A mobile application to guide healthcare professionals in the correct technique for personal protective equipment use during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The present study aimed to develop an application to guide healthcare professionals on using personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent and treat skin lesions caused by these devices. Methods: This is a study on technological production. The framework for application development consisted in the following phases: Phase 1-"Design: identification of application development requirements;" Phase 2-"Application prototype development": including an integrative literature review in major databases; Phase 3-"Application construction": elaboration of the decision tree, algorithm, database structuring, and software development; Phase 4-"Transition": application functionality test. Result: Our application Simplifica EPI is an innovative technology; this software is a tool to assist healthcare professionals in using PPE. In addition, it describes how to prevent and care for skin lesions caused by PPE. Simplifica EPI has 25 screens and 32 images. It will be available on the Google Play Store after its registration with the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property. Conclusions: After an integrative literature review, the application Simplifica EPI was developed as an innovative technology with great potential for use by healthcare professionals. (AU)