Provider experiences with daily use of elastomeric half-mask respirators in health care.

Autor: Lane M; Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Electronic address: morgan.a.lane@emory.edu., Pompeii L; Department of Epidemiology, Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX., Rios J; Department of Epidemiology, Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX., Benavides E; Department of Epidemiology, Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX., Kasbaum M; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX., Patlovich S; Department of Epidemiology, Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX., Ostrosky-Zeichner L; Department of Epidemiology, Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX., Hornbeck A; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA., McClain C; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA., Fernando R; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA., Sietsema M; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA., Kraft C; Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: American journal of infection control [Am J Infect Control] 2024 Jul; Vol. 52 (7), pp. 745-750. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jan 24.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.01.015
Abstrakt: Background: During public health emergencies, demand for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95 FFRs) can outpace supply. Elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMRs) are a potential alternative that are reusable and provide the same or higher levels of protection. This study sought to examine the practical aspects of EHMR use among health care personnel (HCP).
Methods: Between September and December 2021, 183 HCPs at 2 tertiary referral centers participated in this 3-month EHMR deployment, wearing the EHMR whenever respiratory protection was required according to hospital protocols (ie, when an N95 FFR would typically be worn) and responding to surveys about their experience.
Results: Participants wore EHMRs typically 1 to 3 hours per shift, reported disinfecting the respirator after 85% of the removals, and reported high confidence in using the EHMR following the study. EHMRs caused minimal interference with patient care tasks, though they did inhibit communication.
Discussion: HCP who had not previously worn an EHMR were able to wear it as an alternative to an N95 FFR without much-reported interference with their job tasks and with high disinfection compliance.
Conclusions: This study highlights the feasibility of the deployment of EHMRs during a public health emergency when an alternative respirator option is necessary.
(Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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