slide.

Presenter notes

This can be delivered by someone external to the organisation, for example, from your Local Public Health Unit (LPHU), or it can be delivered by someone internal who has familiarised themselves with the content of this whole package.

The presenter will first need to work out which slides to show.

  • If you already know what type of ventilation the facility has, choose the relevant slides only.
  • If you don’t know what type of ventilation the facility has, read the whole PowerPoint: it describes what each type of ventilation looks like. If you still can’t work it out, consult maintenance staff and find out the building’s ventilation type before delivering this presentation.
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Power Point 2


Ventilation - for staff in residential care
Audience All clinical and non-clinical staff
Purpose For staff to help implement the ventilation strategies that their facility managers have put in place.
Outcomes

At the end of the presentation, staff can:​

  • support ventilation best-practice in their building​
  • use windows, air conditioners, fans and air cleaners in the safest way
  • explain about ventilation to residents and visitors.
Format

The presentation has 14 slides, but you will not need to look at them all.
You will first look at slides 1-6 and then you will choose only the slides about the type/s of ventilation that you have in your building.

This is explained on Slide 2.
Presenter notes

This should be delivered by a trainer or IPC Lead who has understood the first, more detailed presentation, ‘Ventilation - for managers in residential care’.

Work out which slides you will share before presenting this to staff.

Note that this presentation contains only information that affects and is within the control of staff on the floor.
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3. Factsheets for residents and visitors


Word docs

(see below for list of fact sheets)


Residents, families and visitors
Purpose For residents and visitors to support the ventilation strategies used in their room or building.
Outcomes

Residents and visitors can

  • recognise the source of ventilation in their room
  • support any strategies for ventilation used in their room or building.
Format There are seven separate factsheets, but you do not need to use them all. Use only the factsheet/s about the type/s of ventilation in the resident’s room or building.Choose from
  • Natural ventilation
  • Heating, Ventilation Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system
  • Split system air conditioner
  • Window-mounted air conditioner
  • Evaporative cooler
  • Fans
  • Air cleaner
Presenter notes

Choose the factsheet/s about the type/s of ventilation used in the room or building. Print and display, or distribute the factsheet, or use it in conversations with residents, families and visitors.

Note that these factsheets contain only information that affects and is within the control of residents and visitors.
Fact sheets

Windows
Window mounted air conditioner
Split system
Portable air cleaner
HVAC
Fans
Evaporative cooler
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To receive this document in another format, email  COVID19InfectionControl@health.vic.gov.au
Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.
© State of Victoria, Australia, Department of Health, May 2023.
Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services or facilities.
Available from your Local Public Health Unit Infection Prevention and Control consultant. Also available at VICNISS
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