Personal protective equipment and intensive care unit healthcare worker safety in the COVID-19 era (PPE-SAFE): An international survey

doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005

Personal protective equipment and intensive care unit healthcare worker safety in the COVID-19 era (PPE-SAFE): An international survey

School of Sport and Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	70-75
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Critical Care
Volume	59
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005
Publication status	Published - 13 Jun 2020

Keywords

COVID-19
Personal protective equipment
Safety
Health care workers
Intensive care

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10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005

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@article{64fc5f66220547cb910d001a44c012eb,

title = "Personal protective equipment and intensive care unit healthcare worker safety in the COVID-19 era (PPE-SAFE): An international survey",

abstract = "PurposeTo 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 methodA web-based survey distributed worldwide in April 2020.ResultsWe 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%).ConclusionsHCWs reported widespread shortages, frequent reuse of, and adverse effects related to PPE. Urgent action by healthcare administrators, policymakers, governments and industry is warranted.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Personal protective equipment, Safety, Health care workers, Intensive care",

author = "A. Tabah and M. Ramanan and K.B. Laupland and N. Buetti and A. Cortegiani and J. Mellinghoff and A.C. Morris and L. Camporota and N. Zappella and M. Elhadi and P. Povoa and K. Amrein and G. Vidal and L. Derde and M. Bassetti and G. Francois and {Ssi yan kai}, N. and {de Waele}, J.J. and A.A. Hssain and A. Llorens and L. Pagani and J. Rello and L. Ling and G.S. Shrestha and S.M. Hashemian and K. Arvaniti and P. Bertini and L. Buetti and L. Nobile and G. Rodosti and B. Sousa and J. White and R. Sierra and T. Torlinski and F.E. Adipa and B. Shah and C. Dallongeville and C.W. Li-Phing and {des D{\'e}serts}, M.D. and W. Awada and A. Diaz and D. Liu and M. Masjedi and D. Papadopoulos and {de Jesus Montelongo}, F. and T. Aisa and A. Gutysz-Wojnicka and K. Ramanathan and J.Y. Haji and P. Kumar",

year = "2020",

month = jun,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005",

language = "English",

volume = "59",

pages = "70--75",

journal = "Journal of Critical Care",

issn = "0883-9441",

}

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, A.

AU - Ramanan, M.

AU - Laupland, K.B.

AU - Buetti, N.

AU - Cortegiani, A.

AU - Mellinghoff, J.

AU - Morris, A.C.

AU - Camporota, L.

AU - Zappella, N.

AU - Elhadi, M.

AU - Povoa, P.

AU - Amrein, K.

AU - Vidal, G.

AU - Derde, L.

AU - Bassetti, M.

AU - Francois, G.

AU - Ssi yan kai, N.

AU - de Waele, J.J.

AU - Hssain, A.A.

AU - Llorens, A.

AU - Pagani, L.

AU - Rello, J.

AU - Ling, L.

AU - Shrestha, G.S.

AU - Hashemian, S.M.

AU - Arvaniti, K.

AU - Bertini, P.

AU - Buetti, L.

AU - Nobile, L.

AU - Rodosti, G.

AU - Sousa, B.

AU - White, J.

AU - Sierra, R.

AU - Torlinski, T.

AU - Adipa, F.E.

AU - Shah, B.

AU - Dallongeville, C.

AU - Li-Phing, C.W.

AU - des Déserts, M.D.

AU - Awada, W.

AU - Diaz, A.

AU - Liu, D.

AU - Masjedi, M.

AU - Papadopoulos, D.

AU - de Jesus Montelongo, F.

AU - Aisa, T.

AU - Gutysz-Wojnicka, A.

AU - Ramanathan, K.

AU - Haji, J.Y.

AU - Kumar, P.

PY - 2020/6/13

Y1 - 2020/6/13

N2 - PurposeTo 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 methodA web-based survey distributed worldwide in April 2020.ResultsWe 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%).ConclusionsHCWs reported widespread shortages, frequent reuse of, and adverse effects related to PPE. Urgent action by healthcare administrators, policymakers, governments and industry is warranted.

AB - PurposeTo 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 methodA web-based survey distributed worldwide in April 2020.ResultsWe 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%).ConclusionsHCWs 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 - Personal protective equipment

KW - Safety

KW - Health care workers

KW - Intensive care

U2 - 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005

DO - 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.06.005

M3 - Article

SN - 0883-9441

VL - 59

SP - 70

EP - 75

JO - Journal of Critical Care

JF - Journal of Critical Care

ER -

Personal protective equipment and intensive care unit healthcare worker safety in the COVID-19 era (PPE-SAFE): An international survey

Abstract

Keywords

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