After the novel coronavirus hit the entire world adversely, the term PPE has gained much popularity over the last few months. Personal Protective Equipment is a kit used by healthcare workers while providing care and treatment to COVID-19+ patients. Among the most affected countries worldwide, the USA witnessed the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus. This led to a shortage of PPE in healthcare systems, thereby exposing medical professionals to greater risks of getting infected by the virus. To meet the rising demand for PPE, every PPE manufacturing company started producing PPE at a large-scale and distributing through bulk PPE suppliers in USA. But the question is – Why PPE is so important nowadays? What does it consist of? How effective is it in providing protection against COVID-19? Who uses PPE and how is it used? To get answers to all these questions, read on to know in detail.
What is Personal Protective Equipment?
Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is an equipment used by healthcare workers. PPE not only protects the medical practitioners including doctors, nurses, etc. from getting infected while treating the COVID-19 infected patients but also helps to slow the spread of the deadly disease.What Does a PPE Kit Contain?
A PPE kit consists of medical protective clothing, face masks, face shield, head cover, goggles, gloves, shoe covers, and more. This kit provides protection against the highly infectious virus.Why PPE is Being Widely Used These Days?
PPE is being widely used in USA and around the world to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus. The use of personal protective equipment in healthcare systems is mandatory as it protects the healthcare professionals who are on frontlines to save lives of COVID+ patients.Today, every PPE manufacturing company is producing high-quality, medical-grade PPE to ensure an adequate supply of PPE to healthcare systems and help them in the fight against COVID-19.
Why Is It Important to Use Personal Protective Equipment?
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are strongly advised to make use of PPE while treating COVID-19 infected patients or entering healthcare settings. PPE is important in several ways:• PPE helps in containing the spread of the deadly virus – COVID-19 from one person to another.
• It provides protection to the lungs of a healthy person while inhaling contaminated air.
• It also protects the eyes of the healthy person from the infectants present in the contaminated air.
• PPE is also useful in protecting skin from coming in direct contact with the infected materials or surfaces.
• PPE is made up of impermeable fabric which acts as a barrier between the infected materials and the body parts, especially the skin.
Where Is PPE Used?
PPE is primarily used by all the frontline warriors including medical professionals in hospitals, labs, etc. to reduce the spread of coronavirus.How Does PPE Provide Protection Against Coronavirus?
Since coronavirus or COVID-19 is highly infectious and spreads mainly through respiratory droplets, either directly or through infected materials, PPE can act as a barrier between the body parts such as skin and the contaminated objects.What’s the Procedure to Put On/Don PPE Gear?
Before entering the healthcare setting of an infected patient or treating the patients, make sure you put on PPE gear properly. Healthcare systems should provide training and practice to healthcare workers on the proper use and handling of personal protective equipment gears. Below is an example of donning PPE gear’ there may be more than one donning method acceptable. As a medical professional, you should follow the below-given steps to put on PPE gear.• Identify and collect the proper PPE to put on. Make sure the chosen gown is a perfect fit.
• Practice hand hygiene using hand sanitizer or wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Put on medical protective clothing and tie all of its ties. You may require assistance from other healthcare personnel.
• Consider wearing the NIOSH-approved N95 filtering respirator. If a respirator is not available, you may use a medical-grade face mask. If the respirator has a nosepiece, make sure you fit it to the nose using both your hands, not bent or tented. Avoid pinching the nosepiece with one hand. Respirator or facemask should be stretched under the chin, covering both your mouth and nose completely. Never wear respirator or facemask below your chin or store in scrub’s pocket between patients.
Respirator: Make sure you place the top strap of the respirator on crown of your head and the bottom strap on the base of your neck. Perform a user seal check whenever you put on the respirator.
Face Mask: The top tie of the face mask should be secured on the crown of your head and the bottom tie on the base of your neck. If the mask has loops, hook them properly around your ears.
• Put on Goggles or Face Shields appropriately. When you wear an N95 respirator or half facepiece elastomeric respirator, make sure you select the right eye protection gear to ensure that respirator does not disturb the correct positioning of the eye protection, and the eye protection does not affect the seal or fit of the respirator. Face shields should cover the full face. Goggles also provide eye protection; however, fogging remains a common problem.
• Put on gloves and the gloves should cover the cuff/wrist of isolation gown.
• Now, you are ready to enter the patient’s room for care and treatment.
What’s the Procedure to Take off/Doff PPE Gear?
Removing PPE gear after use is also critical to the health of medical staff. Training and practice on the proper handling of personal protective equipment is a must in healthcare systems. Below is an example of doffing, however, more than one doffing method may be acceptable. As a medical professional, you should follow the below-given steps to take off PPE gear.• Take off gloves carefully. While removing gloves, make sure it does not cause additional contamination of hands. Gloves can either be removed using glove-in-glove or bird-beak technique
• Next, remove the isolation gown. Untie all ties or unsnap all buttons of the gown. Some gown ties can be broken. However, you must do it gently and carefully. Reach up to your shoulders and pull your gown down and away from your body. You may roll the gown down and then dispose it off in the trash receptacle immediately.
• You may now exit the patient’s room.
• Sanitize your hand or wash them with soap for at least 20 seconds.
• Remove your goggles or face shield carefully by grabbing the strap and pulling upwards and away from your head. Avoid touching the front of the face shield or goggles.
• Take off or dispose off the respirator or the face mask if it is intended for one-time use only. Avoid touching the front of the face mask or respirator.
Respirator: Hold the bottom strap and bring it carefully over your head. Then grab the top strap and bring it carefully over your head, and then pull the respirator away from your face. Do not touch the front of the respirator.
Face Mask: Untie or unhook your face mask carefully and pull it away from your face without touching the front of the face mask.
Lastly, perform hand hygiene after taking off the respirator or face mask and before reusing it if your workplace is practicing reuse of respirators or face masks.
disposable nitrile gloves
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