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INFECTION PREVENTION Wearable ways to ward off infection by Kara Nadeau


exposed to a wide range of hazards – from the bodily uids of infectious patients to toxic chemicals and drugs. This includes everyone from the nurse at the bedside to the central sterile/sterile processing de- partment (CS/SPD) professional in decon- tamination, as well as product and service suppliers that enter the environment. Pa- tients too are at risk – from contaminated instruments, devices and surfaces. In this article, we examine basic guide- lines for selecting personal protective equipment (PPE), specific needs based on the environment (e.g. patient bedside, OR, CS/SPD), and special PPE considerations (e.g. infectious diseases, toxic drugs). We include commentary from infection pre- vention and CS/SPD professionals, includ- ing some items on their PPE wish lists, as well as insights from product and service suppliers on the latest PPE innovations.


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PPE guidelines and standards The Occupational Safety and Health Ad- ministration (OSHA) defines PPE as: “Equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may in- clude items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits.”1 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers Standard Precau- tions for use in all patient care, including recommendations for improved use of PPE by healthcare personnel. In its Guid- ance for the Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Healthcare Settings, the CC specifies the following PPE: loves to protect the hands, gowns or aprons to protect the skin and/or clothing, masks and respirators to protect the mouth and nose, goggles to protect the eyes, and face shields to protect the entire face. The organization offers three considerations when selecting PPE: Anticipated exposure, durability and appropriateness, and fit.2


et’s get right down to it – healthcare facilities can be dangerous environ- ments. Healthcare staff members are


“We should always practice with the


standard precautions in mind to keep ourselves safe from whatever possible infection we may get from touching the patients or entering their environment,” said Paulina Rodriguez, RN, Infection Con- trol Practitioner, Abilene Regional Medical Center, Abilene, TX.


“The correct use of the PPE is multifac-


eted: We must provide proper protection to our employees in all environments in order to be compliant with OSHA, the manufac- turers’ instructions for use and compliance to the safety data sheets (SDS),” said Mary K. Lane, MHA, CSPDM, CSPDS, CSPDT, MK Lane, SPD Consulting. “Failure to do so can result not only in an employee injury, but also liability issues and a negative find- ing on a regulatory survey.”


Anticipated exposure


The CDC says PPE selection should be determined by the type of anticipated expo- sure, such as touch, splashes or sprays, or large volumes of blood or body uids that might penetrate the clothing.


“Selecting the most appropriate PPE be- gins with a careful assessment of the level(s) of protection needed, especially the degree of uid or biohaard exposure,” said Ed- mund S. Tai, Vice President of Healthcare, Tronex International.


With regards to face shields, the CDC states in its guidance that they “should cover forehead, extend below chin and wrap around side of face.” But Roger Machson, President, Onyx Medical notes how provid- ers are trending towards PPE products that offer even greater levels of protection to the facial area because “standard face shield op-


tions” typically lack protection peripherally and underneath. He states:


“Although face shields are generally recognized as a good PPE option due to deficiencies that exist in traditional models both the CDC and many other healthcare professionals believe that face shields should not be used as solitary facial protec- tion, but rather as an adjunctive tool to other PPE,” said Machson. “However, until the Drape Short 18000S came along, there were no face shields on the market that met the CDC’s recommendations.”


Durability and appropriateness When selecting PPE, the CDC says health- care facilities must assess its durability and appropriateness for the environment and task at hand. For example, determining whether a gown must be uid resistant, uid proof or neither based on its use and anticipated risks. oe eraghty, Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer, ImageFIRST, says after a few washes fluid resistant gowns lose their effectiveness. To ad- dress this issue, ImageFIRST, a healthcare linen rental and laundry services provider, performs a “dead on contact” wash of the gowns, applies a bacteria-inhibiting softener, and then replenishes the pro- tective property of each gown with the Ecolab Advacare Fluid Repellent. Lastly, ImageFIRST confirms effective protection with a strike-through test of the gowns.


Onyx Medical Drape Short 18000S face shield


20 December 2019 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • hpnonline.com


“We are one of the only launderers who do this – and we do it every time, to keep compliance easy for our healthcare fa- cilities customers,” said Geraghty. “PPE is about protection of your staff. When considering PPE, it depends on the risk and ease of use of the situ- ation. Ultimately, you have to make compliance practi- cal. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prioritize safety. What it means


ImageFIRST Comfort Care maternity gown


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