PGIMER to study common errors healthcare workers make while removing PPE
The act of removing the PPE is more important than that of putting it on as it is a high-risk activity
With the rise in Covid-19 cases among healthcare workers, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research(PGIMER) has decided to study the common errors made by them in removing their personal protective equipment (PPE).
Around 27 healthcare workers in the hospitals of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali have tested positive, many of who acquired it while tending to the Covid-19 patients.
It takes 30 minutes each to put on and remove the PPE worn by healthcare workers looking after Covid-19 patients.
The act of removing the PPE is more important than that of putting it on as it is a high-risk activity and needs to be done in enough time as a single breach in the procedure will directly bring the healthcare worker in contact with the virus.
Sukhpal Kaur, a faculty member of PGIMER’s National Institute of Nursing Education (NINE) and a principal investigator of the project, said that they are studying the errors healthcare professionals usually make even after the live instructions are passed onto them.
“The analysis is underway, but there are several mistakes which they can make like the sequence in which the PPEs should be removed and scrubbing and washing of hands, all these aspects will be covered which will help decrease the spread of the virus,” he said