USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE DEVICES AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN CAIRO, EGYPT.

Document Type : Study paper

Authors

1 Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Introduction: Personal protective equipment (PPE) provide a physical barrier between the user and micro-organisms by preventing micro-organisms from contaminating the mucous membranes, airways, skin, clothing, hair and shoes of health care workers. Aim of the work: To describe the practice of nurses and physicians as regards usage of PPE and identify the factors affecting their adherence to using these equipment. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study among health care workers at El-Demerdash hospital (a teaching hospital in Cairo, Egypt). The study included (269) physicians (from demonstrators to professors) and (331) nurses. Participants answered a questionnaire which included items on socio-demographic and occupational characteristics, questions on practice, attitude of health care workers regarding the usage of personal protective equipments. A health education poster was prepared and used by researchers to transmit a message on the importance of using personal protective equipments among health care workers through face to face interviews. Results: It was found that the independent predictors of adherence among physicians were dealing with a patient known to have a blood borne disease, availability of PPE, senior example and past experience. While in nurses the independent predictors were also dealing with patients known to have a blood borne disease, availability of PPE together with no time to use PPE and training on a clear hospital policy. Conclusion: Increasing the awareness of health care workers about the importance of adherence to usage of PPE is very important and will help in reducing transmission of infection to them. Protection of health care workers from acquisition of infectious diseases can be achieved by compliance to established infection control guidelines including rigorous infection control practices, perspective instructions for the use of PPE and post exposure antiviral prophylaxis
 

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