Source avec lien : Journal of Hospital Infection, (124). 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.03.004
Les équipements de protection individuelle (EPI) offrent une protection contre les infections et les matières dangereuses. Les progrès technologiques ont permis une amélioration rapide des EPI respiratoires, mais des évaluations dans le monde réel sont nécessaires pour comprendre si les nouveaux dispositifs offrent une plus grande facilité d’utilisation et surmontent les obstacles courants à une utilisation correcte. Nous avons enquêté sur les expériences des utilisateurs d’un nouveau dispositif EPI, CleanSpace® HALO™, par rapport aux masques et respirateurs existants, afin de déterminer les avantages et les inconvénients.
Background Personal protective equipment (PPE) offers protection from infections and hazardous materials. Advances in technology have seen rapid improvement of respiratory PPEs but real-world evaluations are needed to understand whether newer devices offer greater usability and overcome common barriers to correct use. We surveyed the user experiences of a new PPE device, CleanSpace® HALO™, in comparison to existing masks and respirators to determine advantages and disadvantages. Methods We surveyed frontline healthcare workers of a large healthcare provider cluster in Singapore with practical experience of using respiratory PPEs, including the CleanSpace® HALO™. Specifically, we explored ease of communication, comfort, usability, ability to provide care, perceived effectiveness, barriers, and enablers to respiratory PPE use. Findings A total of 93 respondents were included in the analysis. We found CleanSpace® HALO™ was rated highly in terms of perceived safety (92%), comfort (40%) and ease of donning and doffing (53%). CleanSpace® HALO™ was less disruptive to patient care (8%), although the ability to communicate effectively remained an obstacle (22%). Respondents also noted the incomplete facial protection provided by CleanSpace® HALO™. Conclusions Respiratory protective devices are integral to effective infection control protocols, but their usefulness are limited by their impact on care delivery and incorrect use. The CleanSpace® HALO™ provided advantages over existing Powered Air Purifying Respirator devices but some issues remain. Future iterations must strive to overcome communication challenges and address common side effects. Better education is also needed to improve user confidence with CleanSpace® HALO™.