Resources and information for clinicians

• Optimizing use of investigations and medications during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  The Optimizing use of investigations & medications during the COVID-19 pandemic guide is intended to assist decision-making and the balancing of risk and benefit in conjunction with patients and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• PPE Statement (Statewide Infection Clinical Network) (PDF 697 kB)
  This Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Statement details the endorsed Queensland Health Guidelines regarding PPE for the management of COVID-19.
• Management of Respiratory Failure in the response to COVID-19 (PDF 557 kB)
  This joint statement outlines therapies which can be considered in caring for COVID-19 patients.
• COVID-19 Cancer Guidelines (PDF 518 kB)
• COVID-19 guidance for nurses and midwives
• COVID-19 and pregnancy: clinical guideline, operational framework and consumer information
• Kidney Patient COVID-19 Information Sheet (PDF 232 kB)
• Queensland ethical framework to guide clinical decision making in the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 1269 kB)
• COVID-19 ICU Pandemic Admission Guideline (PDF 263 kB)
• Guiding principles for complex decision making during Pandemic COVID-19 – Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society
• SGMCN COVID-19 Action Plan
  The Action Plan is a holistic approach to the management and containment of COVID-19 from the perspective of hospital-based general medicine services.
• SGMCN Guide to Ethical Decision-making during COVID-19
  The SGMCN Guide to Ethical Decision-making during COVID-19 assists general medicine clinicians in dealing with the important ethical issues that a pandemic raises.
• Hospital in the Home Guideline (PDF 316 kB)
  This addendum to the Hospital in the Home Guideline, provides recommendations regarding best practice for public HITH services across Queensland in the event of a pandemic, which is defined as the worldwide spread of a new disease.
• Hospital in the Home SAMPLE Clinical Pathway (PDF 185 kB)
• Hospital in the Home SAMPLE Direct GP Referral Process (PPT 594 kB)

• Guidance on potential changes to anaesthetic drug usage and administration during pandemic emergency pressures (PDF 194 kB)
• COVID-19 advice for treatment providers (Queensland Opioid Treatment Program) (PDF 260 kB)
  This information will help maintain care of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
• Principles of ethical prescribing for self and others in the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 284 kB)
• Guideline for ethical prescribing for self and others in the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 231 kB)
• Direction informing prescribers about amended prescribing and dispensing requirements for hydroxychloroquine (PDF 85 kB)
• Direction informing pharmacists about amended prescribing and dispensing requirements for hydroxychloroquine (PDF 90 kB)

• GP Assessment and management of patients with suspected COVID-19 (PDF 917 kB)
• GPs can access the latest information about COVID-19 in their HealthPathways (HP). Please always refer to the online version for the latest information.
• Visit HealthPathways to register if you would like access to HP information specific to your local area.
• Clinicians practicing in the Gold Coast or other areas without HP can access the COVID-19 HP here.
• Fever and respiratory clinics in Queensland as of 22 May 2020 (PDF 804 kB)
• COVID-19 Primary Care Frequently asked questions (PDF 1126 kB)
• Community management of mild COVID-19 illness in rural Queensland(PDF 1288 kB)
  This document provide HHSs with rural facilities, and the clinicians working in those communities, with a safe and consistent community management framework within which patients who should not require inpatient care (i.e. mild COVID-19) and can be kept in their communities.

Primary care updates

• 12 May - Update number 53 (PDF 158 kB)
• 15 May - Update number 54 (PDF 224 kB)
• 18 May - Update number 55 (PDF 181 kB)

• COVID-19 Community Child Health Services Guidance for service provision
  This document has been developed to support service adaptation by community child and youth health services in Queensland Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• COVID-19 Guidance for maternity and neonatal services
  This site refers to the Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Guidelines page and contains information specific to the care of mothers and babies during the COVID-19 pandemic including flowcharts for neonates of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 mothers, operational frameworks for COVID-19 maternity and neonatal services as well as videos and consumer information.
• Queensland Child and Youth Clinical Network (QCYCN) COVID-19 Outpatient Working Group videos
  The QCYCN COVID-19 Outpatients Working Group was established to coordinate a statewide response to the evolving management of outpatients at Queensland Health facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The working group has developed a number of online videos to ensure timely and accurate messaging with clinical network members and primary health care partners during the pandemic.
  
  • Episode 1: Sending Prescriptions in Queensland
  • Episode 2: Auto text for telehealth consultations
  • Episode 3: Continuing ADHD Medication in Children
  • Episode 4: Disability Quicklinks for COVID-19
• Paediatric emergency care during the COVID-19 pandemic
  This Children’s Health Queensland site contains information specific to the emergency care of children during the COVID-19 outbreak including chest imaging guidelines, consensus statements on intubation and respiratory therapies and a paediatric airway checklist.

• Checklist for Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) preparation for COVID-19 prevention and outbreak management
  This checklist is intended to guide requirements for RACF pandemic preparation
• Management of suspected RACF COVID-19 outbreak (PDF 229 kB)
• Acute respiratory illness (suspected COVID-19) in RACF resident pathway (PDF 3121 kB)

• COVID-19 Self-isolation requirements fact sheet (PDF 159 kB)
• Clinician wellbieng fact sheet (PDF 313 kB)
• Novel coronavirus topic in Queensland Health's Clinical Knowledge Network (CKN)
  DynaMed, the Clinical Knowledge Network's (CKN) primary point of care tool, has created a new topic for novel coronavirus.
• Help keep everyone safe from COVID-19 (PDF 90 kB)
  COVID-19 visitor poster for healthcare facilities.
• Pandemic Kindness Website
  Created by clinicians from across the nation, this website provides respected, evidence-informed resources to support the wellbeing of the health workforce.
• Boost your Healthy
  Developed by Health and Wellbeing Queensland, this website provides support, inspiration and ideas to stay healthy and active during COVID-19.
• Support for vulnerable people
  advice from Assoc. Prof. John Allan, Executive Director, Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch on how COVID-19 may affect people with serious mental ill health.
• COVID-19 is no excuse for Domestic and Family Violence
  Resources to support health clinicians to recognise, respond, and refer safely and appropriately to suspicions and disclosures of domestic and family violence.