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Personal protective equipment and intensive care unit healthcare worker safety in the COVID-19 era (PPE-SAFE): An international survey.
Tabah, Alexis; Ramanan, Mahesh; Laupland, Kevin B; Buetti, Niccolò; Cortegiani, Andrea; Mellinghoff, Johannes; Conway Morris, Andrew; Camporota, Luigi; Zappella, Nathalie; Elhadi, Muhammed; Povoa, Pedro; Amrein, Karin; Vidal, Gabriela; Derde, Lennie; Bassetti, Matteo; Francois, Guy; Ssi Yan Kai, Nathalie; De Waele, Jan J.
  • Tabah A; Intensive Care Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Redcliffe Hospital, University of Queensland, 4019, Redcliffe, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia. Electronic address: a.tabah@uq.edu.au.
  • Ramanan M; Intensive Care Units, Caboolture and Prince Charles Hospitals, School of Medicine, University of Queensland, The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Queensland, Australia.
  • Laupland KB; Department of Intensive Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
  • Buetti N; INSERM IAME, U1137, Team DesCID, Paris, France.
  • Cortegiani A; Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Science (Di.Chir.On.S.) Section of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Intensive Care and Emergency Policlinico Paolo Giaccone University of Palermo Palermo, Italy.
  • Mellinghoff J; Faculty of Health and Social Care Education, Kingston & St George's University of London, UK.
  • Conway Morris A; Division of Anaesthesia, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
  • Camporota L; Centre for Human & Applied Physiological Sciences (CHAPS) and School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Department of Critical Care, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
  • Zappella N; Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine Department, DMU PARABOL, Bichat - Claude Bernard Hospital, HUPNVS, AP-HP, Paris, France.
  • Elhadi M; Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli, Libya.
  • Povoa P; Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital, CHLO, NOVA Medical School, CHRC, New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Amrein K; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
  • Vidal G; Servicio de Terapia Intensiva, Hospital Interzonal de Agudos San Martin de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • Derde L; Intensive Care Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Bassetti M; Infectious Diseases Clinic, Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa and Hospital Policlinico San Martino-IRCCS, Genoa, Italy.
  • Francois G; Division of Scientific Affairs, Research, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Ssi Yan Kai N; Brisbane, Australia.
  • De Waele JJ; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Gent, Belgium.
J Crit Care ; 59: 70-75, 2020 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-597194
ABSTRACT

PURPOSE:

To survey healthcare workers (HCW) on availability and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) caring for COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND

METHOD:

A web-based survey distributed worldwide in April 2020.

RESULTS:

We received 2711 responses from 1797 (67%) physicians, 744 (27%) nurses, and 170 (6%) Allied HCW. For routine care, most (1557, 58%) reportedly used FFP2/N95 masks, waterproof long sleeve gowns (1623; 67%), and face shields/visors (1574; 62%). Powered Air-Purifying Respirators were used routinely and for intubation only by 184 (7%) and 254 (13%) respondents, respectively. Surgical masks were used for routine care by 289 (15%) and 47 (2%) for intubations. At least one piece of standard PPE was unavailable for 1402 (52%), and 817 (30%) reported reusing single-use PPE. PPE was worn for a median of 4 h (IQR 2, 5). Adverse effects of PPE were associated with longer shift durations and included heat (1266, 51%), thirst (1174, 47%), pressure areas (1088, 44%), headaches (696, 28%), Inability to use the bathroom (661, 27%) and extreme exhaustion (492, 20%).

CONCLUSIONS:

HCWs reported widespread shortages, frequent reuse of, and adverse effects related to PPE. Urgent action by healthcare administrators, policymakers, governments and industry is warranted.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pneumonia, Viral / Occupational Health / Health Personnel / Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Coronavirus Infections / Personal Protective Equipment Type of study: Observational study / Randomized controlled trials Country/Region as subject: Africa / North America / South America / Asia / Europa / Oceania Language: English Journal: J Crit Care Journal subject: Critical Care Year: 2020 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pneumonia, Viral / Occupational Health / Health Personnel / Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Coronavirus Infections / Personal Protective Equipment Type of study: Observational study / Randomized controlled trials Country/Region as subject: Africa / North America / South America / Asia / Europa / Oceania Language: English Journal: J Crit Care Journal subject: Critical Care Year: 2020 Document Type: Article