SARS-COV-2 SEROPREVALENCE AMONG EMERGENCY PROVIDERS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-86
Author(s):  
Tuong Pham ◽  
Michael Doctor ◽  
Ryliezl Abby Reyes ◽  
Caroline Runco ◽  
Alberto Hazan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Exposure Risks ◽  
Testing Site ◽  
Elevated Exposure

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have elevated exposure risks to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there is limited published information regarding the transmission rate and the seroconversion among HCWs. The goals of this study are to determine the seroprevalence among emergency providers and the correlation between working hours and utilization of personal protective equipment with the likelihood of seroconversion. Methods: This prospective study evaluated Emergency Department physicians and advanced practice providers, who had been tested for SARSCoV-2 IgG serology, at 10 different hospitals in the location area. An anonymous survey was sent to the Emergency Department providers via email inquiring about the following: results of serology and/or nasopharyngeal testing, the testing site used, the presence or absence of COVID-19 symptoms, utilization of personal protective equipment (PPEs), exposure to potential COVID-19 patients, and average clinical hours since March. Results: 43 participants responded to the survey. 3 had positive SARS-CoV-2 antibody or viral tests indicating exposures to COVID-19 despite utilization of various types of PPE. There was a surprisingly high number of HCWs treating known/suspected COVID-19 patients without proper PPE (18.6%). 21 (48.8%) HCWs routinely wore an N-95 mask, 11 (25.6%) used a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR), 6 (14%) wore surgical masks, and 5 (11.6%) used elastomeric face respirators. None of the COVID-19 positive HCWs used a PAPR while treating known or suspected COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Our knowledge regarding the complications related to SARS-CoV-2 infection post-acute phase remains limited. Our data suggest PAPR use may be protective compared to other PPE modalities. There can be unanticipated long-term morbidities that result from an infection with SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, frontline HCWs, who have an inherently elevated exposure to this virus, must use PPE and maintain vigilance while treating patients, regardless of the presence of COVID-19 symptoms.

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.

scholarly journals Factors influencing job satisfaction among dentists during the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: A structural equation modeling approach

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Yogi Tri Prasetyo ◽  
Titis Maulanti ◽  
Satria Fadil Persada ◽  
Anak Agung Ngurah Perwira Redi ◽  
Michael Nayat Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Management Commitment

BACKGROUND: Dentistry is one of the highest risk occupations that face COVID-19, especially in countries that are severely affected by the pandemic, such as Indonesia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine factors influencing job satisfaction among dentists during the new normal of COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia by utilizing the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. METHODS: A total of 310 Indonesian dentists voluntary completed an online questionnaire, which contained 58 questions. Several latent variables such as perceived severity of COVID-19, staff cooperation and management commitment, personal protective equipment, job stress, working hours, income, and overall job satisfaction were analyzed simultaneously. RESULTS: SEM revealed perceived severity of COVID-19 had significant effects on job stress (β:0.394, p = 0.025) and the utilization of personal protective equipment (β:0.757, p = 0.001). Subsequently, job stress (β:–0.286, p = 0.001), working hours (β:0.278, p = 0.018), income (β:0.273, p = 0.003), personal protective equipment (β:0.145, p = 0.038), and staff cooperation & management commitment (β:0.091, p = 0.002) were found to have significant effects on overall job satisfaction. In addition, management & staff cooperation was found to have a significant association with job stress reduction (β:–0.319, p = 0.003) which subsequently led to higher satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The current study is one of the first that analyzed job satisfaction among dentists in Indonesia during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The integrated latent variables can be applied and extended to evaluate job satisfaction among dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in other countries. Finally, this study contributed as a theoretical foundation for policymakers to enhance the job satisfaction of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emergency department staff can effectively resuscitate in level C personal protective equipment

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruwangi Udayasiri ◽  
Jonathan Knott ◽  
David McD Taylor ◽  
Jonathan Papson ◽  
Fiona Leow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Emergency Department Staff ◽  
Department Staff

scholarly journals Decontamination Interventions for the Reuse of Surgical Mask Personal Protective Equipment: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J Zorko ◽  
Shira Gertsman ◽  
Katie O'Hearn ◽  
Nicholas Timmerman ◽  
Nasser Ambu-Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Antimicrobial Properties ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Study Characteristics ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Citation Screening

Background: The high demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) during the novel coronavirus outbreak has created global shortages and prompted the need to develop strategies to conserve supply. Surgical mask PPE have a broad application of use in a pandemic setting, but little is known regarding decontamination interventions to allow for their reuse. Objective: Identify and synthesize data from original published studies evaluating interventions to decontaminate surgical masks for the purpose of reuse. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Global Health, the WHO COVID-19 database, Google Scholar, DisasterLit, preprint servers, and prominent journals from inception to April 8, 2020 for prospective original research on decontamination interventions for surgical mask PPE. Citation screening was conducted independently in duplicate. Study characteristics, interventions, and outcomes were extracted from included studies by two independent reviewers. Outcomes of interest included impact of decontamination interventions on surgical mask performance and germicidal effects. Results: Seven studies met eligibility criteria: one evaluated the effects of heat and chemical decontamination interventions applied after mask use on mask performance, and six evaluated interventions applied prior to mask use to enhance antimicrobial properties and/or mask performance. Mask performance and germicidal effects were both evaluated in heterogenous test conditions across a variety of mask samples (whole masks and pieces or individual mask layers). Safety outcomes were infrequently evaluated. Mask performance was best preserved with dry heat decontamination. Germicidal effects were best in salt-, N-halamine- and nanoparticle-coated masks. Conclusion: There is limited evidence on the safety or efficacy of surgical mask decontamination. Given the heterogenous methods used in the studies to date, we are unable to draw conclusions on the most appropriate, safest intervention(s) for decontaminating surgical masks for the purpose of reuse.

scholarly journals Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) for Facemask Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Protocol for a Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayre McNally ◽  
Katie O'Hearn ◽  
Margaret Sampson ◽  
Lindsey Sikora
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Eastern Ontario

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a shortage of PPR (namely surgical masks, N95 masks, and gowns) has been experienced by some hospitals and could be expected in others due to a rapid increase need. One method of addressing the issue of PPE shortage is to decontaminate and re-use PPE. There are anecdotal reports and published literature evaluating the potential of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) as effective method for PPE decontamination, without negatively impacting function. To date this literature has not been comprehensively synthesized and the purpose of this review is to systematically review the existing literature on UVGI for facemask PPE. This information will be used to develop a decontamination protocol for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and shared with other hospitals in Ontario, Canada, and internationally.

scholarly journals Association between personal protective equipment and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in emergency department healthcare workers

2020 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Danique Schmitz ◽  
Marieke Vos ◽  
Renate Stolmeijer ◽  
Heleen Lameijer ◽  
Titus Schönberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Protective Equipment

scholarly journals UV Sterilization of Personal Protective Equipment with Idle Laboratory Biosafety Cabinets During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kyle J. Card ◽  
Dena Crozier ◽  
Andrew Dhawan ◽  
Mina N. Dinh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Uv Radiation ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Cleveland Clinic ◽  
The United States ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Common Element ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
N95 Respirators ◽  
Uv C

ABSTRACTDISCLAIMERThis article does not represent the official recommendation of the Cleveland Clinic or Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, nor has it yet been peer reviewed. We are releasing it early, pre-peer review, to allow for quick dissemination/vetting by the scientific/clinical community given the necessity for rapid conservation of personal protective equipment (PPE) during this dire global situation. We welcome feedback from the community.Personal protective equipment (PPE), including face shields, surgical masks, and N95 respirators, is crucially important to the safety of both patients and medical personnel, particularly in the event of an infectious pandemic. As the incidence of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) increases exponentially in the United States and worldwide, healthcare provider demand for these necessities is currently outpacing supply. As such, strategies to extend the lifespan of the supply of medical equipment as safely as possible are critically important. In the midst of the current pandemic, there has been a concerted effort to identify viable ways to conserve PPE, including decontamination after use. Some hospitals have already begun using UV-C light to decontaminate N95 respirators and other PPE, but many lack the space or equipment to implement existing protocols. In this study, we outline a procedure by which PPE may be decontaminated using ultraviolet (UV) radiation in biosafety cabinets (BSCs), a common element of many academic, public health, and hospital laboratories, and discuss the dose ranges needed for effective decontamination of critical PPE. We further discuss obstacles to this approach including the possibility that the UV radiation levels vary within BSCs. Effective decontamination of N95 respirator masks or surgical masks requires UV-C doses of greater than 1 Jcm−2, which would take a minimum of 4.3 hours per side when placing the N95 at the bottom of the BSCs tested in this study. Elevating the N95 mask by 48 cm (so that it lies 19 cm from the top of the BSC) would enable the delivery of germicidal doses of UV-C in 62 minutes per side. Effective decontamination of face shields likely requires a much lower UV-C dose, and may be achieved by placing the face shields at the bottom of the BSC for 20 minutes per side. Our results are intended to provide support to healthcare organizations looking for alternative methods to extend their reserves of PPE. We recognize that institutions will require robust quality control processes to guarantee the efficacy of any implemented decontamination protocol. We also recognize that in certain situations such institutional resources may not be available; while we subscribe to the general principle that some degree of decontamination is preferable to re-use without decontamination, we would strongly advise that in such cases at least some degree of on-site verification of UV dose delivery be performed.

Abstract P816: Nurse-Driven Rapid Covid-19 Testing in Emergency Department Stroke Patients

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey Aggabao ◽  
Tawnae Thorsen ◽  
Atul Gupta ◽  
Raeesa Dhanji ◽  
Denise Gaffney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Stroke Care ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Rapid Evaluation ◽  
Ct Scanner ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Specimen Collection ◽  
Normal Code

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic presents obstacles to time sensitive emergencies, such as stroke care. In acute strokes, knowing the COVID-19 status may help to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) in patients in whom a thrombectomy may be indicated and helps to decrease unnecessary exposure. This study aims to demonstrate that rapid evaluation of a patient’s COVID-19 status is feasible without delaying treatment times. Methods: An intradisciplinary team was convened to create a workflow for rapid COVID-19 testing. The Abbott Rapid® COVID-19 swab kit and assay were stocked in the ED Pyxis, utilizing the narcotic count feature to ensure all swabs were accounted. Upon activation of Code Stroke, the ED RN donned PPE and swabbed the patient’s naso-oral pharynx. The collected swab was labeled, placed in a bio-hazard bag, sanitized and handed to a second RN outside of the room. The specimen was taken to a pre-alerted lab technician who prepped the assay after hearing the code stroke. After specimen collection, the patient followed the normal code stroke pathway and was taken to the CT scanner. Metrics were analyzed for the pre COVID-19 (January through April) and during active COVID-19 (May through July) periods. Results: There were 136 code strokes from January thru July 2020. 81 were during pre-COVID vs. 55 during active-COVID. 47 of 55 (96%) were swabbed, 2 (4%) of whom were positive. There was no difference between pre-COVID and active-COVID door to CT initiated time (16 mins [IQR 13-24] vs. 22 mins [IQR 13-25] p=0.75), door to CT resulted time (21 mins [IQR 15-26]) vs. 23 mins [IQR 16-29] p=0.63). 18 patients received tPA pre-COVID and 5 during active-COVID with no difference in DTN (pre: 37.5 mins [IQR 30-43] vs. active: 28 mins {IQR 26-41] p=0.37). Door to CT initiated was faster for those who had their COVID swab performed pre-CT (14 mins [IQR 11.5-16.5] p=0.034) vs. post-CT (20 mins [IQR 17-28]). Likewise, door to CT resulted was also faster pre-CT: 24 mins [IQR 19-32] vs. post-CT: 17 mins [IQR 15-23] (p=0.04). Conclusion: The COVID-19 rapid swab code stroke process was feasible and did not delay treatment times.

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