HCS Knowledge Centre

How to achieve accurate and instant temperature checking for staff and visitors to care homes

Written by Admin | Feb 3, 2022 5:21:15 PM

 

How to achieve accurate and instant temperature checking

According to the British Geriatrics Society latest resource: Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Care Homes

‘For most residents in care homes, the risks of exposure to COVID-19 from visitors outweigh the benefits. Exceptions may include residents nearing the end of life and some residents with a mental health disorder such as dementia, autism or learning disability where absence of visiting from an immediate family member or carer would cause distress. Therefore, visiting policies should be based upon individualised risk-assessments and shared decision making with residents, their families and care home staff.

The guidance is clear that even as lockdown measures are being slowly lifted and visitors are being allowed tentative contact with their loved ones, the very real risk of exposure to COVID-19 remains and care homes are all extremely anxious to take every precaution to avoid a second wave.

The full guidance for Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Care Homes can be viewed here.

With temperature checking now becoming a normal part of life in care homes, for residents, staff and visitors, this can be time consuming, labour intensive and with ongoing costs on consumables.

Using a wall mounted infrared thermometer allows staff and visitor temperatures to be screened instantly and effectively and without contact. A motion sensor on the thermometer is activated with the infrared enables the temperature to be taken. It protects residents, staff and visitors, improving health and safety without creating queues or delays.

With our care homes opening up to more visitors and with staff, who have been in self isolation and in some cases screened, processes to allow access need to be not only robust but also easy and time efficient to allow staff to be where they are needed and not checking temperatures of visitors and returning staff.

Hcsuk have been researching this with a number of care homes and this wall mounted thermometer has proved to be one of the best solutions. We now have these thermometers available to care homes, nursing homes and also for offices and other facilities such as clinics and nurseries.

In the main reception areas and staff entrances you can now do the following:

• Fast, effective temperature screening

• Non-contact – to avoid cross-infection

• Instant audio/visual warning if temperature is high

The thermometer can be set up exactly where you need it:

Thanks to long lasting battery power, with auto power-off (or the USB power lead, included) you can set position of this thermometer anywhere. Wall fixings are provided, but with a screw fitting on the bottom, the thermometer can be fixed to a tripod or stand, too. Making this a very versatile and very useful piece of equipment which can be used time and time again to help protect residents, staff and visitors.

The guidance states that the thermometer should be placed in an area for up to an hour before first use. This gives the thermometer time to acclimatise to the room which it is situated in. We also advise that this is not placed too close to an entrance where there may be a cold breeze for example. If you have difficulty with this we do have engineers on hand to help understand where the best position would be to have the thermometer placed within your facility.

Specification

Dimensions: 170mm x 115mm x 140mm

Measuring distance: 5cm - 10cm

Response time: 0.5 seconds

Infrared measuring range: 0ºC - 50ºC

Measuring accuracy: 34ºC - 45ºC ± 0.2ºC

Power: USB or 18650 Li-ion rechargeable battery

Input: DC 4.2 - 5V

Certification: CE ROHS FC

How does this automatic thermometer work?

This infrared thermometer is designed as a screening tool to detect high temperature in individuals as they enter a building. The thermometer can be wall mounted, using the rear screw hooks, or stand mounted, using the screw fixing on the bottom.

Here is a short explanatory video...

The non contact temperature sensor detects motion, using infrared read a person's temperature instantly and display it on the LED screen. Healthy temperatures are accompanied by a single beep and green LEDs; high (fever) temperatures are accompanied by a continuous warning beep and red LEDs.

Readings are high accuracy (34ºC - 45ºC ± 0.2ºC).

Because the thermometer is automatic - responding to motion and then reading temperature using infrared - it not only means that contact is not required and therefore avoids cross infection, but also means an employee is not needed to take the temperatures. This makes it perfect for shops, factories and warehouses, schools and medical centres, where many people are likely to enter a building through the day and will need their temperature taking quickly and easily.

Order your Mounted Infrared Thermometer here

To get a FREE copy of a Staff Temperature Monitoring Chart please email sales@hcsuk.co.uk

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