Practice Guidelines for Canadian Neurophysiology Laboratories During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists (CSCN); Canadian Association of Electroneurophysiology Technologists (CAET); Association of Electromyography Technologists of Canada (AETC); Board of Registration of Electromyography Technologists of Canada (BRETC), Canadian Board of Registration of Electroencephalograph Technologists (CBRET); Juan Pablo Appendino; Steven K Baker; Kristine M Chapman; Tamara Dykstra; Tabrez Hussein; Michelle-Lee Jones; Michelle M Mezei; Seyed M Mirsattari; Marcus Ng; Joanne Nikkel; Vaso Obradovic; Cecile Phan; Lawrence Robinson; Angela Scott; Jose Tellez-Zenteno; Michelle Van Niekerk; Shannon Venance; Fraser Moore

doi:10.1017/cjn.2020.184

Practice Guidelines for Canadian Neurophysiology Laboratories During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Can J Neurol Sci. 2021 Jan;48(1):25-30. doi: 10.1017/cjn.2020.184. Epub 2020 Aug 19.

Authors

Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists (CSCN); Canadian Association of Electroneurophysiology Technologists (CAET); Association of Electromyography Technologists of Canada (AETC); Board of Registration of Electromyography Technologists of Canada (BRETC), Canadian Board of Registration of Electroencephalograph Technologists (CBRET); Juan Pablo Appendino^{1

2}, Steven K Baker³, Kristine M Chapman^{4

5}, Tamara Dykstra⁶, Tabrez Hussein⁷, Michelle-Lee Jones⁸, Michelle M Mezei⁹, Seyed M Mirsattari¹⁰, Marcus Ng¹¹, Joanne Nikkel¹², Vaso Obradovic¹³, Cecile Phan¹⁴, Lawrence Robinson¹⁵, Angela Scott¹⁶, Jose Tellez-Zenteno¹⁷, Michelle Van Niekerk¹⁸, Shannon Venance¹⁹, Fraser Moore²⁰

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Neurology, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.
² University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
³ Department of Medicine, Physical Medicine & Neurology, Peripheral Nerve Clinic, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁴ Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Pauls, Canada.
⁵ Vancouver Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁶ EMG Clinic: Day Hospital, Riverview Health Centre, One Morley Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
⁷ Diagnostic Neurophysiology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁸ Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
⁹ Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
¹⁰ Departments of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Medical Imaging, Medical Biophysics and Psychology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
¹¹ University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
¹² Neurodiagnostics Department, Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
¹³ Supervisor Neuromuscular Diseases Unit-VGH, Diamond Health Care Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
¹⁴ Division of Neurology Faculty, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹⁵ Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁶ St. Joseph's Health Care London, London, ON, Canada.
¹⁷ University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Epilepsy Program, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
¹⁸ Aviva Medical Specialists Clinic Inc., Barrie, ON, Canada.
¹⁹ Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
²⁰ Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Abstract
in English, French

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on clinical practice. Safe standards of practice are essential to protect health care workers while still allowing them to provide good care. The Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists, the Canadian Association of Electroneurophysiology Technologists, the Association of Electromyography Technologists of Canada, the Board of Registration of Electromyography Technologists of Canada, and the Canadian Board of Registration of Electroencephalograph Technologists have combined to review current published literature about safe practices for neurophysiology laboratories. Herein, we present the results of our review and provide our expert opinion regarding the safe practice of neurophysiology during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Lignes directrices et pratiques exemplaires destinées, dans le contexte de la pandémie de COVID-19, aux laboratoires canadiens de neurophysiologie. La pandémie de COVID-19 a eu un impact majeur sur la pratique clinique. En matière de pratique, des normes sécuritaires demeurent justement essentielles afin de protéger les travailleurs de la santé tout en leur permettant de prodiguer des soins adéquats. La Société canadienne des neurophysiologistes cliniques (CSCN), l’Association canadienne des technologues en électro-neurophysiologie, l’Association canadienne des technologues en électromyographie, le Board of Registration of Electromyography Technologists of Canada et le Conseil canadien d’enregistrement des technologues en électroencéphalographe se sont ainsi associés afin de passer en revue la littérature scientifique actuelle portant sur les pratiques sécuritaires au sein des laboratoires de neurophysiologie. Nous souhaitons donc présenter ici les résultats de notre revue de littérature et proposer, dans le contexte de la COVID-19, un regard éclairé en ce qui regarde les pratiques sécuritaires en neurophysiologie au Canada.

Keywords: COVID-19; Canada; Clinical; EEG; EMG; EMU; EP; Guidelines; IOM; Laboratory; Neurophysiology; Practice; SARS-CoV-2; Safe.

Publication types

Practice Guideline
Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19 / prevention & control*
Canada
Deep Brain Stimulation
Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological
Electrodiagnosis / methods
Electroencephalography / methods*
Electromyography / methods*
Humans
Infection Control / methods
Neural Conduction*
Patient Isolators
Personal Protective Equipment
Physical Distancing
SARS-CoV-2
Triage / methods
Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Abstract in English, French

Publication types

MeSH terms

Abstract
in English, French