Hostname: page-component-669899f699-b58lm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-28T04:46:52.397Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A survey of healthcare workers on the acceptance and value of personal protective equipment for patient care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2024

Gregory M. Schrank Open the ORCID record for Gregory M. Schrank [Opens in a new window] ,
Lyndsay M. O’Hara ,
Lisa Pineles ,
Saskia Popescu Open the ORCID record for Saskia Popescu [Opens in a new window] ,
Jessica P. Brown ,
Larry Magder  and
Anthony D. Harris
Gregory M. Schrank*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Lyndsay M. O’Hara
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Lisa Pineles
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Saskia Popescu
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Jessica P. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Larry Magder
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Anthony D. Harris
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Institute for Health Computing, University of Maryland, North Bethesda, MD, USA VA Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore, MD, USA
*
Corresponding author: Gregory M Schrank; Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

Assess healthcare workers’ (HCW) attitudes toward universal masking, and gowns and gloves used as part of transmission-based precautions.

Design:

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting:

Academic, tertiary care medical center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Participants:

HCW who work in patient care areas and have contact with patients.

Methods:

In May 2023, a 15-question web-based survey was distributed by the hospital’s communications team via email. The survey contained questions to assess HCW perceptions of universal masking policies prior to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and at the time of the survey, and the use of gowns and gloves for transmission-based precautions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Differences in agreement with universal masking over time, level of agreement with gown and glove policies, and with all PPE types across respondent characteristics were assessed.

Results:

257 eligible respondents completed the survey. Nurses and patient care technicians (43%) and providers (17%) were the most commonly reported roles. Agreement with universal mask use decreased from 84% early in the pandemic to 55% at the time of the survey. 70% and 72% of HCW agreed masks protect themselves and others, respectively. 63% expressed any level of annoyance with mask wearing, the most often due to communication challenges or physical discomfort. 75% agreed with gown use for antibiotic-resistant bacteria compared with 90% for glove use.

Conclusions:

The majority of HCW agree with the use of PPE to prevent pathogen transmission in the healthcare setting. Agreement with universal mask use for patient care shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 45 , Issue 12 , December 2024 , pp. 1410 - 1414
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2024.Google Scholar
Wang, X, Ferro, EG, Zhou, G, et al. Association between universal masking in a health care system and SARS-CoV-2 positivity among health care workers. JAMA 2020;324:703–04. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.12897.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shenoy, ES, Babcock, HM, Brust, KB, et al. Universal masking in health care settings: a pandemic strategy whose time has come and gone, for now. Ann Intern Med 2023;176:859–61. doi: 10.7326/M23-0793.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Landelle, C, Birgand, G, Price, JR, et al. Considerations for de-escalating universal masking in healthcare centers. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol 2023;3:e128. doi: 10.1017/ash.2023.200.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O’Hara, LM, Nguyen, MH, Calfee, DP, et al. Risk factors for transmission of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales to healthcare personnel gloves and gowns in the USA. J Hosp Infect 2021;109:58–64. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.012.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O’Hara, LM, Calfee, DP, Miller, LG, et al. optimizing contact precautions to curb the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals: a multicenter cohort study to identify patient characteristics and healthcare personnel interactions associated with transmission of Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus . Clin Infect Dis 2019;69:S171–S77. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciz621.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morgan, DJ, Liang, SY, Smith, CL, et al. Frequent multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii contamination of gloves, gowns, and hands of healthcare workers. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2010;31:716–21. doi: 10.1086/653201.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mehrotra, P, Croft, L, Day, HR, et al. Effects of contact precautions on patient perception of care and satisfaction: a prospective cohort study. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2013;34:1087–93. doi: 10.1086/673143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abad, C, Fearday, A, Safdar, N. Adverse effects of isolation in hospitalised patients: a systematic review. J Hosp Infect 2010;76:97–102. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2010.04.027.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schrank, GM, Snyder, GM, Davis, RB, et al. The discontinuation of contact precautions for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus: Impact upon patient adverse events and hospital operations. BMJ Qual Saf 2020;29:1–2. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008926.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, SM, Carpenter, J, Cua, B, et al. Therapists’ perception on quality of provider communication while wearing a mask: impact of a pandemic. J All Health 2023;52:211–18.Google Scholar
Murray, EJ, Cowger, TL, Hall, KT. Lifting universal school masking - Covid-19 incidence among students and staff. Reply. N Engl J Med 2023;389:580. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2215560.Google ScholarPubMed
Ertem, Z, Nelson, RE, Schechter-Perkins, EM, et al. Condition-dependent and dynamic impacts of indoor masking policies for Coronavirus disease 2019 mitigation: a nationwide, interrupted time-series analysis. Clin Infect Dis 2023;77:203–11. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad115.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Loeb, M, Bartholomew, A, Hashmi, M, et al. medical masks versus n95 respirators for preventing COVID-19 among health care workers : a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2022;175:1629–38. doi: 10.7326/M22-1966.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adenaiye, OO, Lai, J, Bueno de Mesquita, PJ, et al. Infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in exhaled aerosols and efficacy of masks during early mild infection. Clin Infect Dis 2022;75:e241–e48. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab797.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klompas, M, Milton, DK, Rhee, C, et al. Current insights into respiratory virus transmission and potential implications for infection control programs : a narrative review. Ann Intern Med 2021;174:1710–18. doi: 10.7326/M21-2780.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palmore, TN, For Patient Safety, Henderson DK., It is not time to take off masks in health care settings. Ann Intern Med 2023;176:862–63. doi: 10.7326/M23-1190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alzunitan, MA, Perencevich, EN, Edmond, MB. Assessing health care worker perceptions of face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Am J Infect Control 2021;49:521–22. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2020.09.006.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Popovich, KJ, Aureden, K, Ham, DC, et al. “Are contact precautions “essential” for the prevention of healthcare-associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus?”. Clin Infect Dis 2023;79:576–577. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad777.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Popovich, KJ, Aureden, K, Ham, DC, et al. SHEA/IDSA/APIC practice recommendation: strategies to prevent Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission and infection in acute-care hospitals: 2022 Update. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023;44:1039–67. doi: 10.1017/ice.2023.102.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Diekema, DJ, Nori, P, Stevens, MP, et al. Are contact precautions “essential” for the prevention of healthcare-asso ciated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus? Clin Infect Dis 2023;78:1289–1294. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bearman, GM, Harris, AD, Tacconelli, E. Contact precautions for the control of endemic pathogens: Finding the middle path. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol 2023;3:e57. doi: 10.1017/ash.2023.145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Manian, FA, Ponzillo, JJ. Compliance with routine use of gowns by healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-HCW visitors on entry into the rooms of patients under contact precautions. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007;28:337–40. doi: 10.1086/51081.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seibert, DJ, Speroni, KG, Oh, KM, et al. Preventing transmission of MRSA: a qualitative study of health care workers’ attitudes and suggestions. Am J Infect Control 2014;42:405–11. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2013.10.008.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burkitt, KH, Sinkowitz-Cochran, RL, Obrosky, DS, et al. Survey of employee knowledge and attitudes before and after a multicenter veterans’ administration quality improvement initiative to reduce nosocomial Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Am J Infect Control 2010;38:274–82. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2009.08.019.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harris, AD, Pineles, L, Belton, B, et al. Universal glove and gown use and acquisition of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the ICU: a randomized trial. JAMA 2013;310:1571–80. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.277815.Google ScholarPubMed
Dhar, S, Marchaim, D, Tansek, R, et al. Contact precautions: more is not necessarily better. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35:213–21. doi: 10.1086/675294.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roth, JA, Hornung-Winter, C, Radicke, I, et al. direct costs of a contact isolation day: a prospective cost analysis at a swiss university hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:101–03. doi: 10.1017/ice.2017.258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson, DJ, Addison, R, Lokhnygina, Y, et al. the antimicrobial scrub contamination and transmission (ASCOT) trial: a three-arm, blinded, randomized controlled trial with crossover design to determine the efficacy of antimicrobial-impregnated scrubs in preventing healthcare provider contamination. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1147–54. doi: 10.1017/ice.2017.181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bearman, GM, Rosato, A, Elam, K, et al. A crossover trial of antimicrobial scrubs to reduce Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus burden on healthcare worker apparel. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33:268–75. doi: 10.1086/664045.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Silva, MT, Galvao, TF, Chapman, E, et al. Dissemination interventions to improve healthcare workers’ adherence with infection prevention and control guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Implement Sci 2021;16:92. doi: 10.1186/s13012-021-01164-6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trivedi, KK, Schaffzin, JK, Deloney, VM, et al. Implementing strategies to prevent infections in acute-care settings. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023;44:1232–46. doi: 10.1017/ice.2023.103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

Schrank et al. supplementary material

Schrank et al. supplementary material
Download Schrank et al. supplementary material(File)
File 28.9 KB