Use Of Personal Protective Equipment Research Articles

'Family members screaming for help makes it very difficult to don PPE'. A qualitative study on UK ambulance staff experiences of infection prevention and control practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, ambulance staff continued to deliver direct patient care whilst simultaneously adapting to a considerable escalation in evolving infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. To enable learning to benefit future planning, this qualitative article aims to describe ambulance staff's experiences of this rapid escalation of IPC practices. Three online surveys were presented during the acceleration, peak, and deceleration phases of the pandemic's first wave in the UK (2020). Overall, 18 questions contributed 14,237 free text responses that were examined using inductive thematic analysis at both descriptive and interpretive levels. Many participants lacked confidence in policies related to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) because of perceived inadequate supporting evidence, confusing communication, and low familiarity with items. Compliance with policy and confidence in PPE use were further influenced by discomfort, urgency, and perceptions of risk. Various suggestions were made to improve IPC practices within the work environment, including reducing unnecessary exposure through public education and remote triage improvements. Some participants' poor experiences of escalating IPC practices were shared with health care workers studied in other environments and in previous epidemics, emphasising the need for lessons to be learnt. PPE should be developed with consideration of ambulance staff's unique working environment and regular familiarisation training could be beneficial. Pragmatic, evidence-based, clearly communicated policies implemented with sufficient resources may protect staff and facilitate them to maintain standards of care delivery during a pandemic.

COVID-19 infection prevention and control for hospital workers in Indonesia.

The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 led to a global pandemic, posing unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems, particularly in hospitals. This study explores the intricacies of strategies employed for preventing and controlling COVID-19 in Indonesian hospitals, with a particular focus on the protocols, challenges, and solutions faced by healthcare professionals. Using a cross-sectional analysis, we examined 27 hospitals and uncovered disparities in their preparedness levels. During our investigation, we observed the robust implementation of infection prevention measures, which encompassed stringent protocols, adequate ventilation, and proper use of personal protective equipment. However, shortcomings were identified in areas such as surveillance, mental health support, and patient management. This study underscores the importance of addressing these gaps, suggesting tailored interventions, and continuous training for healthcare staff. Effective leadership, positive team dynamics, and adherence to comprehensive policies emerge as pivotal factors. Hospitals should strengthen weak areas, ensure the ethical execution of emergency protocols, and integrate technology for tracking and improving standard operating procedures. By enhancing the knowledge and skills of healthcare workers and maintaining strong management practices, hospitals can optimize their efforts in COVID-19 prevention and control, thereby safeguarding the wellbeing of professionals, patients, and communities.

Pediatric endoscopy in times of pandemic: A nationwide retrospective analysis

BackgroundGastrointestinal endoscopy is a procedure that carries an increased risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection to medical staff. In patients, COVID-19 is a risk factor for adverse events of medical procedures. This study analyzed the real-life risk of, and factors contributing to, infection transmission to endoscopic personnel, and possible adverse events of the endoscopy procedure and anesthesia in children with COVID-19. MethodsNationwide retrospective analysis of medical records of children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy in Poland between February 2020 and February 2022. ResultsFifty-eight patients were included in the analysis, 35% of whom had COVID-19 symptoms at the time of endoscopy. The dominant indications for endoscopy were foreign body or corrosive substance ingestion and gastrointestinal bleeding. Nine cases of virus transmission were registered among endoscopic personnel. In all of these cases, the endoscopy team was unaware of the patient's infection (p < 0.01), although symptoms were present in 78% of the children. Lack of use of personal protective equipment was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 transmission (p < 0.01). The risk of infection was not statistically significantly dependent on the method of anesthesia, intubation or the type of endoscopy. No statistically significant correlation was found between symptomatic infection and adverse events of endoscopy or anesthesia occurrence. There was one reported anesthesia-related adverse event involving extubation difficulties due to worsening respiratory infection symptoms. ConclusionsThe risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to endoscopic personnel during procedures in children is low and depends on compliance with infection prevention and control measures. Performing gastrointestinal endoscopy in children with COVID-19 does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of adverse events.

Compliance of Nurses in the Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Private Hospital in Western Indonesia

Background: Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which spreads through droplets, aerosols, and contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth with hands contaminated by the virus. One preventive measure is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Nurse compliance in using PPE can have positive impacts on nurses. The research objective is to assess the overview of nurse compliance in the use of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Objectives: This research aims to determine nurse compliance with the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Methods: The research method employs a quantitative approach with an analytical descriptive research design. A Purposive sampling technique was used to select 49 nurses as the research sample. The instrument used was a questionnaire, and univariate data analysis was conducted. The study was conducted from March 30 to April 13, 2022.&#x0D; Results: The findings of this research indicate that the level of nurse compliance in using PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic falls into the compliant category, with all 49 nurses (100%) exhibiting compliance.&#x0D; Conclusion: Nurses demonstrate compliance in using PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessing infection prevention and control programs in residential aged care in Australia: A multi-methods cross-sectional study.

To assess infection prevention and control programs in residential aged care facilities. A cross-sectional survey and structured interviews from 10 residential aged care facilities in Victoria, Australia, were used. Infection prevention and control nurse leads from each facility completed a purpose-built survey based on best practice infection prevention control program core components, including staff training, policies and procedures, governance, and surveillance. Follow-up interviews with residential aged care staff, residents and family visitors were carried out to elaborate and verify survey data. Surveys from all 10 facilities were received and 75 interviews carried out. All facilities had an infection prevention and control lead nurse who had undergone additional training, and 60% of facilities had an infection prevention and control lead position description. All facilities had a committee to oversee their infection prevention and control program, and all had policies and procedures for standard and transmission-based precautions. One facility did not have a policy on healthcare-associated infection surveillance, and two facilities did not have an antimicrobial stewardship policy. All facilities provided staff training in hand hygiene and personal protective equipment use, but not all routinely assessed competency in these. The residential aged care facilities' infection prevention and control programs were generally in a strong position, although there were some areas that require improvement. Further assessment of the quality of infection prevention and control program components, such as content of education and training, and policies and procedures, and ongoing evaluation of programs is recommended. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 358-363.

Clinical Manifestations of an Outbreak of Monkeypox Virus in Captive Chimpanzees in Cameroon, 2016.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a reemerging virus of global concern. An outbreak of clade I MPXV affected 20 captive chimpanzees in Cameroon in 2016. We describe the epidemiology, virology, phylogenetics, and clinical progression of this outbreak. Clinical signs included exanthema, facial swelling, perilaryngeal swelling, and eschar. Mpox can be lethal in captive chimpanzees, with death likely resulting from respiratory complications. We advise avoiding anesthesia in animals with respiratory signs to reduce the likelihood of death. This outbreak presented a risk to animal care staff. There is a need for increased awareness and a One Health approach to preparation for outbreaks in wildlife rescue centers in primate range states where MPXV occurs. Control measures should include quarantining affected animals, limiting human contacts, surveillance of humans and animals, use of personal protective equipment, and regular decontamination of enclosures.

Vaccination and Pandemic Control in Bangladesh: Post Vaccination COVID-19 Positive Cases among Health Care Providers

Vaccination was started on a trial basis in Bangladesh from 27th January, 2021 and started mass vaccination from 7th February, 2021. Since starting of mass vaccination it was noticed that, the health care providers (HCPs) who received two doses of Astra-Zeneca were then reported of being infected. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the period of July to December 2021 and data were collected from July to August 2021. The main objective was to measure the proportion of post vaccinated Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) positive cases among healthcare providers working in different healthcare facilities in Bangladesh and aimed to collect available evidence to characterize these infections and correlations with different co-morbidities. This study was carried out among 450 vaccinated HCPs who received 2 doses of vaccine at various health care facilities (HCFs) from 32 districts of Bangladesh. Data were collected from HCPs (Doctors, Nurses, Lab technician) who willing to participate irrespective of age and sex. Among the HCPs nearly three-fourth (71.6%) was doctors, 21.3% nurses and 7.1% were lab technologists. Here, most of the (88.0%) respondents were in age group 21 to 40 years and other 22.0% was in age group 41 to 59 years. The number of Male-female respondents was equal and 77.8% of the respondents was Muslim followed by Hinduism (20.2%), Buddhist and Christian 2.0%. Study finds that 27.6% of the respondents was post vaccination COVID-19 positive (PVC-19+) (according to their rt-PCR test result). Less than one-fifth (18.7%) of the respondents had pre-existing co-morbidities among them 8.2% was suffering from hypertension (HTN), 6.0% asthma, 4% Diabetes Mellitus (DM), 2.0% Obesity, 1.1% ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 1.1% was others co-morbidities. Among the PVC-19+ cases most of them (84.6%) were in age group 21-40 years, male-female ratio was 1:0.9 and 81.5% was Muslim. More than three-fourth (77.4%) of positive cases were doctors, 17.7% nurses and 4.8% was lab technicians; among the PVC-19+ cases 87.9% was symptomatic. Three-fourth (75%) of the positive cases had fever, 51.6% had lost of smell and taste, 49.2% showed fatigue/ or malaise, 48.4% dry cough, 43.5% headache, 26.6% runny nose, 25.8% felt muscle pain, 19.4% sore throat, 18.5% shortness of breathing, 14.5% experienced joint pain, 9.7% had productive cough and 32.3% complained for other symptoms and signs. Majority of the PVC+19+ cases (57.26%) developed complications; among them 71.8% had tiredness/ fatigue, 31% difficulty in thinking/ concentrating, 21.1% headache, 19.7% cough, 15.5% dizziness, 14.1% loss of smell or taste, 12.7% joint or muscle pain, 12.7% fast-beating or pounding heart, 11.3% shortness of breathing, 8.5% chest pain and 29.9% developed other complications. Pre-existing co-morbidity was found in 66.94% of positive cases, among those 41.5% HTN, 36.6% asthma, 14.6% DM, 14.6% obesity, 4.9% IHD and 9.8% had others co-morbidity. Chi-square test for independence with α = 0.05 was done to assess association, hypertension (P = 0.009) and asthma (P = 0.001) with PVC-19+ cases was statistically significant. Hypertensive and asthmatic HCPs are more likely to be COVID-19 positive even after complete vaccination. Healthcare providers are at high risk for contracting COVID-19 and might become infected at home or nosocomially while caring for patients or interacting with other staff members. COVID-19 vaccination together with incessant use of personal protective equipment (PPE) might be recommended for HCPs to combat its pandemicity. Bangladesh Med J. 2022 Sept; 51(3): 1-9

Description of Occupational Contact Dermatitis Related to the Use of Personal Protective Equipment with a History of Atopy in Health Workers at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital.

Coronavirus disease 2019 was declared a pandemic by WHO in March 2020. The Indonesian Ministry of Health has recommended many prevention strategies including the use of hand sanitizers (HSs) and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially for healthcare workers. Previous research reported that the increase in the use of HS and PPE is directly proportional to the increase in the incidence of occupational skin diseases. To find out the prevalence of work-related contact dermatitis patients related to the use of PPE in healthcare workers at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, with a history of atopy dermatitis. This was a descriptive study including 104 healthcare workers. The results of the study were analysed using prevalence and frequency data distribution. In this study, we found that the majority of occupational skin diseases in healthcare workers are female (n = 64; 62.5%), and the most common age group was 31-33 years old (44.2%). The incidence of contact dermatitis due to the use of PPE in healthcare workers at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, was found only in 15 subjects (14.4%), and only 5 (33.3%) of them had a history of suffering from atopy dermatitis. There is high prevalence of contact dermatitis due to PPE at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan; in 104 research subjects, only 15 people (14.4%) suffered from work-related contact dermatitis with a history of atopy in 5 people (33.3%).

Motivate Nurses with Compliance in Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at The Jember Area Hospital

ABSTRACT During the current pandemic, nurses must use personal protective equipment properly. Nurses' compliance with the use of personal protective equipment needs self-motivation from nurses. This study aims to identify the motivation of nurses, identify compliance with the use of personal protective equipment, and analyze the relationship between motivation and compliance with the use of personal protective equipment. The independent variable in this study is motivation, while the dependent variable is nurse compliance. This study has 138 respondents using a sampling technique that is purposive sampling. The design of this study uses a type of correlation with a cross-sectional approach. Bivariate statistical test using Chi-Square. The results of this study are that the motivation of nurses is sufficient at 95.7%, compliance with the use of personal protective equipment is 90.6%, and there is no relationship between the motivation of nurses and the use of personal protective equipment at Hospital in Jember with p = 0.419 (p&gt;0.05). From this study, it was found that there was no relationship between the motivation of nurses and the use of personal protective equipment at the Hospital in Jember. The role of hospitals in increasing compliance with the use of personal protective equipment by conduct training on the use of personal protective equipment and preparing personal protective equipment for nurses. Keyword: Personal Protective Equipment, Compliance, Motivation

Enhancing First Responder Safety in Nuclear Radiological Emergencies: A Systematic Literature Review of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Training to Promote Self-Efficacy Among First Responders

Abstract Objective Nuclear radiological emergencies are classified as low frequency, but high impact events. Radiophobia and fear of deleterious outcomes often evokes hesitancy among responders. This review explored PPE use as a protective mechanism for responders’ safety and identified tools that promote PPE efficacy among first responders during nuclear radiological events. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted using five scientific databases. More than 5,500 articles were screened to identify literature relating to “PPE use” by first responders during “nuclear radiological events”. Results Regulatory agencies such as the IAEA and the NRC assert that PPE, (when worn correctly and consistently) minimizes radiation exposure. Adequate training of first responders emerged as a critical determinant to support appropriate PPE selection and usage during radiological emergencies. This included new employee trainings and refresher courses for existing employees. Pedagogical tools highlighted in the literature included tabletop exercises, safety huddles, trial runs for donning and doffing of new gear (with emphasis on air-fed suits), just-in-time training and virtual reality simulations. Conclusions Education on the effective use of PPE is essential to promote self-efficacy among medical staff and other first responders during nuclear radiological events. Comprehensive training will reduce unintended exposures, decrease hesitancy, and maximize employee safety.

An analysis on the relationship between safety measures and dermatological complaints among printing industry workers in Bangladesh

Background: Work-related skin diseases occupy approximately 50 percent of total occupational illnesses and areresponsible for an estimated 25 percent of all lost workdays globally in many industries including printing industries.This study aimed to reveal the characteristics of dermatological problems and safety measures among printing workersin Bangladesh. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 conveniently sampledprinting workers from 51 factories in September 2018. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate the risk factors for dermatologicalproblems. Results: Among 196 respondents 74.0% experienced dermatological problems after joining a printingjob. Only 30.1% of respondents were found using personal protective equipment (PPE). No use of PPE, barriercream, hand washing more than 4 times a day, and duty in the printing process had a significant association with skinproblems (P&lt;0.001). In the printing process, the workers who handled papers, chemicals, and machines and wereinvolved in cleaning machinery had a higher prevalence of dermatological problems. Logistic regression analysisshowed a significant association of skin problems among printing workers in Bangladesh with male (OR 0.23; 95%CI 0.06–0.98), higher monthly salaries (OR 17.98; 95% CI 3.14–103.08) and shorter daily work hours (OR 0.01;95% CI 0.01–0.56). Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of dermatological problems among printingworkers in Bangladesh. PPE usage, avoiding excessive hand washing, and hand cream would be helpful in avoidingdermatological problems among printing workers in Bangladesh.

Radiographer experiences of personal protective equipment during COVID-19 in Gauteng, South Africa

IntroductionAmidst the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) were found to be at a greater risk of becoming infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). This disease is highly contagious and is for the most part preventative if correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used while attending to patients. Subsequently, a lack of PPE in South Africa was putting the lives of health care workers at risk impacting on the functioning of the healthcare system. MethodsThis exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study used purposeful sampling to obtain data saturation. The study comprised twelve individual interviews with radiographers from both private and government hospitals in Gauteng, South Africa who worked in x-ray departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online video interviews were conducted. The transcripts of the interviews were further coded into themes and categorised using thematic analysis and verified by an independent coder. ResultsThe radiographers’ experiences of PPE during COVID-19 in Gauteng, South Africa generated 3 themes: radiographers’ experiences with PPE supplied during COVID-19, workplace practices and procedures for PPE during COVID-19 and emotional challenges faced during PPE shortage. DiscussionWhile there was an understandable fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus during the height of the pandemic. The researcher also believes that radiographers would benefit greatly by receiving training on how to use PPE correctly for infection control in highly stressful situations. Education is required for use of PPE when supply is scarce and the number of infected patients outweighs the quantities of PPE available. This study further found that there needs to be more support given to healthcare workers (HCW's) to assess their mental health and emotional stress experienced when facing a pandemic. ConclusionWhile COVID-19 has started to settle, the lessons learnt should inform recommendations on PPE use, regarding procurement and preservation. In addition, mental health assessments can be considered for radiographers during future pandemic.

Analysis of Health and Safety in The Production Floor of CV. XYZ Using Job Safety Analysis Method and the Hazard Identification Risk Assesment and Risk Control Approach

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a critical factor in the smooth operation of a company, involving machinery, tools, the work environment, raw materials and their processing, as well as the employees themselves. The company's issues regarding OHS culture and the inadequate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can lead to the risk of workplace accidents when employees perform their tasks. This research utilizes the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) method, which plays a role in risk identification, and the Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Risk Control (HIRARC) approach to determine the direction for the implementation of risk management and OHS in the company. This study focuses on the production process of CV. XYZ, with 35 employees. Primary data were obtained through direct observation and interviews, which were then analyzed based on potential hazards discovered. The hazard identification results in the production floor revealed a total of 71 hazards, which include 23 potential hazards in the casting process, 26 potential hazards in the machining process, and 22 potential hazards in the finishing process. Based on these potential hazards, they can be classified into risk categories, including 27 (38%) potential hazards categorized as low risk, 30 (42%) potential hazards categorized as moderate risk, and 4 (6%) potential hazards categorized as high risk. Risk control measures include elimination, substitution, technical controls, administrative controls, and the use of PPE.

Ocular Traumas among Artisans Received at the University Teaching Hospital in the Suru-Lere Zone of Cotonou, Benin

Introduction: Authors investigated the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and evolutionary aspects of ocular traumas among artisans received at the Suru-Lere University Teaching Hospital (CHUZ-SL) in Cotonou, Benin. Method: A retrospective study was conducted over a 5-year period at the Suru-Léré University Teaching Hospital by exhaustive recruitment of 715 patients consulting for ocular trauma during the period. Included in the study were the records of artisan patients received for ocular trauma during their activities. Results: In total, 89 cases of ocular traumas among artisans were collected, representing a frequency of 12.45%. The mean age of the patients was 30.60 ± 10.47 years. Male artisans were the most numerous (97.8%) with a sex ratio of 43.5. The most exposed professions were welders, accounting for 36%, followed by carpenters at 15.7%. The average consultation delay was from 24 hours to one week (61.8%). The right eye was the most affected, accounting for 51.7%. In the majority of cases, it was a trauma due to the projection of a superficial foreign body (84.30%). Predominant initial lesions were bulbar hyperemia (53.93%) and corneal ulcer (34.5%). Most patients underwent medical and surgical treatment (62.9%). Sequelae included corneal opacities (75.4%). Conclusion: Ocular traumas among artisans are quite frequent and can be prevented by the use of personal protective equipment.

The role of syndromic knowledge in Ethiopian veterinarians' treatment of cattle.

Veterinarians play a significant role in the treatment and prevention of livestock diseases at the farm level, safeguarding public health and ensuring food safety. In sub-Saharan Africa, access to quality veterinary services is a major challenge for livestock farmers due to the low number of publicly employed veterinarians, underfunding and privatisation of veterinary services. Low investment in veterinary services and infrastructure, including a lack of laboratories for diagnosis, has made veterinarians rely on their experience and knowledge of cattle disease symptoms developed over years of practice to diagnose and treat cattle diseases. A cross-sectional survey using a role-play approach was used to collect data on knowledge regarding cattle diseases among veterinarians in veterinary clinics and private practices in Addis Ababa, Oromia and Adama regions in Ethiopia. Veterinarians were given a number of disease scenarios based on "fictive disease symptoms" that are commonly manifested in a sick cow and asked to identify the disease what personal biosecurity they would use, diagnostic tests they would perform, treatments they would prescribe, treatment costs, and additional services and inputs they would recommend to the farmer. The results show that veterinarians could identify endemic cattle diseases through symptoms. The majority of veterinarians did not find it important to report notifiable diseases, a behaviour which could hamper disease surveillance and outbreak response. The advice and services the veterinarians said they would offer and recommend to farmers included improvement in feeding, vaccination, use of artificial insemination, and adoption of farm biosecurity measures that can reduce disease prevalence, and improve food safety, animal health and welfare. Low use of personal protective equipment and other protective biosecurity measures among veterinarians could expose them to zoonotic diseases. The study concludes that there is a need for increased funding for continuous training, improved access to animal health-related information, and investment in infrastructure such as laboratories to enable veterinarians to deliver quality animal health services.

Knowledge, practices, and self-reported health outcomes related to chemical use and safety among beauty salons and parlor workers in Polokwane, Limpopo Province.

daily, workers in beauty salons and parlors use different cosmetic products made of various chemicals. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, practices, and self-reported health outcomes related to chemical use and safety among workers in beauty salons and parlors. a quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 145 participants, randomly selected using a simple random sampling design. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the Knowledge, practices, and self-reported health outcomes related to chemical safety. Pearson´s correlation was used to assess the correlation between perception, awareness, and other study determinants. fifty-seven percent of participants had been working with chemicals for more than two years, and only 5% were smokers. There was a positive relationship between age and years of experience in the beauty and salon industry (r= 0.385; p < 0.001), while significant positive correlations between knowledge score with educational levels (r=0.444; p= <0.001) and formal training as a salon and beauty parlor worker (r=0.504; p= <0.001) were also found. Participants also reported symptoms such as headache (43%), nausea (23%), skin irritation (48%), eye irritation (39%), and respiratory illness-related symptoms (62%). there is a need for health and safety training in beauty salons and parlors, with emphasis on the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The findings of this study may serve as the baseline for the development of safety policies for all beauty salons and parlors in South Africa.

Respiratory Virus Transmission During Orthopaedic Surgery in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Survey of Knowledge and Clinical Practices

Healthcare workers are at high risk of contracting respiratory viruses at work by virtue of their increased levels of exposure [1,2,3]. Orthopaedic surgeons are particularly vulnerable due to aerosolization that occurs with the use of power tools [4,5]. Therefore, it is important for orthopaedic surgeons to be familiar with the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as a part of their risk-reduction strategies against respiratory viruses. This, however, is not an area that receives much attention in most orthopaedic surgical departments, especially in low and middle income countries (LMICs) where PPE may not be universally available [4,5]. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, beliefs and practices on PPE use by orthopaedic surgeons in a LMIC in the Eastern Caribbean. The data gleaned from this study would be valuable to inform future public health strategies in the face of evolving health challenges. This becomes especially important in light of the recent global pandemic with the respiratory virus, COVID-19.

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Doctor-Patient Relationship: A Qualitative Study in a Tertiary-Care Centre in Lebanon

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic imposed numerous constraints on medical practice and exacerbated preexisting vulnerabilities in Lebanon’s healthcare system, which was already grappling with instability due to concurrent political and economic crises. This situation had a complex impact on the doctor-patient relationship (DPR), with both negative and positive repercussions. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with physicians from various specialties practicing at a tertiary-care center in Lebanon. Our study aimed to 1) explore the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the DPR in Lebanon, and 2) provide recommendations for improving the DPR, healthcare policy, and education. Results: Thematic analysis of the data revealed that the pandemic had varying effects on the DPR. While both physicians and patients seemed to have developed a more favourable perception of the medical profession, communication between them appeared to be challenged by the use of personal protective equipment and patients’ concerns about close contact with physicians. The media played a vital role in educating and raising awareness during the pandemic but lacked organization and ethical standards, leading to anticipated fear and confusion among the society. Telemedicine emerged as an alternative means for communication and remote care but faced several obstacles including inadequate internet infrastructure and disruptions to physicians’ personal lives. Conclusion: Our qualitative study unveiled the multifaceted impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on perceiving the healthcare system, doctor-patient interactions, and the role of telemedicine in Lebanon, among others. These findings underscore the importance of effective communication in enhancing the DPR, the need to address misinformation on social media, and the imperative for systemic improvements to strengthen the resilience of Lebanon’s healthcare system.

Infection and the use of personal protective equipment among Primary Health Care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Resumo Objetivo: analisar a frequência e os fatores de risco associados à infecção por COVID-19 e a disponibilidade de Equipamentos de Proteção Individual utilizados por trabalhadores da atenção primária à saúde. Método: estudo transversal, com duração de seis meses, realizado no Rio Grande do Sul. Para a análise, realizou-se a análise descritiva, com comparação de amostras independentes pelo teste de Qui-quadrado de Pearson e Exato de Fisher (p&lt;0,05). Resultados: participaram do estudo 206 (27%) trabalhadores da saúde que apresentaram sintomas de COVID-19. Verificou-se associação estatística para as variáveis disponibilidade da máscara cirúrgica (p=0,003), buscar informações sobre o uso correto dos equipamentos de proteção individual (p=0,045), ter atendido pessoas com síndrome gripal (p=0,024) e acreditar que o maior risco para contaminação é atender um paciente positivo para coronavirus disease (p=0,001). Conclusão: a disponibilidade de equipamentos de proteção individual é indispensável para prevenção contra a COVID-19, com especial ênfase na utilização da máscara cirúrgica. Além disso, o estudo apontou a importância de fornecer os Equipamentos de Proteção Individual de forma articulada com a orientação assistencial para o seu uso.

High voltage in nuclear applications: Occupational safety aspects and standards

High voltage (HV) plays diverse and critical roles that in both nuclear power generation and nuclear instrumentation, contributing to the efficiency, safety, and precision of various processes within the nuclear domain. The basic detection component of nuclear instruments is the nuclear detector, which needs direct current HV power supply. Exposure to HV electrical systems can cause serious injuries, fatalities, and damage to equipment if proper safety measures are not followed. Comprehensive safety measures, such as proper training, adherence to safety procedures, use of personal protective equipment, equipment maintenance, regular inspections, and compliance with relevant safety standards and regulations, are essential to mitigate hazards arising from HV applications. HV safety and standards are critical aspects of HV occupational practices as they ensure the protection of personnel, machine, and workplace safety. A close study points to certain inadequacies and weaknesses in the existing standards. These include a lack of universal standards, insufficient coverage of nonelectric hazards or indirect safety hazards, deficient or no focus on human factors, and limited consideration of evolving and new technologies. In the last portion of this article, the standards followed at the High Voltage Pulsed Power Lab, Control Instrumentation Division, BARC are discussed along with the safety practices that are observed in the routine operation of different high voltage systems.