Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
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The combination of personal protective equipment (PPE) together with donning and doffing protocols was designed to protect British and Canadian military medical personnel in the Kerry Town Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Sierra Leone. The PPE solution was selected to protect medical staff from infectious risks, notably Ebola virus, and chemical (hypochlorite) exposure. PPE maximized dexterity, enabled personnel to work in hot temperatures for periods of up to 2h, protected mucosal membranes when doffing outer layers, and minimized potential contamination of the doffing area with infectious material by reducing the requirement to spray PPE with hypochlorite. ⋯ Competency in using PPE was developed during a nine-day pre-deployment training programme. This allowed over 60 clinical personnel per deployment to practice skills in PPE in a simulated ETU and in classrooms. Overall, the training provided: (i) an evidence base underpinning the PPE solution chosen; (ii) skills in donning and doffing of PPE; (iii) personnel confidence in the selected PPE; and (iv) quantifiable testing of each individual's capability to don PPE, perform tasks and doff PPE safely.
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Rev Lat Am Enfermagem · Mar 2017
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons produced by electrocautery smoke and the use of personal protective equipment 1.
analyze the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in electrocautery smoke in operating rooms and the use of personal protective equipment by the intraoperative team when exposed to hydrocarbons. ⋯ electrocautery smoke produces gases that are harmful to the health of the intraoperative team, which is a concern considering the low adherence to the use of personal protective equipment.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Feb 2017
Acceptability and Necessity of Training for Optimal Personal Protective Equipment Use.
Healthcare workers routinely self-contaminate even when using personal protective equipment. Observations of donning/ doffing practices on inpatient units along with surveys were used to assess the need for a personal protective equipment training program. In contrast to low perceived risk, observed doffing behaviors demonstrate significant personal protective equipment technique deficits. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:226-229.
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Medical education online · Jan 2017
Do medical students receive training in correct use of personal protective equipment?
Healthcare personnel often use incorrect technique for donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE). ⋯ PPE: Personal protective equipment; MRSA: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; SARS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome; MERS: Middle East respiratory syndrome; WHO: World Health Organization; CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; OSCE: Objective structured clinical examination.
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Approximately 8 million health care workers are unnecessarily exposed to highly toxic drugs used to treat cancer; antineoplastic drugs can contribute to negative health effects for these workers. The drugs have been detected in the urine of workers and on the floors and counters of worksites. Safety precautions that could reduce the risk of exposure are underutilized. ⋯ Chemical residue from antineoplastic drugs was found, revealing potential exposures. Workplace safety must be a higher organizational priority. The contamination of common work areas where PPE use is not expected was of utmost concern.