A Mobile Application to Guide Healthcare Professionals in the Correct Technique for Personal Protective Equipment Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives The present study aimed to develop an application to guide healthcare professionals on using personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent and treat skin lesions caused by these devices. Methods This is a study on technological production. The framework for application development consisted in the following phases: Phase 1–“Design: identification of application development requirements;” Phase 2–“Application prototype development”: including an integrative literature review in major databases; Phase 3–“Application construction”: elaboration of the decision tree, algorithm, database structuring, and software development; Phase 4–“Transition”: application functionality test. Result Our application Simplifica EPI is an innovative technology; this software is a tool to assist healthcare professionals in using PPE. In addition, it describes how to prevent and care for skin lesions caused by PPE. Simplifica EPI has 25 screens and 32 images. It will be available on the Google Play Store after its registration with the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property. Conclusions After an integrative literature review, the application Simplifica EPI was developed as an innovative technology with great potential for use by healthcare professionals.

Construção e validação de algoritmo para desinfecção de ambulância para transporte de pacientes com doenças infectocontagiosas

“…Estudos apontam que materiais educativos têm como principais objetivos informar, aumentar o conhecimento, desenvolver e aperfeiçoar habilidades e subsidiar tomadas de decisões (13)(14)(15) . O algoritmo desenvolvido e validado neste estudo visa proporcionar assistência com segurança tanto para profissionais que trabalham no transporte de pacientes com doenças infectocontagiosas como para o indivíduo que está sendo transportado na ambulância.…”

“…O algoritmo desenvolvido e validado neste estudo visa proporcionar assistência com segurança tanto para profissionais que trabalham no transporte de pacientes com doenças infectocontagiosas como para o indivíduo que está sendo transportado na ambulância. Esse instrumento também pode auxiliar profissionais das áreas da saúde que transportam indivíduos com doença infectocontagiosa, oferecendo condutas para desinfecção e limpeza da unidade móvel com o objetivo de prevenir que profissionais e usuários se contaminem durante o transporte (12)(13)(14)(15) .…”

“…O algoritmo foi desenvolvido após revisão da literatura de acordo com vários estudos nos quais se preconiza que esses instrumentos devem ser construídos após revisão bibliográfica e serem validados quanto ao conteúdo (13)(14)(15)(16) . Assim, a tecnologia educativa foi criada com base em subsídios científicos, possibilitando a sua implementação na prática clínica e na prestação da assistência sistematizada, individualizada e personalizada, com menor risco ao paciente e minimização de danos e eventos adversos (13)(14)(15)(16) .…”

Thermal discomfort caused by personal protective equipment in healthcare workers during the delta COVID-19 pandemic in Guangzhou, China: A case study

“…Given their high person-to-person transmissibility, the necessity of PPE to prevent transmission to HCWs was experienced during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, Ebola epidemic, and the COVID-19 outbreak [ [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] ]. However, there is increasing concern about the thermal stress caused by PPE during various scenarios.…”

FFP3 Feelings and Clinical Experience (FaCE). Facial pressure injuries in healthcare workers from FFP3 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…This has also been converted to a mobile-friendly resource providing insight into appropriately wearing and removing PPE to prevent their associated injuries. 17 During this time, staff included in the study were given some respite, and new guidance and approaches to respiratory PPE were made. One significant change leading into the second wave was the introduction of personal respirator masks which have several potential advantages.…”