This article was originally published June 18, 2020on PSQHby John Palmer
Its not an understatement to say that most people who work in healthcare organizations long for the days when just getting their workers to wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) was the biggest issue.
Times have changed, of course, in the new normal brought on by COVID-19. Where hospitals were once coached by safety professionals to ensure they had enough PPE stockpiled, they are now begging the U.S. government to share PPE from the stockpile. Once upon a time, workers were told to use their surgical masks only once. Today, those masks get put into a bag at the end of a shift and used the next dayand maybe the day after that.
Some communities have brought in huge PPE cleaning machines that can disinfect thousands of masks in one sitting, while other healthcare workers have turned to procuring their own masks, gloves, and respirators from painting suppliers and home improvement stores. Its become a free-for-all in some places.
Because of the scarcity, PPE has become a protected resource inside hospitals, says Benjamin Kanter, MD, FCCP, chief medical information officer (CMIO) for Vocera Communications, a California-based company that develops platforms to improve clinical communication and workflow.
Hospitals are taking special precautions and establishing new protocols for accessing and preserving PPE, he says.
Kanter spoke toPSQHabout the state of PPE supplies, procedures, and protocols in the United States, and how it might change the way hospitals prepare and respond to future pandemics.
PSQH: What are some alternate PPE procedures and protocols being developed by hospitals to help preserve PPE supplies and extend the life of the PPE that healthcare workers have access to?
Kanter:The situation is complex, in part because COVID-19 recommendations have been in flux as we learn more about the disease.
Hospitals are establishing protocols to avoid confusion and minimize stress about the type of PPE required in different situations, such as in a standard droplet precaution room, where a surgical mask can be worn, versus a negative air room that requires wearing an N95 mask. Hospitals are now also adopting systems that decontaminate N95 masks, which originally were designed for single use but are sometimes worn throughout a workers full shift because of mask shortages. The decontamination systems make it possible for N95 masks to be used on multiple occasions over a longer period of time.
PSQH: What are some safety measures that organizations can take now to help keep patients and staff safer, and will these continue to be in place even after the COVID pandemic?
Kanter:One of the most important ways that hospitals can keep staff and patients safe is to minimize the number of times that a doctor or nurse has to take on and off protective gear.
There is a widely held misconception, even among healthcare workers, that if I put on PPE, I am safe. Unfortunately, that isnt the case for a number of reasons. If you are going to don and doff PPE, it must be done vigilantly and in a very specific way to avoid gaps in coverage. A large study published last year by a major U.S. medical center found that roughly 40% of their trained physicians and nurses removed their PPE incorrectly, putting themselves at risk of self-contamination. If you are self-contaminated and dont know it, you could touch a surface and unwittingly put everyone else at risk. Even in the best-case scenario where everyone is vigilant and following CDC guidelines, you are at risk of infection every time you go into a patients room.
PSQH: What about communications? Working in PPE can sometimes be very difficult, especially if you need to communicate with a team.
Kanter:Hospitals are working hard to find solutions that keep staff protected, preserve PPE, and minimize the number of times staff members need to go in and out of a room. One way to do this is to allow two-way communication between care team members or a patient in the room and staff outside the room. Having the ability to communicate remotely, instead of going into a patients room, saves time and PPE. More importantly, staff members dont have to risk contamination to communicate.
In addition, hospitals are giving staff hands-free communication devices that can be worn under PPE. If you are wearing full PPE and in a patients room, you need an easy way to communicate with care team members outside of the room without having to remove PPE and step outside the room. I think well see modern PPE include a hands-free communication component like what first responders have as part of their uniform. We would never send a firefighter into a burning building without protective gear or require them to remove their gear in order to communicate with team members. The same holds true now for hospital staff: We need to help clinicians perform their jobs while protected with PPE. Doctors and nurses never work alone, and even if they are isolated in a patients room, they need to stay connected with care team members without having to risk contamination by taking off PPE.
An additional way that hospitals can keep patients and staff safe is to add two-way communication technology for temporary pop-up hospital beds. To manage patient loads during surges, many hospitals have set up pop-up beds, though they are rarely equipped with nurse call systems. To ensure patients in these pop-up locations can communicate directly with their care teams, hospitals are attaching wireless two-way communication devices to these beds, which keep staff and patients connected.
PSQH: How does the PPE response compare to previous pandemics, such as the H1N1 pandemic? Why did we seem to have enough PPE then but not now?
Kanter:During H1N1, I was working in a San Diego hospital, and we did run short of N95 masks and we did have to borrow ventilators from facilities outside of the county in order to care for all of the influenza cases at that time. Surgeries were cancelled and influenza patients on ventilators were scattered throughout the hospital.
COVID-19 is quite different from H1N1, and there are still many unknowns. With influenza, we have medications that minimize the symptoms. We also have vaccinations that decrease the risk of contamination. Today, we have a situation where we still dont understand who is resistant to the virus, and there is no vaccine or simple way to administer treatment. A further complication is that COVID-19 symptoms for some people can be so minor you may not even know you are infected but could still be a vector transmitting the disease to other people. Because signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are so variable, the risk of contamination is higher and requires a different protocol for PPE. Patients with COVID-19 (for now) continue to require contact precautions (gloves and gowns) in addition to airborne isolation, whereas that isnt true for influenza; COVID-19 places a bigger burden on healthcare supplies than influenza.
John Palmer is a freelance writer who has covered healthcare safety for numerous publications. Palmer can be reached atjohnpalmer@palmereditorial.com.
Patient Safety & Quality Healthcares mission is to provide news, science, research, and a forum for opinion for clinicians, healthcare professionals, and everyone interested in improving quality in healthcare. Learn more.
See the rest here:
PPE Success During the COVID-19 Pandemic - HealthLeaders Media
- Wayfair Is Selling a $750 Recliner for Just $280 Right Now That's So Comfy It Has Families Fighting Over It - Men's Journal - January 31st, 2025 [January 31st, 2025]
- 'I tried the new Sutton restaurant that's replaced another and it's a must visit' - Sutton & Croydon Guardian - January 21st, 2025 [January 21st, 2025]
- Mississippi State rounds out receiver room with transfer portal addition from SEC foe - Maroon and White Nation - January 21st, 2025 [January 21st, 2025]
- UNC football bolsters running back room with late Class of 2025 addition - Keeping It Heel - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- Zac Taylor aims to bring more energy to Bengals with new addition to locker room - WLWT Cincinnati - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- Colts release CB from practice squad to make room for OL addition in Week 12 - MSN - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- Dubai Sets New Standards With Kleindiensts 5,000 Five-Star Room Addition - Travel And Tour World - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- Texas wide receiver room bolstered with addition of Oregon State's Silas Bolden - HornSports - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Seattle Kraken vs New York Rangers: Preview, time, and where to watch - Davy Jones Locker Room - February 11th, 2023 [February 11th, 2023]
- Texas and Oklahoma are joining the SEC in 2024. What does that mean for Mizzous football schedules without d - Rock M Nation - February 11th, 2023 [February 11th, 2023]
- Ravens need to get creative' to add proven WR for Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens Blog- ESPN - ESPN - February 11th, 2023 [February 11th, 2023]
- SEC Network Prepares for the Postseason with 30+ Hours of ... - ESPN Press Room - December 22nd, 2022 [December 22nd, 2022]
- Michael Irvin says T.Y. Hilton will improve Cowboys chemistry - The Dallas Morning News - December 22nd, 2022 [December 22nd, 2022]
- Alomere Health in Alexandria gets green light for therapy pool addition - Echo Press - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Grading the outside linebacker addition in the 2022 recruiting class - Badgers Wire - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- 'I don't know if we would have woken up if it wasn't for her': Young Cotulla girl credited with saving family from fire - KENS5.com - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- The Easiest Side Hustles To Get Started With in 2022 - GOBankingRates - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Harmony Hall Village: A Piece of History in White Oak BladenOnline.com - BladenOnline.com - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Beardmore: Wait for bids on Rec Center before making final call - Carroll Daily Times Herald - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Packers cornerback Chandon Sullivan on Clubhouse Live: 'I'm just so fortunate to be on this team' - Packers News - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- From a Burger King to a Concert Hall, With Help From Frank Gehry - The New York Times - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- EVERYONE WANTS A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - Florida Keys Weekly - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- [Top 5 Medical News in 2021] Korea, the only country to mandate cameras in operating rooms - Korea Biomedical Review - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Bengals depleted defense looks to add to impressive run by stopping impressive runs - The Athletic - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Franklin Street dining scene to gain 2 new additions: 105 Social and The Vine | ClarksvilleNow.com - Clarksville Now - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Triangle Startup Guides growing information lineup adds more info to close 2021 - WRAL TechWire - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- 5 Unexpected Sources of Retirement Income - The Motley Fool - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Celebrate Our Automotive Heroes With Us at Our Upcoming California Cars & Coffee - RoadandTrack.com - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- New farm-to-table restaurant Chez Baccus sprouting this spring on Fourth Street the Hi-lo - Long Beach Post - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Timothy Ubben, investment executive and philanthropist who helped low-income students go to college, dies at 84 - Chicago Tribune - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Examining Michigan's WR Room Following The Addition Of Daylen Baldwin - Rivals.com - Michigan - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Italian the perfect addition for Tottenham Hotspur midfield - Hotspur HQ - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- The Pros and Cons of Wet Bathrooms - BobVila.com - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Bucs have a good problem in their running back room - Bucs Nation - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- With 'some plays that didn't go our way,' Tua Tagovailoa opens Miami Dolphins minicamp with five interceptions and film to study - ESPN - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- New Norwell library officially opens at triple the size of its predecessor - The Patriot Ledger - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Houston Methodist uses AI brain ultrasound to reduce open heart surgery complications - Healthcare IT News - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Spectrum Health Zeeland expansion project to be completed by end of year - Fox17 - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Puzzle Break Leads The Future Of Professional Development In Virtual Escape Rooms - Business Wire - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- The 21 Best Restaurants in Aspen, Colorado - Eater Denver - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Where to Go for an Authentic Dude Ranch Experience in California - AFAR Media - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Darius Slayton has more-the-merrier mindset about Giants receiver additions - AL.com - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Predicting potential training camp cuts for the Bucs - Bucs Nation - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- GMDAs flood control room to be functional by this week - Hindustan Times - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Many disaster-related hotel stays should have been tax exempt - Newnan Times-Herald - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Award-winning Writer David Dennis Jr. Joins The Undefeated as Senior Writer - ESPN Press Room - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Harrah's Las Vegas Unveils A $200 Million Renovation, Including Enhanced Accommodations, Casino Floor And More Hospitality Net - Hospitality Net - June 16th, 2021 [June 16th, 2021]
- Utah's Whittingham Ready For The "Complete Rebuild" In Quarterback Room - Sports Illustrated - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- One Wall Street's Residential Conversion and Addition Continues in the Financial District - New York YIMBY - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- EL-based non-profit sees growth through pandemic - The Review - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- West Concord makes the grade in history - PostBulletin.com - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Check Out the Secret Room in This Renovated Concord Home - Boston magazine - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Green Bay Packers Cut em or Keep em & Prediction: Preston Smith - Dairyland Express - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Adrian Phillips plugged some holes and was a valuable addition to Patriots secondary - The Boston Globe - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- ETHS Foundation to Host WILD FOR ETHS Celebration - Evanston RoundTable - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- VOICES OF INEQUITY: How unfair school funding looks at the ground level - The Mercury - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- EMS building project attracts nearly 100 bids - The Monroe Sun - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Lund Center Project to Break Ground This Spring - Gustavus Adolphus College News - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Adding two County Council members will cost more than $1.9M - BethesdaMagazine.com - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- ESPN Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary of The Jump on February 18 - ESPN Press Room - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- BTS: After V and Jimin, J-Hope's heartening addition to ARMY room makes excitement for BE (Essential Edition) - Bollywood Life - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Fort Madison toddler was hospitalized the first 946 days of his life. Then a kidney transplant opened his world. - Burlington Hawk Eye - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Adrian Salvation Army adds storage space to thrift store - The Daily Telegram - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Game Room and Gaming Club Partner in Hosting Their Second Annual Extra Life Gaming Marathon - The Whit Online - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- [PODCAST] Diversity in ADR and Creating Access to Justice - JD Supra - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- New to the menu during COVID-19: Virtual eateries - Akron Beacon Journal - February 20th, 2021 [February 20th, 2021]
- Sunstone Hotel Investors Announces The Sale Of The 502-Room Renaissance Los Angeles Airport For $91.5 Million - PRNewswire - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Luther Haven renovations on the horizon - Monte News - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- 'Elf' fans can stay in a hotel suite inspired by Buddy the Elf - CNN - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- On the record December 9 - Seymour Tribune - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Introducing the Forrest Sequoia the First Forrest Lamp from NFL Standout Forrest Lamp and Lamps Plus - Furniture Today - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Samsungs 110-inch MicroLED TV brings The Wall to your living room - TechHive - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- $400,000 Homes in Georgia, Ohio and West Virginia - The New York Times - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Two Residents of Rosewood Villa Find Love in an Unexpected Place - whatcomtalk.com - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- GLADIATOR DIESEL IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO JEEP LINEUP - Osprey Observer - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Video chat options for staying connected are more than Zoom - Norton Healthcare - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Game Review: "The Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits" from Funko Games - LaughingPlace.com - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Breaking News - Peacock Orders More Episodes of Timely and Topical Late-Night Series "The Amber Ruffin Show" - The Futon Critic - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Home invasion suspect caught after victim whispers call for help to 911 - WCVB Boston - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Newly Upgraded The Domain Hotel Offers Modern Accommodations For Work Or Play In The Heart Of Silicon Valley - Hospitality Net - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]