We are getting back to work at the clinic very soon! We have all missed seeing your faces and hearing your news, we think of you often.
We have also received a lot of words of encouragement and support and we thank you all for your patience and loyalty, it means a lot to us!
We are having a staggered opening:
June 15th Mhairi and Bronwen will start treating.
June 22 Paulette, Lisa Arthur and Shannon Kroetch will start.
Lisa Gallant (acu) will start July 2nd depending on availability of child care.
Laura is on hiatus until September.
These dates are solely based on each therapist’s preference and comfort with the current state of the pandemic and/or lack of child care. We respect our therapist’s right to decide.
PS. Nicole has had her beautiful baby and is on maternity leave!
Here is how the re opening will happen and a summary of the new protocol we are mandated to follow:
1. Who will be contacted first?
2. Screening protocol
3. Before you come
4. Walking through the door
5. During Treatment
6. After your treatment
7. Clinic Cleaning and PPE protocol
1. Who will be contacted first? Clients who have been cancelled over the last three months, to be fair, all bookings initially will be done via your therapists. Highest risk clients in that group will be asked first so they can be seen by their therapists before they are potentially exposed to a high number of people. Online booking will not be available immediately. Please be patient with us as we try to get everyone in, due to schedule changes this could take a bit of time.
If you have a more urgent need to see your therapist let us know and we will accommodate you as best as possible.
2. Screening protocol In the beginning your therapist will call you before your visit to ask screening questions. In future these questions will be asked at the time of booking and 2-3 days before you come for your treatment. You will also be asked screening questions and to sign a waiver at the beginning of every treatment. You can at any time go to the online 811 COVID screening tool page for current information as well https://811.novascotia.ca/ :
Screening questions for clients (and their companions if they come in):
- Have you tested positive for COVID-19 that you have not fully recovered from?
- Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms? *(Not related to a previously documented health concern)
- fever (i.e. chills, sweats)
- cough or worsening of a previous cough
- sore throat
- headache
- shortness of breath*
- muscle aches*
- sneezing
- nasal congestion/runny nose
- hoarse voice
- diarrhea
- unusual fatigue
- loss of sense of smell or taste
- red, purple or blueish lesions on the feet, toes, or fingers without clear cause
- Have you traveled outside of Nova Scotia within the last 14 days?
- Have you had unprotected close contact with individuals who have a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19 (e.g. individuals exposed without appropriate PPE in use)?
If you answer yes to any of the above questions or if you become symptomatic at any point prior to your scheduled appointment, please postpone your treatment until you are well and symptom free. You will not be charged for cancelling in those cases. Again you should use the 811 on-line self-assessment if you are unwell.
Remember “Successful Infection = Exposure to Virus x Time.” We will be in a room together for 60mins!
3. Before you come please:
- use the bathroom at home before you come if possible to reduce the amount of disinfecting we need to do. (We understand that that is not possible for all of our clients).
- bring your own water or tea in a to-go mug for the time being.
- wear a mask to the clinic. If you don’t have a mask we will provide you with one when you enter, you will be required to wear it at all times in the clinic, even during treatment.
4. Walking through the door:
- We ask that clients remain in their cars or on the sidewalk in front of the clinic until their therapist calls them in, either by text or by a wave out the door.
- In the entrance use the hand sanitizer and put on the blue mask provided (if not already wearing one).
- You will be told which room you are in before your appointment. Please remove your shoes and put them in the bin provided and head straight to that room (with your shoes) when you enter the clinic.
- You should not meet another client in the clinic but if you do you must maintain a 6 foot distance.
- Your therapist will also be wearing a mask!
- Companions/parents accompanying clients must sign a COVID19 screening waiver before entering the main clinic areas and remain in the treatment room during treatment or wait in their car. The reception area will not be open for use due to lack of distancing possible.
5. During Treatment:
- You will be expected to wear your mask during assessment, treatment and reassessment/payment/discussion at the end of treatment. Your therapist will instruct you on what to do when face down.
- Your therapist will be wearing a mask the entire time as well.
- We cannot offer intra oral work for the jaw at this time.
6. After your treatment:
- Due to time constraints we may not be able to do direct billing/courtesy billing for veterans or Telus Health users going forward. Please come prepared to pay the full amount for the treatment. If this will be a hardship for you please let your therapist know.
- You will be given pay options in the treatment room, e-transfer from your mobile phone or with tap on the debit machine. Receipts will be emailed where possible. We will not be accepting cash or cheques.
- Your therapist can also re-book you while in the room or call you by phone. In the interests of keeping things moving quickly we will not be booking multiple future appointments while in the room.
- You will be advised when and how to leave the building so you are not crossing paths with other clients as much as possible.
6. Clinic Cleaning and PPE protocol
- All therapists will be wearing masks during treatments and in the clinic in general.
- Cleaning and disinfecting will be happening regularly throughout the day of every high touch surface in the clinic, with government approved disinfectants.
- Every time a client exits a treatment room all surfaces will be disinfected before the next client arrives.
- All linens will be washed in hot water and vinyl pillow protectors will be wiped down.
NPW reserves the right to decline treatment to anyone showing possible symptoms of COVID as stipulated by the Province of NS by law. We can not make a diagnosis, therefore, we are instructed to err on the side of caution.
