Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2024
Determinants of fatigue in emergency department clinicians who wear personal protective equipment.
To determine the independent predictors for clinician fatigue and decline in cognitive function following a shift in the ED during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Working afternoon shifts was associated with fatigue. There was no association between HRZ allocation and fatigue, but our study was limited by a low COVID workload and fluctuating PPE requirements in the non-HRZs. Workplace interventions that target the prevention of fatigue in ED clinicians working afternoon shifts should be prioritised.
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We investigated the knowledge of COVID-19 pathogenesis and prevention, attitude, and adherence to safe clinical practices among radiographers during the pandemic and made some informed policy recommendations. ⋯ Participants' adherence to standard COVID-19 precautions was low. The level of professional qualification influenced participants' knowledge and safe practices during the pandemic. Upgrading the aseptic techniques and amenities in practice settings and broadening the infectious diseases modules in the entry-level and continuous professional education may improve radiographers' response to COVID-19 and future pandemics.Key messagesRadiographers whose qualifications were lower than a bachelor's degree had significantly less knowledge of COVID-19 prevention.Generally, radiographers had a positive attitude towards safe practices during the pandemic, but inadequate education, standard operational guidelines and resources affected their level of adherence.Apart from the shortage of personal protective equipment, poor infrastructural design and inadequate hygienic facilities such as handwashing stations, running water and non-contact hand sanitizer dispensers hampered adherence to COVID-19 precautions in low-resource settings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Surgical masks and filtering facepiece class 2 respirators (FFP2) have no major physiological effects at rest and during moderate exercise at 3000 m altitude. A randomised controlled trial.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of face masks has been recommended or enforced in several situations; however, their effects on physiological parameters and cognitive performance at high altitude are unknown. ⋯ Although mask use was associated with higher rates of dyspnoea, it had no clinically relevant impact on gas exchange at 3000 m at rest and during moderate exercise, and no detectable effect on resting cognitive performance. Wearing a surgical mask or an FFP2 can be considered safe for healthy people living, working or spending their leisure time in mountains, high-altitude cities or other hypobaric environments (e.g. aircrafts) up to an altitude of 3000 m.