PROTECTIVE MEASURES TO PREVENT HEALTH CARE WORKERS FROM CONTRACTING SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME(SARS) / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Our objective is to prevent doctors and nurses who worked on SARS ward from contracting this highly communicable disease through observing strict isolation strategies. The following measures have been taken in our hospitals. The wards for SARS patients were remodeled according to the isolation requirements for infectious diseases. They were separated into three quarters, namely clean area, semi-contamination area and contamination area. Two buffer zones were set up to separate the three quarters. Four specific passages were separately allotted to health care staffs, patients, soiled materials disposal and handling and dispatch of specimens, to avoid cross infection by contact. According to the criteria for isolation of serial A respiratory infectious diseases, every health care worker was strictly requested to wear and take off isolation garments properly when they entered and left the ward. Most importantly, specific garbs for different areas were essential for efficient isolation. Respiratory tract, skin and mucous surfaces should be effectively protected on the ward. In addition, doctors and nurses should wear special masks or helmets and waterproof suit during the performance of intubation, CPR or operation. Direction of air flow in SARS ward was diverted away from the clean area by using ventilator in order to prevent air-borne contamination. The air outlet of SARS ward was efficiently filtered to cut down pollution of the environment. Living quarters of medical staff working on SARS ward were isolated with a safe distance from the ward. Their health condition was closely monitored daily. After working in SARS ward for four weeks, they should enjoy a special vacation to assure their good health condition. In the past spring, 882 SARS patients were admitted to both the 309 hospital and Xiao Tanghan hospital. 1 632 health care workers worked for those SARS paitents by turns. To our satisfaction, none of our staffs was infected by SARS. Our experiences indicated that health care workers on the SARS ward could be effectively protected from contracting SARS infection by taking efficient and strictly observed protective measures.