Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2020
Provider perceptions of a humanizing intervention for healthcare workers - a survey study of PPE Portraits.
Reports from patients and health care workers dealing with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) underscore experiences of isolation and fear. Some of this experience results from the distancing effect of masks, gloves, and gowns known as personal protective equipment (PPE). One approach to bridging the divide created by PPE is the use of PPE portraits, postcard-sized pictures affixed to PPE. ⋯ Providers report that PPE portraits may represent a positive patient-centered idea that helps reassure patients, is well received by interdisciplinary staff, and may enhance patient and team interactions. Potential adaptations to address concerns include photo pins and donor/patient and family experience department support for costs.
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Rigorous assessment of occupational COVID-19 risk and personal protective equipment (PPE) use is not well-described. We evaluated 9-1-1 emergency medical services (EMS) encounters for patients with COVID-19 to assess occupational exposure, programmatic strategies to reduce exposure and PPE use. We conducted a retrospective cohort investigation of laboratory-confirmed patients with COVID-19 in King County, Washington, USA, who received 9-1-1 EMS responses from 14 February 2020 to 26 March 2020. ⋯ By the investigation's final week, EMS deployed MEGG PPE in 34% (3579/10 468) of all EMS person-encounters. Less than 0.5% of EMS providers experienced COVID-19 illness within 14 days of occupational encounter. Programmatic strategies were associated with a reduction in exposures, while achieving a measured use of PPE.
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The British Thoracic Society have published SPACES (Sharing Patient Assessments Cuts Exposure for Staff) guidance recommending the use of telecommunications as a means of inpatient clinical assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this audit was to reduce face-to-face exposure time during inpatient care of patients with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 using a telecommunications-based approach. 76 patients were included in the audit. 46 patients were included in cycle 1, which measured the average face-to-face time for clinical consultation per patient. 30 patients were included in cycle 2, whereby history-taking was conductedusing telecommunications and, if required, face-to-face physical examination. ⋯ No adverse events were noted. The audit confirms telecommunications can be integrated successfully into the daily inpatient ward round structure, reducing face-to-face exposure time while maintaining patient satisfaction and safety.
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The purpose of this study was to rapidly quantify the safety measures regarding donning and doffing personal protective equipment, complaints of discomfort caused by wearing personal protective equipment, and the psychological perceptions of health care workers in hospitals in Wuhan, China, responding to the outbreak. ⋯ Active training on infection and protective equipment could reduce the infection risk. Working for long hours increased the occurrence of discomfort and skin erosion. Reducing the working hours and having adequate protective products and proper psychological interventions may be beneficial to relieve discomfort.
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Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of getting infected while at work, for example, operating room (OR), hence it is pertinent that they don all the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize the chance of getting infected. ⋯ Our HCW were adapting well to the new normal of donning appropriate PPE in the OR, except for the eye protection due to discomfort and visibility related issues. This is important to know so that necessary changes could be introduced to better the compliance.