Daily COVID-19 Update

New process for employee screening

Starting Wednesday, March 25, all hospital employees will either be screened before entrance to work, or on their unit. Screenings upon entrance will take place at A-level MC, East Campus, Surgical Hospital, BMC and Murrieta. If your assignment is unit-based, in the ED, or Advanced Urgent Care, go directly to the unit for screening. All others will be screened upon entry and should allow additional time for this process. If you have screened positive to one of the following criteria, you will not be allowed to work:

1. Fever greater than 100.4 or
2. New onset of cough or
3. You have a new onset of shortness of breath or
4. Sore throat (in addition to one of the above)

In order to protect you, our patients and other staff, you will not be allowed to work until:

• After at least 72 hours of no fever without the use of fever‐reducing medications

AND

• Respiratory symptoms have significantly improved

AND

• It has been at least 7 days since symptoms first appeared
• You wear a face mask for 14 days after symptoms start
• Do not interact with severely immunosuppressed patients

Please notify your leadership that you have been asked to stay home. Follow up with your primary care physician if you have further questions.

Updated return to work guidelines

Due to newly released CDC recommendations about when individuals can return to work after developing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or testing for COVID-19, we have updated our Employee Self-Screening for Health Care Personnel guidelines. These are important guidelines, and employees who come to work are attesting that they are in compliance.

Changing area for MC & CH

Starting Wednesday, March 25, hospital-provided scrubs will be available for employees working in the ED or COVID-19 designated units. Employees who wish to change into these scrubs before their shift may use the locker rooms off the A-level hallway, just beyond room A217.  Upon shift completion, employees can change back into their non-clinical attire and leave the scrubs to be washed.

No PPE should be in the cafeteria – except for surgical masks

Please ensure you do not wear gloves or gowns into the cafeteria. The only PPE employees need to be wearing in the cafeteria is their surgical mask.

Masking guidelines

Beginning on March 23, 2020, employees will be provided with a surgical mask upon entry into any of our hospital or outpatient facilities. This mask is to be worn at all times while in the hospital. Unless clinically indicated, you will only receive one mask for the day, so please plan accordingly. When you exit the facility at the conclusion of your shift, please make sure you are appropriately disposing of this mask and other PPE.

Engaging with the media or social media

Loma Linda University Health actively enforces its policies regarding all interaction on our official and personal social networking accounts and with external entities, including news media, production crews or outside vendors.

Media and other external requests: Outside media is not permitted on the LLUH campus without prior approval and accompaniment by the public relations team. If you are contacted or approached by a member of the media or other outside entity, the following guidelines are in place and must be followed per Loma Linda University Health policy:

• Even if you know the information, do not provide it. There is no such thing as “off the record.”
• Respectfully direct them to contact the public relations team via email at pr@llu.edu.
• If after hours, direct them to the operator at 909-558-4000 to page the public relations specialist on-call. 
• If you find a member of the news media on the premises unaccompanied by one of our public relations representatives, please call security at 909-558-4320 or ext. 44320.

Social Networking: Loma Linda University Health recognizes that participating in social networks with the use of personal equipment outside of working hours is a personal activity. However, because of the potential impact that social networking can have on our institution and its reputation, it is necessary to remember Loma Linda University Health policy regarding social networking that relates in any way to this organization and its operations. All policies, guidelines and rules that apply to employee communication and conduct apply equally to social network communications.

Please keep in mind that: 

• The HIPAA minimum necessary standard requirement extends to personal social media content. 
• Loma Linda University Health reserves the right to require that employees, students, contractors, and volunteers edit or remove any communication or post that is not in accordance with LLUMC policies and/or applicable law.
• A disclaimer is required acknowledging that all communication (ideas, thoughts, comments, posts, etc) posted on a personal social networking site are your own and not in any way a representation of your current and past employers.
• The appearance of a logo or other identifying elements can indicate your relationship with Loma Linda University Health and would require a disclaimer.
• Only official representatives are allowed to speak on behalf of Loma Linda University Health. Official accounts are only those that have been approved through the Office of Marketing & Communications.

Personal smartphones or cameras shall not be used to capture pictures or audio of patients except in accordance with LLUMC Policy Photography, Videography and Audio Recording (A-22).