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Citation
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Schumacher J, Bond AR, Woodham V, Buckingham A, Garnham F, Brinker A. Prehosp. Disaster Med. 2015; 30(3): 254-258. |
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Abstract
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Introduction An adequate level of personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary when treating patients with highly infectious diseases or those contaminated with hazardous substances.
METHODS: Following National Institute for Health Research's Research Centre (London, United Kingdom) approval, the authors of this study conducted a survey of specialist registrars' knowledge of the respiratory and skin protection requirements needed during a resuscitation scenario with Advanced Life Support. Participant responses were compared to UK national recommendations and to a previous survey in 2009.
RESULTS: A total of 98 specialist registrars (in Anesthesiology, n=51; in Emergency Medicine (EM), n=21; and in Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) n=26) completed hand-delivered surveys. The best knowledge of PPE requirements (76%) was found for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), with less knowledge about PPE requirements for anthrax, plague, Ebola virus disease (EVD), and smallpox (60%). The results show limited knowledge of PPE requirements (20%-30%) for various chemical warfare agents. Personal protective equipment knowledge regarding treatment of sarin-contaminated casualties was over-rated by 80%, and for patients with EVD, it was over-rated by up to 67% of participants.
CONCLUSION: The results of the tested cohort indicate that current knowledge regarding PPE for chemical warfare agents remains very limited. Schumacher J , Bond AR , Woodham V , Buckingham A , Garnham F , Brinker A. Survey of UK health care first responders' knowledge of personal protective equipment requirements. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(3):1 5.
Language: en |