Abstract 227: Cover Up- It's a Code Blue: Protecting Staff without Compromising Patient Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals across the globe have been challenged with following the chain of survival with Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) metrics of time to epinephrine, CPR and early defibrillation while ensuring resuscitation teams are protected with recommended PPE. Healthcare organizations are seeking innovative processes to implement PPE during resuscitation events (codes) while maintaining a timely response. Hypothesis: Utilization of for PPE for Airborne Precautions for all resuscitation events can be achieved without compromising patient outcomes or GWTG metrics. Methods: In collaboration with Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC), the Resuscitation Subcommittee at an academic medical center developed a modified airborne PPE workflow for both inpatient and outpatient resuscitation events. For staff safety, all patients are considered as COVID-19 positive during a code response. Identifying timely donning and doffing techniques of PPE as paramount for maintaining GWTG metrics, a Safety Officer was implemented as an additional member of the code team. The role of the Safety Officer is to assist with the PPE process and to monitor code team compliance. Other measures implemented included attaching PPE supply bags to all code carts for easy access, adding viral filters on the bag valve masks, conducting educational mock code events, and providing online resources for staff. To measure process outcomes, pre COVID-19 pandemic GWTG metrics, mortality, and survival to discharge rates were compared with COVID-19 metrics utilizing the modified airborne PPE workflow. Conclusions: Despite additional use of PPE, the hospital has maintained patient outcomes and adhered to the GWTG resuscitation measures of time to epinephrine, CPR and defibrillation while ensuring the utmost safety of the code team during the COVID-19 pandemic. Table 1: GWTG-Award Measures *Preliminary Results