scholarly journals Ideal guidance and procedures for donning and doffing personal protective equipment to be used by health workers during management of patients confirmed with COVID-19 or person under investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 4164
Author(s):  
Saima Ahmad ◽  
Haseeb Manzoor ◽  
Fatima Gul Chaudhary
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Delivery Of Care ◽  
Potential Contact ◽  
Disease Epidemics ◽  
Respiratory Droplets

Highly infectious disease epidemics such as COVID-19 put healthcare workers at higher risk of infection than regular people as they come into more potential contact with contaminated respiratory droplets and so caution is warranted in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to lessen risk. It is not clear what kind of PPE best offers protection and the best way to remove PPE. PPE is used by Healthcare workers in the COVID-19 virus disease situation. Its use is an integral part of the strategy to combat COVID-19 and prevent its spread. Optimal PPE use is hard and thus healthcare workers may alter the delivery of care because of improper PPE use. Preventing contamination of PPE during donning and doffing therefore becomes crucial and requires improvisation. Donning and doffing of PPE should include adherence to protocols as well as COVID- 19 specific design of PPE and further research into the risks, benefits, and best practices of PPE use. Lastly, training of users must be stressed to minimize protocol deviations and in turn guarantee the best protection to HCWs. While ranked as the lowest in infection control hierarchy due to its effectiveness as compared to other measures and high cost, PPE is nonetheless extremely important and often overlooked aspect during early outbreak stages of a pandemic where neither drugs nor vaccines are available and access to them is limited. This paper sheds light on the donning and doffing protocols that should be used as well as discusses this often-overlooked aspect of the virus control measure.

scholarly journals Challenges for Healthcare Workers Caring for COVID-19 Patients in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 004695802110602
Author(s):  
Herley Windo Setiawan ◽  
Ika Nur Pratiwi ◽  
Lailatun Nimah ◽  
Zulfayandi Pawanis ◽  
Arief Bakhtiar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Sampled Data ◽  
Hospital Managers ◽  
The Government ◽  
Depth Interviews

COVID-19 pandemic raises various challenges faced by health workers in hospitals. This study explored strategies for overcoming challenges in caring for COVID-19 patients at hospitals in Indonesia based on healthcare workers’ experience. In-depth interviews were employed with 28 healthcare workers (physicians and nurses) who were purposively sampled. Data were collected via phone and analysed using the Colaizzi method. Five following challenges were found: difficulties in working with personal protective equipment (PPE), offline training for handling Covid and using PPE not being implemented evenly for all health workers, physical and psychological fatigue, difficulties in carrying out health education and assessment towards patients and families, and limited resources to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, some barriers require support from the government, public and hospital managers. The information gained from research on the strategies for caring for COVID-19 patients can contribute to better preparedness for hospitals and health workers facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Guidelines to Protect Healthcare Workers at Hospitals and Dental Professionals at Dental Office

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassel Tarakji ◽  
Mohammad Zakaria Nassani ◽  
Faisal Mehsen Alali ◽  
Abdulwahab A. Abuderman
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
The Body ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Dental Office ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Dental Professionals

BACKGROUND፡ Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This study aimed to address the preventive procedures to protect healthcare workers at hospital to avoid COVID-19, and infection control procedures to protect dental professionals in dental office.METHODS: We conducted a search of published articles from PubMed, google scholar databases using key words such as COVID-19, healthcare worker, infection control, and dental practice. Relevant articles were identified and reviewed. Most published papers were clinical reports and case studies. We have selected some of the current published papers written in English in 2020.RESULTS: Infection control procedures to protect health workers at hospitals, and dental professionals at dental office were summurised and presented. Infection control procedures for healthcare workers at hospitals include Personal protective equipment, Korea filter (KF)94 respirator, goggles, face protector,disposable waterproof long-arm gown, and gloves, and others. Extra-protection procedures should be taken with old and vulnerable healthcare workers. Dental professionals should evaluate patients in advance before starting dental treatment. Aerosols generating procedures should be avoided and personal protective equipment should be used. Dental treatment should be restricted to emergency cases only.CONCLUSION: Old medical staff should be in safer distance to avoid infection, but young physicians and nurses should work at frontline as their immunity is better than their colleagues at old age. Screening patients and measurement of the body temperature are essential measures before dental treatment.

scholarly journals Incorporating health workers’ perspectives into a WHO guideline on personal protective equipment developed during an Ebola virus disease outbreak

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Den Boon ◽  
Constanza Vallenas ◽  
Mauricio Ferri ◽  
Susan L. Norris
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protective Equipment

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) health facility transmission can result in infection and death of health workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries in preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, which often require developing new guidance in short timelines with scarce evidence. The objective of this study was to understand frontline physicians’ and nurses’ perspectives about personal protective equipment (PPE) use during the 2014-2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa and to incorporate these findings into the development process of a WHO rapid advice guideline. Methods: We surveyed frontline physicians and nurses deployed to West Africa between March and September of 2014. Results: We developed the protocol, obtained ethics approval, delivered the survey, analysed the data and presented the findings as part of the evidence-to-decision tables at the expert panel meeting where the recommendations were formulated within eight weeks. Forty-four physicians and nurses responded to the survey. They generally felt at low or extremely low risk of virus transmission with all types of PPE used. Eye protection reduced the ability to provide care, mainly due to impaired visibility because of fogging. Heat and dehydration were a major issue for 76% of the participants using goggles and for 64% using a hood. Both gowns and coveralls were associated with significant heat stress and dehydration. Most participants (59%) were very confident that they were using PPE correctly. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that it was possible to incorporate primary data on end-users’ preferences into a rapid advice guideline for a public health emergency in difficult field conditions. Health workers perceived a balance between transmission protection and ability to care for patients effectively while wearing PPE. These findings were used by the guideline development expert panel to formulate WHO recommendations on PPE for frontline providers caring for EVD patients in outbreak conditions.

scholarly journals Incorporating health workers’ perspectives into a WHO guideline on personal protective equipment developed during an Ebola virus disease outbreak

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Den Boon ◽  
Constanza Vallenas ◽  
Mauricio Ferri ◽  
Susan L. Norris
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protective Equipment

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) health facility transmission can result in infection and death of health workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries in preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, which often require developing new guidance in short timelines with scarce evidence. The objective of this study was to understand frontline physicians’ and nurses’ perspectives about personal protective equipment (PPE) use during the 2014-2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa and to incorporate these findings into the development process of a WHO rapid advice guideline. Methods: We surveyed frontline physicians and nurses deployed to West Africa between March and September of 2014. Results: We developed the protocol, obtained ethics approval, delivered the survey, analysed the data and presented the findings as part of the evidence-to-decision tables at the expert panel meeting where the recommendations were formulated within eight weeks. Forty-four physicians and nurses responded to the survey. They generally felt at low or extremely low risk of virus transmission with all types of PPE used. Eye protection reduced the ability to provide care, mainly due to impaired visibility because of fogging. Heat and dehydration were a major issue for 76% of the participants using goggles and for 64% using a hood. Both gowns and coveralls were associated with significant heat stress and dehydration. Most participants (59%) were very confident that they were using PPE correctly. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that it was possible to incorporate primary data on end-users’ preferences into a rapid advice guideline for a public health emergency in difficult field conditions. Health workers perceived a balance between transmission protection and ability to care for patients effectively while wearing PPE. These findings were used by the guideline development expert panel to formulate WHO recommendations on PPE for frontline providers caring for EVD patients in outbreak conditions.

scholarly journals Use of 3D printing to support COVID-19 medical supply shortages: a review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Ishack ◽  
Shari R Lipner
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, created a pandemic with significant mortality and morbidity which poses challenges for patients and healthcare workers. The global spread of COVID-19 has resulted in shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) leaving frontline health workers unprotected and overwhelming the healthcare system. 3D printing is well suited to address shortages of masks, face shields, testing kits and ventilators. In this article, we review 3D printing and suggest potential applications for creating PPE for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed with keywords “Coronavirus disease 2019”, “COVID-19”, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “supply shortages”, “N95 respirator masks”, “personal protective equipment”, “PPE”, “ventilators”, “three-dimensional model”, “three-dimensional printing” “3D printing” and “ventilator”. A summary of important studies relevant to the development of 3D printed clinical applications for COVID-19 is presented. 3D technology has great potential to revolutionize healthcare through accessibility, affordably and personalization.

scholarly journals Stress and Associated Factors among Frontline Healthcare Workers in the COVID-19 Epicenter of Da Nang City, Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7378
Author(s):  
Nhan Phuc Thanh Nguyen ◽  
Duong Dinh Le ◽  
Robert Colebunders ◽  
Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo ◽  
Trung Dinh Tran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Stress Component ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Laboratory Workers ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
Second Wave

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in the COVID-19 response have a higher risk of experiencing psychosocial distress amidst the pandemic. Between July and September 2020, a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic appeared in Vietnam with Da Nang city being the epicenter. During the outbreak, HCWs were quarantined within the health facilities in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19 to their respective communities. Using the stress component of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), we assessed the level of stress among HCWs in Da Nang city. Between 30 August and 15 September 2020, 746 frontline HCWs were recruited to fill in an online structured questionnaire. Overall, 44.6% of participants experienced increased stress and 18.9% severe or extremely severe stress. In multivariable analysis, increased stress was associated with longer working hours (OR = 1.012; 95% CI: 1.004–1.019), working in health facilities providing COVID-19 treatment (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04–2.39), having direct contact with patients or their bio-samples (physicians, nurses and laboratory workers; OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02–1.99), low confidence in the available personal protective equipment (OR = 0.846; 95% CI: 0.744–0.962) and low knowledge on COVID-19 prevention and treatment (OR = 0.853; 95% CI: 0.739–0.986). In conclusion, many frontline HCWs experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang city. Reducing working time, providing essential personal protective equipment and enhancing the knowledge on COVID-19 will help to reduce this stress. Moreover, extra support is needed for HCWs who are directly exposed to COVID-19 patients.

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