[Passed] Proper Hygiene for Medical Instruments

[Morover]

The General Assembly

Act for the Proper Hygiene for Medical Instruments

Health

Area of Effect: Healthcare

A resolution to modify universal standards of healthcare.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical instruments require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (SMI) as an apparatus used in a healthcare setting and with a material potential to carry and spread communicable disease to an individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (EPARC) with creating and keeping up-to-date safe and effective standards of
   
   1. sterilization and disposal of each type of SMI;
   2. determining the amount of reuse each type of SMI may undergo before disposal is needed;
   3. determining the amount of reuse each type SMI may undergo before sterilization is needed;
3. Requires sterilization, disposal, or both to be done once needed in accordance with EPARC standards whenever SMIs are used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical practitioners to use their best judgment, informed by EPARC protocols, to prevent the spread of disease via SMIs without specific standards established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have up-to-date standards established by EPARC to be reported immediately to the committee so that standards can be established or updated in a timely manner; and
   
6. Mandates that all individuals working in healthcare with an SMI of any kind be adequately trained to carry out the standards established by EPARC for the kind of SMI which they use and continue to receive training to maintain competency as to the latest standards.

Co-Authored by Imperium Anglorum

This is intended to be a replacement for GAR#482, should my repeal pass.

My goal with this was to be much broader than the target, to hopefully prevent future legislation, but I understand if it might be overstepping. Thoughts on the subject would be appreciated. I'm not too attached to the draft as-is.

[Maowi]

"This proposal has my support. Upon a first reading, I can see just a couple of things: in clause 2, the phrase "that do the following" seems redundant. Also, might it make more sense to make the EPARC establish both protocols, where possible, and then allow a choice as to which one to use, so as to be more adaptable to the circumstances and available resources in each situation?"

[Morover]

"This proposal has my support. Upon a first reading, I can see just a couple of things: in clause 2, the phrase "that do the following" seems redundant. Also, might it make more sense to make the EPARC establish both protocols, where possible, and then allow a choice as to which one to use, so as to be more adaptable to the circumstances and available resources in each situation?"

"Excellent points, ambassador, and we have fixed both of them."

EDIT: hijacking this post for drafts

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical utensils require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

Believing that it is the imperative of the World Assembly to ensure the minimization of this spread,

Hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical utensil" (hereafter referred to as SMU) as any apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in a healthcare setting, will have direct contact with a patient, and has a potential to, if reused, carry and transmit harmful germs from a patient to another individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (hereafter referred to as EPARC) to establish one of the two following protocols that do the following for each form of SMU brought to their attention:
   
   1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMU after initial use;
   2. determine the amount of reuse a SMU may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;
3. Requires the above protocols to be enforced whenever a SMU is being used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical institutions to implement similar protocols on SMUs which have not yet had protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMUs which do not presently have proper protocols established by EPARC to be reported directly to the committee in order for protocols to be established in a timely manner;
   
6. And mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMU of any kind to be adequately trained in carrying out and following the protocols established by EPARC, and to be retrained in the case that EPARC changes the aforementioned protocols.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical utensils require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

Believing that it is the imperative of the World Assembly to ensure the minimization of this spread,

Hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical utensil" (hereafter referred to as SMU) as any apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in a healthcare setting, will have direct contact with a patient, and has a potential to, if reused, carry and transmit harmful germs from a patient to another individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (hereafter referred to as EPARC) to establish the following protocols, where possible, for each form of SMU brought to their attention:
   
   1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMU after initial use;
   2. determine the amount of reuse a SMU may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;
3. Requires the one or both of the above protocols to be enforced whenever a SMU is being used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical institutions to implement similar protocols on SMUs which have not yet had protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMUs which do not presently have proper protocols established by EPARC to be reported directly to the committee in order for protocols to be established in a timely manner;
   
6. And mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMU of any kind to be adequately trained in carrying out and following the protocols established by EPARC, and to be retrained in the case that EPARC changes the aforementioned protocols.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical utensils require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

Believing that it is the imperative of the World Assembly to ensure the minimization of this spread,

Hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical utensil" (hereafter referred to as SMU) as any apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in a healthcare setting, will have direct contact with a patient, and has a potential to, if reused, carry and transmit harmful germs from a patient to another individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (hereafter referred to as EPARC) to establish the following protocols, where possible, for each form of SMU brought to their attention:
   
   1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMU after initial use;
   2. determine the amount of reuse a SMU may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;
3. Requires one or both of the above protocols to be enforced whenever an SMU is being used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical institutions to implement similar protocols on SMUs which have not yet had protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMUs which do not presently have proper protocols established by EPARC to be reported directly to the committee in order for protocols to be established in a timely manner;
   
6. And mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMU of any kind to be adequately trained in carrying out and following the protocols established by EPARC, and to be retrained in the case that EPARC changes the aforementioned protocols.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical utensils require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

Believing that it is the imperative of the World Assembly to ensure the minimization of this spread,

Hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (hereafter referred to as SMI) as any apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in a healthcare setting, will have direct contact with a patient, and has a potential to, if reused, carry and transmit harmful germs from a patient to another individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (hereafter referred to as EPARC) to establish the following protocols, where possible, for each form of SMI brought to their attention:
   
   1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMI after initial use;
   2. determine the amount of reuse an SMI may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;
3. Requires one or both of the above protocols to be enforced whenever an SMI is being used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical institutions to implement similar protocols on SMIs which have not yet had protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have proper protocols established by EPARC to be reported directly to the committee in order for protocols to be established in a timely manner;
   
6. And mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMI of any kind to be adequately trained in carrying out and following the protocols established by EPARC, and to be retrained in the case that EPARC changes the aforementioned protocols.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical utensils require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

Believing that it is the imperative of the World Assembly to ensure the minimization of this spread,

Hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (hereafter referred to as SMI) as any apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in a healthcare setting, will have direct contact or will put something else in direct contact with a patient, and has a potential to, if reused, carry and transmit harmful germs from a patient to another individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (hereafter referred to as EPARC) to establish the following protocols, where possible, for each form of SMI brought to their attention:
   
   1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMI after initial use;
   2. determine the amount of reuse an SMI may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;
3. Requires one or both of the above protocols to be enforced whenever an SMI is being used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical institutions to implement similar protocols on SMIs which have not yet had protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have proper protocols established by EPARC to be reported directly to the committee in order for protocols to be established in a timely manner;
   
6. And mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMI of any kind to be adequately trained in carrying out and following the protocols established by EPARC, and to be retrained in the case that EPARC changes the aforementioned protocols.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical utensils require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

Believing that it is the imperative of the World Assembly to ensure the minimization of this spread,

Hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (hereafter referred to as SMI) as any apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in a healthcare setting, and has a potential to carry and transmit harmful germs from a patient to another individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (hereafter referred to as EPARC) to establish the following protocols, where possible, for each form of SMI brought to their attention:
   
   1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMI after initial use;
   2. determine the amount of reuse an SMI may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;
3. Requires one or both of the above protocols to be enforced whenever an SMI is being used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical institutions to implement similar protocols on SMIs which have not yet had protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have proper protocols established by EPARC to be reported directly to the committee in order for protocols to be established in a timely manner;
   
6. And mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMI of any kind to be adequately trained in carrying out and following the protocols established by EPARC, and to be retrained in the case that EPARC changes the aforementioned protocols.

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical instruments require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (SMI) as an apparatus which is intended to be used in a healthcare setting and has a material potential to carry and spread communicable disease to an individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (EPARC) to create and keep up-to-date safe and effective methods of
   
   1. disposing of an SMI after initial use;
   2. determining the amount of reuse an SMI may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and a way to carry out sterilization;
3. Requires one or both of the above to be enforced whenever SMIs are used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical practitioners to use their best judgment, informed by EPARC protocols, to prevent the spread of disease on SMIs without specific protocols established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have proper or sufficient protocols established by EPARC to be reported immediately to the committee so that protocols can be established or updated in a timely manner; and
   
6. Mandates that all individuals working in healthcare who will work with an SMI of any kind be adequately trained to carry out the protocols established by EPARC and receive continuing training to maintain competency as to the latest protocols.

Co-Authored by Imperium Anglorum

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical instruments require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (SMI) as an apparatus used in a healthcare setting and with a material potential to carry and spread communicable disease to an individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (EPARC) with creating and keeping up-to-date safe and effective methods of
   
   1. determining the amount of reuse each type of SMI may undergo before disposal is needed and disposing of that SMI once needed;
   2. determining the amount of reuse each type SMI may undergo before sterilization is needed, and carrying out the sterilization of that SMI once needed;
3. Requires one or both of the above to be employed whenever SMIs are used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical practitioners to use their best judgment, informed by EPARC protocols, to prevent the spread of disease via SMIs without specific methods established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have up-to-date protocols established by EPARC to be reported immediately to the committee so that protocols can be established or updated in a timely manner; and
   
6. Mandates that all individuals working in healthcare with an SMI of any kind be adequately trained to carry out the methods established by EPARC for the kind of SMI which they use and continue to receive training to maintain competency as to the latest methods.

Co-Authored by Imperium Anglorum

The World Assembly,

Noting that certain medical instruments require proper sterilisation in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease,

hereby,

1. Defines "susceptible medical instrument" (SMI) as an apparatus used in a healthcare setting and with a material potential to carry and spread communicable disease to an individual;
   
2. Tasks the Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center (EPARC) with creating and keeping up-to-date safe and effective standards of
   
   1. sterilization and disposal of each type of SMI;
   2. determining the amount of reuse each type of SMI may undergo before disposal is needed;
   3. determining the amount of reuse each type SMI may undergo before sterilization is needed;
3. Requires sterilization, disposal, or both to be done once needed in accordance with EPARC standards whenever SMIs are used in a healthcare setting;
   
4. Urges medical practitioners to use their best judgment, informed by EPARC protocols, to prevent the spread of disease via SMIs without specific standards established by EPARC;
   
5. Demands all SMIs which do not presently have up-to-date standards established by EPARC to be reported immediately to the committee so that standards can be established or updated in a timely manner; and
   
6. Mandates that all individuals working in healthcare with an SMI of any kind be adequately trained to carry out the standards established by EPARC for the kind of SMI which they use and continue to receive training to maintain competency as to the latest standards.

Co-Authored by Imperium Anglorum

[Terttia]

OOC: Clause 3 (grammar nitpick):

Requires the one or both of the above protocols to be enforced whenever an SMU is being used in a healthcare setting;

[Imperium Anglorum]

'Medical utensils' sounds wrong; perhaps instruments?

[Kenmoria]

“This proposal has my full support.”

(OOC: Also in clause 3, I don’t think you need the ‘the’ after ‘requires’.)

[Newark Aristocracy]

The ambassador of the Newark Aristocracy reads the proposal and then stands up. He says:"I fully support this propsal,noting that it should likely protect/increase the health of those who recive medical procedures in WA member states,for example,the common appendectomy." (for you non medical nerds,ectomy means surgical removal.) (note that my WA ambassdor is a surgon in the Newark Aristocracy who can do all specialies of surgical procedures.)

[Morover]

OOC:

Fixed the grammatical issues.

Re IA: I'd agree, but I'd need to rework the title a bit, which is possible, I just need to actually get around to it.

[Morover]

OOC:

I have changed the title of the act, and also changed "susceptible medical utensil" to "susceptible medical instrument"

And with that, I feel that it should be said that this will be submitted, should the repeal of GAR#482 pass.

[Flying Eagles]

Was the intent of this resolution to also cover syringes, because they could be considered exempt as they do not have “direct contact” with the patient?

[Daves Computer]

This looks great. It has my support. Though I recommend rewording the "Requires" clause to instead say something along the lines of "Requires the protocols of the EPARC to be used in a healthcare setting."

Was the intent of this resolution to also cover syringes, because they could be considered exempt as they do not have “direct contact” with the patient?

A syringe is a medical needle that injects substances into the body by first piercing the skin. I would consider the act of touching and piercing the skin to be "direct contact."

[The New Nordic Union]

Was the intent of this resolution to also cover syringes, because they could be considered exempt as they do not have “direct contact” with the patient?

A syringe is a medical needle that injects substances into the body by first piercing the skin. I would consider the act of touching and piercing the skin to be "direct contact."

OOC: The syringe is distinct from the needle; the syringe is only the part that holds and pumps the injectant, whereas the needle penetrates the skin.

[Daves Computer]

A syringe is a medical needle that injects substances into the body by first piercing the skin. I would consider the act of touching and piercing the skin to be "direct contact."

OOC: The syringe is distinct from the needle; the syringe is only the part that holds and pumps the injectant, whereas the needle penetrates the skin.

OOC: Oh, my mistake! I assume, under this legislation, the WA can make a protocol for the needle that also deals with the syringe as well.

[Morover]

Was the intent of this resolution to also cover syringes, because they could be considered exempt as they do not have “direct contact” with the patient?

OOC:

This issue should be fixed, as I slightly tweaked the definition.

[Flying Eagles]

Support. Our issues have been fully addressed, and we think this resolution is perfect

[Wallenburg]

This is a carbon copy of Ensuring Safe Syringe Use, with the single change of replacing "syringes" with "SMI".

[Morover]

This is a carbon copy of Ensuring Safe Syringe Use, with the single change of replacing "syringes" with "SMI".

OOC:

I mean, it's not plagiarism if that's what you're saying. The entire point of this is to replace Ensuring Safe Syringe with legislation that does what the original was intended to do, so the fact that it's extremely similar is kinda the point.

[Morover]

OOC:

I cleaned up the definition a little at the advice of Imperium Anglorum, and submitted this.

EDIT: This has been withdrawn momentarily to do a little clean-up of it, will be resubmitted shortly, hopefully.

[Kenmoria]

OOC:

I cleaned up the definition a little at the advice of Imperium Anglorum, and submitted this.

(OOC: Was the proposal withdrawn? If so, why?)

[Morover]

OOC:

I cleaned up the definition a little at the advice of Imperium Anglorum, and submitted this.

(OOC: Was the proposal withdrawn? If so, why?)

OOC: Some small issues were brought up with me in private that I feel the need to fix, as well as a general clean-up of the language - hopefully I can resubmit it in a few days, but as the queue is looking to be more than a week long at this point, hopefully it won't be an issue - if I was able to get this to vote right after the repeal passed, I'd be pushing it through much faster than I am right now, but because there's a bit of a line to make small adjustments to get it perfect.

Unfortunately, the issues weren't brought up beforehand - but that's how it goes, no?

[Araraukar]

Some OOC notes.

Definition: What is "a material potential"? Like, why the word "material" is there?

Clause 2:

1. create a form of proper disposal for the SMI after initial use;
2. determine the amount of reuse an SMI may undergo before needing sterilization or disposal, and create a safe and effective way to carry out that sterilization or disposal;

Shouldn't a form (why's what word used anyway? wouldn't "method" work better?) of proper sterilization be created/implemented as well? But why is the committee doing either?

Clause 3: The protocols are the abovequoted subclauses (creating a form, and determining amount of reuse and creating another method), not actually the process of carrying out sterilization or disposal of the thing. So this clause kinda misses its mark.

Clause 4: Why is this clause not a requirement on member nations instead of whatever medical institutions are supposed to be? And why are the committee's guidelines necessary at all anyway? Just make member nations make the guidelines in the first place.

Clause 5: Is this the individual items (every single spatula and needle) or the item types? Brands? Sizes? Where do you draw the line? And if you had member nations making these guidelines instead of the committee, you could just give them a short time, like half a year, to put the guidelines in effect and then ban the use of un-guidelined items.

Clause 6: So introducing a randomizer into national healthcare in the form of randomly changing committee commandments? As if the nurses and doctors and lab technicians didn't have enough to do as is.

Can you please TRY rewriting it completely without using any committee whatsoever? Just, you know, to see what happens if you do that? Because the committee is a big unwieldy piece of WA that can - if we're being realistic - take helluva lot of time to process anything for any particular nation, while it would make more sense to have national requirements and guidelines in place instead. Not just for more local flexibility, but also for more local control of things. National authorities can sort things out faster than the Wine And Crouton Conference.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Open a dictionary and look up "material".

[Araraukar]

Open a dictionary and look up "material".

OOC: Was asking for Morover's motives, not those of a dictionary.

[Imperium Anglorum]

What is "a material potential"?

I was looking for a motive.

Sure.

[Araraukar]

Definition: What is "a material potential"? Like, why the word "material" is there?

I was looking for a motive.

Sure.

OOC: Fixed the quote. See the word "why"?

Also, I think I have reason to ask given all the possibilities...