scholarly journals Two Areas and One Passage: A Simplified Protocol for the Transformation of General Hospitals to Infectious Disease Hospitals Upon the Pandemic Outbreak

Author(s):  
Jikai Yin ◽  
Dongdong Li ◽  
Meijuan Peng ◽  
Wangang Guo

Abstract Infectious disease hospitals and wards fell far short of demand after the COVID-19 pandemic outbroke. Consequently, it was of urgent importance to transform existing general wards into temporary infectious disease wards for COVID-19 patients. However, due to the limitations of the original structure of public hospitals, general wards could not meet the structural criteria requiring “three areas, two passages, and two hallways” for receiving infectious disease patients. In this article, we present a “Two Areas and One Passage” reconstruction and working protocol, which has been proved to be safe and easy to achieve by medical staff during the epidemic of COVID-19 in 2020. This protocol tremendously helps to save workforce and personal protective equipment compared with standard transformation protocol and thus might be used as an exemplary protocol for the transformation of general hospitals to infectious disease hospitals upon pandemic outbreak. Besides, it also provide a new scope for us to transform the general hospital to military infectious disease hospital if there occur abundant infectious disease suffers in the battlefield.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2627
Author(s):  
Pierre-Edouard Fournier ◽  
Sophie Edouard ◽  
Nathalie Wurtz ◽  
Justine Raclot ◽  
Marion Bechet ◽  
...  

The Méditerranée Infection University Hospital Institute (IHU) is located in a recent building, which includes experts on a wide range of infectious disease. The IHU strategy is to develop innovative tools, including epidemiological monitoring, point-of-care laboratories, and the ability to mass screen the population. In this study, we review the strategy and guidelines proposed by the IHU and its application to the COVID-19 pandemic and summarise the various challenges it raises. Early diagnosis enables contagious patients to be isolated and treatment to be initiated at an early stage to reduce the microbial load and contagiousness. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to deal with a shortage of personal protective equipment and reagents and a massive influx of patients. Between 27 January 2020 and 5 January 2021, 434,925 nasopharyngeal samples were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Of them, 12,055 patients with COVID-19 were followed up in our out-patient clinic, and 1888 patients were hospitalised in the Institute. By constantly adapting our strategy to the ongoing situation, the IHU has succeeded in expanding and upgrading its equipment and improving circuits and flows to better manage infected patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S305-S305
Author(s):  
Se Yoon Park ◽  
Bongyoung Kim ◽  
Dong Sik Jung ◽  
Sook In Jung ◽  
Won Sup Oh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate psychological distress among infectious disease (ID) physicians during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the Republic of Korea. Methods Using an online-based survey link sent via text message and email, we conducted a survey from April 21 to 25, 2020, targeting all ID physicians currently working in ID (n = 265). The questionnaire was based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, and information was collected on factors protecting against psychological distress and difficulties in relation to COVID-19. Results Of 265 ID physicians, 115 (43.3%) responded, showing burnout (97, 90.4%), depression (20, 17.4%), anxiety (23, 20.0%), and stress (5, 4.3%). There were no differences in terms of distress between ID physicians who were directly involved in the care of patients with COVID-19 or not (Table 1). Greater than 50% of physicians valued their work and felt recognized by others, whereas < 10% indicated that sufficient human and financial support and private time had been provided during the outbreak. The most challenging issues concerned a lack of human resources for COVID-19 treatment or infection control, a shortage of personal protective equipment or airborne infection isolation rooms, pressure for research, and lack of guidelines for COVID-19 management (Figure 1). Table 1. Figure 1. Difficulties in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Abbreviations: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 19; HCWs, healthcare workers; ICPs, infection control practitioners; IRB, Institutional Review Board; PPE, personal protective equipment Conclusion During the COVID-19 outbreak in the ROK, most respondents reported psychological distress. Preparing strategies for infectious disease outbreaks that support ID physicians is essential. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212110470
Author(s):  
Yuji Nadatani ◽  
Akira Higashimori ◽  
Shingo Takashima ◽  
Hirotsugu Maruyama ◽  
Koji Otani ◽  
...  

Objectives: Endoscopy confers high risk for acquiring coronavirus disease 2019. Although guidelines recommend that medical staff use personal protective equipment, no infection control equipment have been established for patients. This study aimed to clarify the usefulness of two face masks we had designed for transnasal and transoral endoscopy. Methods: The efficacy of the masks was evaluated by simulating coughing in a mannequin with fluorescent dyes and mapping the droplet trajectory and number. The number of aerosols generated during endoscopy was clinically evaluated in the endoscopy room. Overall, 4356 screening endoscopies were performed with the patients wearing our masks at Medcity21, a health checkup facility, between June and December 2020; the effects of the masks on the patient’s condition were evaluated retrospectively. An 11-item paper-based survey was performed by the endoscopy staff 6 months after the adoption of the mask-based infection control method. Results: Use of both masks reduced the number of droplets released during the simulation. Clinically, the use of both masks did not affect the patients’ conditions during endoscopy and prevented an increase in the aerosols in the endoscopy room. This mask-based infection control method was favorably received, and all staff indicated that understanding the efficacy of our mask-based infection control reduced their anxiety regarding infection. Until December 2020, none of our staff had contracted SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: Our mask-based infection control method is easy to adopt, inexpensive, and effective; understanding its effectiveness may help ease the fear of infection among endoscopy staff.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 168-174
Author(s):  
Drew Payne ◽  
Martin Peache

Infection control is the responsibility of all nurses, but, traditionally, it has been seen as a priority only in hospitals. Infection control does not stop when a patient is discharged home, but should be practiced wherever clinical care takes place. Community nurses face a unique challenge as they work in patients' homes, and they must manage infection control in that unique environment. This article looks at practical ways to maintain infection control in patients' homes. It covers hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE), including the five moments of hand hygiene, appropriate hand hygiene, the use of all PPE and when gloves are required and when they are not. It also discusses managing clinical equipment, both that taken into the home and that left with a patient, including decontamination, safe storage of sharps and waste management. It touches upon what can be done in a patient's home to reduce the risk of contamination, as well as infectious disease management, including specimens and wound infection management. Lastly, it talks about cross-infection and why staff health is also important.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 28-30
Author(s):  
В. Рубцов ◽  
V. Rubcov ◽  
В. Клочков ◽  
V. Klochkov ◽  
А. Нефедов ◽  
...  

Purpose: To improve radiation safety of medical staff and patients during diagnostic and treatment procedures with using of radionuclide radiation sources. Materials and methods: Staff working conditions have been analyzed and the potential for using of various personal protective equipment has been assessed based on the developed framework of personal protection of medical staff and patients at nuclear medicine centers. In accordance with methods described in the current Russian standards, specimens of personal protective equipment manufactured at Russian industrial plants and suitable for use by medical staff and patients at nuclear medicine centers have been tested. Results: Results of laboratory tests of new advanced high-performance personal protective equipment of various purposes for protection of medical staff and patients during diagnostic and treatment procedures with using of radionuclide radiation sources are provided. Training and information documents and guidelines have been developed, including “Study guide on personal protection during diagnostic and treatment procedures with using of radionuclides and ionizing radiation sources” for various departments of the Institute of Continuing Vocational Education, State Research Center – Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of the FMBA of Russia, and “Guidelines on personal protection of medical staff and patients during diagnostic and treatment procedures with using of radionuclides and ionizing radiation sources”. Conclusion: Study guide and Guidelines on personal protection of medical staff and patients at nuclear medicine centers during diagnostic and treatment procedures with using of radionuclide radiation sources, as well as the draft of the Standard guidelines on delivery of free personal protective equipment to medical staff have been developed based on the results of work and studies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Craig ◽  
Julia Clark ◽  
Mike Starr ◽  
Joanne Grindlay ◽  
Andrew Tagg ◽  
...  

Abstract ObjectivesTo determine recommendations for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) based on transmission risk for paediatric procedures in the Emergency Department during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsTwo survey rounds were conducted in April-May 2020. The survey presented a number of emergency medicine procedures relevant to the care of children, and asked respondents to provide PPE recommendations according to levels of community transmission, and whether or not the child had symptoms of acute respiratory illness. ResultsParticipants were recruited by approaching relevant professional groups, with 15 from the PREDICT network and 12 from the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases (ASID) Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ANZPID) Group. Airborne PPE is recommended for resuscitative procedures and various respiratory procedures in most situations There were differences in opinion between emergency and paediatric infectious disease specialists with regards to most appropriate PPE for children without symptoms of COVID-19 in a setting of low community transmission, and for procedures involving the head, neck or airway. In general, emergency physicians were more likely to favour airborne PPE than infectious disease specialists. In the setting of high community transmission, there was a stronger tendency to recommend at least droplet precautions for most procedures – regardless of whether or not the child had symptoms. ConclusionsDifferences in PPE recommendations for various paediatric procedures between infectious disease specialists and emergency physicians were identified. Further research is urgently needed to clarify and quantify risks for many common interventions and determine strategies for multidisciplinary consensus regarding future recommendations.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1227
Author(s):  
Jianxing Yu ◽  
Huanhuan Jia ◽  
Zhou Zheng ◽  
Peng Cao ◽  
Xihe Yu

Background: The clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors has become a major public health challenge worldwide. Although many studies have investigated CVD risk factor clusters, little is known about their prevalence and clustering among medical staff in Northeast China. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and clustering of CVD risk factors and to investigate the association between relevant characteristics and the clustering of CVD risk factors among medical staff in Northeast China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 3720 medical staff from 93 public hospitals in Jilin Province was used in this study. Categorical variables were presented as percentages and were compared using the χ2 test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between relevant characteristics and the clustering of CVD risk factors. Results: The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, being overweight, smoking, and drinking were 10.54%, 3.79%, 17.15%, 39.84%, 9.87%, and 21.75%, respectively. Working in a general hospital, male, and age group 18–44 years were more likely to have 1, 2, and ≥3 CVD risk factors, compared with their counterparts. In particular, compared with being a doctor, being a nurse or medical technician was less likely to have 1, 2, and ≥3 CVD risk factors only in general hospitals. Conclusions: The findings suggest that medical staff of general hospitals, males, and older individuals have a high chance associated with CVD risk factor clustering and that more effective interventions should be undertaken to reduce the prevalence and clustering of CVD risk factors, especially among older male doctors who work in general hospitals.


2021 ◽  
pp. 98-100
Author(s):  
Yasmin Abdalla

Background: communicable and contagious diseases and exposure to blood-borne pathogens make critical care nurses expose to biological work place hazard. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of an educational program on critical care nurses' knowledge about safety measures of biological hazard. Methodology: It was a pre/post interventional, hospital-based study, study subjects were 200 intensive care nurses (34 males 17% and 166 females 83%) working for one year or more in critical care settings (8 units) in ve public hospitals, Khartoum state, Sudan. A structured face to face questionnaire was used pre and posttest. A program done by lectures about biological hazard, causes, and safety measures, sitting group's discussion and direct individual educational sessions, interview was carried with each hospital's matron. Results: Knowledge about biological hazard as work place hazards was 100% in both pre and post results. Regarding preventive measures of biological hazard, participants showed different values in answer like uses of personal protective equipment (PPE) mentioned by 99% in preprogram test while hand washing was mentioned by 49.5% in pretest evaluation, Personal protective equipment was poorly provided. Conclusion: The educational program for critical care nurses had efcient results, as the noticeable improvement of results of critical care nurses' knowledge about universal precautions.


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