Resident doctors should not be posted at COVID-19 units without training: Health Ministry

No resident doctor should be posted at any COVID-19 facility without undergoing the "essential" training module being conducted by hospital infection control teams, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

The ministry on Friday issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for reallocation of resident doctors, postgraduates and nursing students as part of the hospital management for COVID-19 guidelines.

The guidelines state that a hospital can be divided into three broad zones -- non-COVID area, COVID area looking after patients with mild to moderate illness, and Critical area like the intensive care unit.

In addition, a triage area needs to be developed at the emergency area of a hospital where patients with acute severe respiratory illnesses will be coming, it said.

"Residents/ DNB/ CPS students will be categorised based on their parent departments, primarily keeping in mind their current engagement in managing critically ill patients," the SOPs stated.

"Training about COVID-19, and other aspects of clinical evaluation of patients should also be made available for residents, especially those drawn from departments where there is either no regular patient-care activity or if they so desire, even those with a limited engagement with sick patients," the procedures stated.

The ministry under the SOPs said additional training must be given at the facility where a resident doctor is posted.

If there are two locations where screening takes place, the content of the facility level training must be the same, even if it is being delivered by different team leaders at the different physical locations, it said.

This will ensure that all key aspects of training are covered, irrespective of site of delivery and trainer, the SOPs stated.

The faculty-incharge of these facilities will coordinate to ensure that this uniform level of training is devised and delivered, the procedures stated.

"We may consider, including psychologists to be part of the training, to enhance motivation of participating residents," the ministry said.