Onsite access to allocated research spaces across Bruyère’s campuses will be scheduled by the Research Institute. Scheduling is grouped by investigators’ teams, not by individuals. At this time, 30% capacity allows for all teams to be scheduled one day per week onsite. Teams are assigned a set day per week to come onsite. Scheduling will ensure physical distancing measures are met at all times; if offices have more than one desk and distancing cannot be maintained, individuals may be allocated to a different desk.
Unlike other Bruyère sites, Annex E will not have a screening station at its entrance. Anyone entering Annex E is required to report to Saint Vincent Hospital (SVH) for screening and to receive a single use surgical mask before entering the building. At this time, cloth or reusable masks are not permitted. Spot audits will be conducted to ensure the health and safety of all our staff.
Urgent research is determined on a case by case basis and must be approved by the Research Institute leadership team and the Research Ethics Board. Generally, urgent face to face participant research means one or more of the following: research that is COVID-19 related, is part of a Clinical Trials Research Unit study that requires patient follow-up, or needs to restart as timelines due to funding or partnership agreements are not extended.
Currently, all Bruyère sites are closed to external guests unless they are research participants. We realize there are unique circumstances where face to face meetings are most desirable. While the weather is still suitable, we encourage these meetings to be held outside, keeping people at a safe physical distance from each other.
Off-site meetings that involve face to face contact should be documented and approved through the same return to Resuming Research Plan Form provided by the Research Operations Managers. These plans should include all considerations on how to keep everybody safe at all times and how to mitigate any risks.
The City of Ottawa has mandated that masks must be worn in
all indoor spaces. Staff must be masked at all times when in Bruyère buildings. If a person is not sharing an office, they are permitted to remove their mask while in their office. However, if someone enters the office, everyone must put a mask on. For those who are sharing office spaces, maintaining distance might be difficult or not even feasible; IPAC recommends everyone in a shared office to wear a mask at all times.
For all new studies requiring face to face interaction with participants, the template for restarting research must be completed along with the regular Research Ethics Board submission. These templates can be obtained from the Research Operations Managers.
The Bruyère Research Ethics Board continues to operate as usual. Please continue to submit all ethics applications, amendments, addendums, deviations, serious adverse event forms, and other documentation for review. Please note that approvals are subject to any COVID-19 research restrictions
All members of the Bruyère RI – investigators, staff, trainees and students – are invited to ask questions or raise concerns. Open dialogue and collaboration is encouraged and will be vital to ensuring we provide a safe and healthy working environment while advancing research. Please address your questions to the following person: