TY - JOUR
T1 - Personal protective equipment and intensive care unit healthcare worker safety in the COVID-19 era (PPE-SAFE)
T2 - An international survey
AU - Tabah, Alexis
AU - Ramanan, Mahesh
AU - Laupland, Kevin B.
AU - Buetti, Niccolò
AU - Cortegiani, Andrea
AU - Mellinghoff, Johannes
AU - Conway Morris, Andrew
AU - Comporota, Luigi
AU - Zappella, Nathalie
AU - Elhadi, Muhammed
AU - Povoa, Pedro
AU - Amrein, Karin
AU - Vidal, Gabriela
AU - Derde, Lennie
AU - Bassetti, Matteo
AU - Francois, Guy
AU - Ssi yan kai, Nathalie
AU - De Waele, Jan J.
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Health care workers
KW - Intensive care
KW - Personal protective equipment
KW - Safety
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086596769&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005
DO - 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 32570052
AN - SCOPUS:85086596769
SN - 0883-9441
VL - 59
SP - 70
EP - 75
JO - Journal of Critical Care
JF - Journal of Critical Care
ER -