Open AccessProphylactic Dressings for Maintaining Skin Integrity of Healthcare Workers When Using N95 Respirators While Preventing Contamination Due to the Novel Coronavirus
Author(s) -
Michelle Pacis,
Annielyn Azor-Ocampo,
Emily Burnett,
Chutiwan Tanasapphaisal,
Bernice Coleman
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing/journal of wocn
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.635
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1528-3976
pISSN - 1071-5754
DOI - 10.1097/won.0000000000000713
Subject(s) - respirator , personal protective equipment , medicine , covid-19 , aerosolization , medical emergency , infectious disease (medical specialty) , materials science , anesthesia , pathology , inhalation , disease , composite material
Extended use of N95 respirator masks is far more prevalent during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As WOC nurses, we were tasked with formulating procedures for protecting the facial skin integrity of healthcare workers (HCWs) using personal protective devices when caring for patients with suspected or active COVID-19, while avoiding contamination when the masks are donned or doffed. This quality improvement project describes how we approached this project within the limited time frame available as we cared for patients with established and suspected COVID-19.