Utility of a Novel Reflective Marker Visualized by Flash Photography for Assessment of Personnel Contamination During Removal of Personal Protective Equipment

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 711-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myreen E. Tomas ◽  
Jennifer L. Cadnum ◽  
Thriveen S.C. Mana ◽  
Annette L. Jencson ◽  
Sreelatha Koganti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Infect Control Hosp ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Bacteriophage Ms2

In an experimental study, the frequency of contamination of healthcare personnel during removal of contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE) was similar for bacteriophage MS2 and a novel reflective marker visualized using flash photography. The reflective marker could be a useful tool to visualize and document personnel contamination during PPE removal.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:711–713

The Ebola Disinfection Booth: Evaluation of an Enclosed Ultraviolet Light Booth for Disinfection of Contaminated Personal Protective Equipment Prior to Removal

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1226-1228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myreen E. Tomas ◽  
Jennifer L. Cadnum ◽  
Annette Jencson ◽  
Curtis J. Donskey
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Ultraviolet Light ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Infect Control Hosp ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Bacteriophage Ms2 ◽  
Ultraviolet C ◽  
Full Body

A portable booth designed to disinfect full-body coverage protective equipment before removal using ultraviolet-C radiation resulted in at least 3 log reductions in bacteriophage MS2 and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus within 3 minutes. The booth could be useful for disinfection of contaminated protective equipment before removal during care of Ebola patients.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(10):1226–1228

A Randomized Trial of Two Cover Gowns Comparing Contamination of Healthcare Personnel During Removal of Personal Protective Equipment

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thriveen S. C. Mana ◽  
Myreen E. Tomas ◽  
Jennifer L. Cadnum ◽  
Annette L. Jencson ◽  
Christina T. Piedrahita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Trial ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Infect Control Hosp ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Skin Coverage

In a randomized trial, a gown designed to allow easy removal at the neck and with increased skin coverage and snugness of fit at the wrist significantly reduced contamination of personnel during personal protective equipment (PPE) removal. Our results suggest that simple modifications of PPE can reduce contamination of personnel.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:97–100

scholarly journals COVID-19 global pandemic planning: Dry heat incubation and ambient temperature fail to consistently inactivate SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirators

2020 ◽  
pp. 153537022097781
Author(s):  
Douglas J Perkins ◽  
Robert A Nofchissey ◽  
Chunyan Ye ◽  
Nathan Donart ◽  
Alison Kell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ambient Temperature ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Dry Heat ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Individual Site ◽  
Pandemic Planning ◽  
N95 Respirators

The ongoing pandemic of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has placed a substantial strain on the supply of personal protective equipment, particularly the availability of N95 respirators for frontline healthcare personnel. These shortages have led to the creation of protocols to disinfect and reuse potentially contaminated personal protective equipment. A simple and inexpensive decontamination procedure that does not rely on the use of consumable supplies is dry heat incubation. Although reprocessing with this method has been shown to maintain the integrity of N95 respirators after multiple decontamination procedures, information on the ability of dry heat incubation to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 is largely unreported. Here, we show that dry heat incubation does not consistently inactivate SARS-CoV-2-contaminated N95 respirators, and that variation in experimental conditions can dramatically affect viability of the virus. Furthermore, we show that SARS-CoV-2 can survive on N95 respirators that remain at room temperature for at least five days. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that dry heat incubation procedures and ambient temperature for five days are not viable methods for inactivating SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirators for potential reuse. We recommend that decontamination procedures being considered for the reuse of N95 respirators be validated at each individual site and that validation of the process must be thoroughly conducted using a defined protocol.

The Feasibility of an Infection Control “Safe Zone” in a Spinal Cord Injury Unit

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 714-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keshonna Lones ◽  
Swetha Ramanathan ◽  
Margaret Fitzpatrick ◽  
Jennifer N. Hill ◽  
Marylou Guihan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Healthcare Worker ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Safe Zone ◽  
Infect Control Hosp ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Cord Injury

We report on healthcare worker use of a safe zone (outside a 3-foot perimeter around the patient’s bed) and personal protective equipment in 2 inpatient spinal cord injury/disorder units. Workers remained within the safe zone during 22% of observations but were less compliant with personal protective equipment inside the zone.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:714–716

scholarly journals COVID-19 Pandemisinde Enfeksiyon Kontrol Çalışmaları Çerçevesinde Çocuk Hastalarla Çalışan Sağlık Personeli Eğitimi

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-200
Author(s):  
Pembe Derin Oygar ◽  
Ayşe Büyükçam ◽  
Zümrüt Şahbudak Bal ◽  
Nazan Dalgıç ◽  
Şefika Elmas Bozdemir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Risk ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Applied Education

Objective: In the early stages of any epidemic caused by new emerging pathogens healthcare personnel is subject to a great risk. Pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, proved to be no exception. Many healthcare workers died in the early stages of pandemic due to inadequate precautions and insufficient protection. It is essential to protect and maintain the safety of healthcare personnel for the confinement of pandemic as well as continuity of qualified healthcare services which is already under strain. Educating healthcare personnel on appropiate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is as essential as procuring them. Material and Methods: A survey is conducted on 4927 healthcare personnel working solely with pediatric patients from 32 different centers. Education given on PPE usage were questioned and analyzed depending on age, sex, occupation and region. Results: Among four thousand nine hundred twelve healthcare personnel from 32 different centers 91% (n= 4457) received education on PPE usage. Of those who received education only 36% was given both theoretical and applied education. Although there was no differences among different occupation groups, receiving education depended on regions. Conclusion: It is essential to educate healthcare personnel appropiately nationwidely for the continuity of qualified healthcare services during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Are Healthcare Personnel Trained in Correct Use of Personal Protective Equipment?

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amrita John ◽  
Myreen Tomas ◽  
Jennifer Cadnum ◽  
Thriveen S.C. Mana ◽  
Annette Jencson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Protective Equipment

scholarly journals Elimination of Routine Contact Precautions for Endemic Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusand Vancomycin-ResistantEnterococcus: A Retrospective Quasi-Experimental Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 1323-1330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise M. Martin ◽  
Dana Russell ◽  
Zachary Rubin ◽  
Romney Humphries ◽  
Tristan R. Grogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Health System ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Nursing Time ◽  
Contact Precautions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of discontinuation of contact precautions (CP) for methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) and vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus(VRE) and expansion of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) use on the health system.DESIGNRetrospective, nonrandomized, observational, quasi-experimental study.SETTINGTwo California hospitals.PARTICIPANTSInpatients.METHODSWe compared hospital-wide laboratory-identified clinical culture rates (as a marker of healthcare-associated infections) 1 year before and after routine CP for endemic MRSA and VRE were discontinued and CHG bathing was expanded to all units. Culture data from patients and cost data on material utilization were collected. Nursing time spent donning personal protective equipment was assessed and quantified using time-driven activity-based costing.RESULTSAverage positive culture rates before and after discontinuing CP were 0.40 and 0.32 cultures/100 admissions for MRSA (P=.09), and 0.48 and 0.40 cultures/100 admissions for VRE (P=.14). When combining isolation gown and CHG costs, the health system saved $643,776 in 1 year. Before the change, 28.5% intensive care unit and 19% medicine/surgery beds were on CP for MRSA/VRE. On the basis of average room entries and donning time, estimated nursing time spent donning personal protective equipment for MRSA/VRE before the change was 45,277 hours/year (estimated cost, $4.6 million).CONCLUSIONDiscontinuing routine CP for endemic MRSA and VRE did not result in increased rates of MRSA or VRE after 1 year. With cost savings on materials, decreased healthcare worker time, and no concomitant increase in possible infections, elimination of routine CP may add substantial value to inpatient care delivery.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2016;1–8

scholarly journals Reuse of disposable gowns for COVID-19 personal protective equipment purposes in times of scarcity: results of an experimental study with hydrogen peroxide vaporization

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy J. Pelzer ◽  
Elke JP Magdeleyns ◽  
Paul HM Savelkoul ◽  
Lieke B van Alphen Van Alphen ◽  
Wil C Van der Zwet
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Experimental Study ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Inexpensive Method ◽  
Health Organizations ◽  
Temporary Solution

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many health organizations faced shortages of personal protective equipment for their personnel. In case of extreme urgency, re-using disposable materials might offer a temporary solution. Hydrogen peroxide vaporization (HPV) has been used for disinfection of patient rooms for more than a decade. We investigated HPV as a method for disinfecting disposable gowns. After HPV, gowns proved to be free of bacteria and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA while their functionality and water-repellency remained intact. We conclude that, in case of emergency and lack of available alternatives, HPV is a suitable and relatively inexpensive method for one-time reuse of disposable gowns.

A crossover trial comparing contamination of healthcare personnel during removal of a standard gown versus a modified gown with increased skin coverage at the hands and wrists

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 1278-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeina Hajar ◽  
Thriveen S. C. Mana ◽  
Myreen E. Tomas ◽  
Heba Alhmidi ◽  
Brigid M. Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Crossover Trial ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Skin Coverage

AbstractIn a crossover trial, a gown designed to increase skin coverage at the hands and wrists significantly reduced contamination of personnel during personal protective equipment (PPE) removal, and education on donning and doffing technique further reduced contamination. Simple modifications of PPE and education can reduce contamination during PPE removal.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document