A healthy degree of suspicion: A discussion of the implementation of transmission based precautions in the emergency department

Risk assessment and the use of personal protective equipment in an emergency department: Differing perspectives of emergency and infection control clinicians. A video-vignette survey

BACKGROUND

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in emergency departments (EDs) is an important defense during infectious disease emergencies. However, what counts as appropriate PPE in EDs is contentious and inconsistently implemented in practice.

METHODS

An online scenario-based video survey was distributed through purposive sampling, and completed by 270 ED and infection prevention and control clinicians in Australia. A descriptive content analysis was performed on the data, and differences between groups were tested using Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

Participants agreed that most items were required in both scenarios. Eye protection, mask use, and hand hygiene frequency were more contentious. Physicians were more likely than nurses, and ED clinicians more likely than infection prevention and control clinicians, to regard items or actions as optional rather than essential. Many ED clinicians, particularly physicians, regarded sequences as too time-consuming to be practical in a busy ED.

DISCUSSION

Our findings likely reflect differences in professional roles, competing priorities, and risks, and highlight important contextual characteristics of EDs, such as diagnostic uncertainty, equipment inaccessibility, and resource constraints.

CONCLUSIONS

To be feasible, practicable, and thereby effective, PPE guidance in the ED must be designed collaboratively with frontline ED staff, and reflects the complexities of their practice.

A time-motion study on impact of spatial separation for empiric airborne precautions in emergency department length of stay

AIMS

To evaluate the impact of spatial separation on patient flow in the emergency department.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective, time-and-motion analysis conducted from 15 to 22 August, 2022 at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During this duration, spatial separation was implemented in critical and semi-critical zones to separate patients with symptoms of respiratory infections into respiratory area, and patients without into non-respiratory area. This study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.

METHODS

Patients triaged to critical and semi-critical zones were included in this study. Timestamps of patient processes in emergency department until patient departure were documented.

RESULTS

The emergency department length-of-stay was longer in respiratory area compared to non-respiratory area; 527 min (381-698) versus 390 min (285-595) in critical zone and 477 min (312-739) versus 393 min (264-595) in semi-critical zone. In critical zone, time intervals of critical flow processes and compliance to hospital benchmarks were similar in both areas. More patients in respiratory area were managed within the arrival-to-contact ≤30 min benchmark and more patients in non-respiratory area had emergency department length-of-stay ≤8 h.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of spatial separation in infection control should address decision-to-departure delays to minimise emergency department length of stay.

IMPACT

The study evaluated the impact of spatial separation on patient flow in the emergency department. Emergency department length-of-stay was significantly prolonged in the respiratory area. Hospital administrators and policymakers can optimise infection control protocols measures in emergency departments, balancing infection control measures with efficient patient care delivery.

REPORTING METHOD

STROBE guidelines.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

None.

TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

The study obtained ethics approval from the institution's Medical Ethics Committee (MREC ID NO: 20221113-11727).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The author has checked and make sure our submission has conformed to the Journal's statistical guideline. There is a statistician on the author team (Noor Azhar).

Hospital health care workers' use of facial protective equipment before the COVID-19 pandemic, implications for future policy

BACKGROUND

Prepandemic routine use of facial (respiratory and eye) protective equipment (FPE) by health care workers was suboptimal. Understanding factors affecting routine use would facilitate escalation to high level use during infectious disease emergencies. This study explored health care workers FPE-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors.

METHODS

Mixed methods were used in a respiratory ward and adult and pediatric emergency departments (EDs), prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Study design and thematic analysis were based on the theoretical domains framework. Emergent themes were categorized, using the COM-B behavior model, into capability(C), opportunity(O) and motivation(M), which influence behavior(B).

RESULTS

22 emergent themes, representing factors influencing FPE use, were mapped to theoretical domains framework domains. Personal experience and departmental cultures influenced motivation. Compared with respiratory ward staff, ED clinicians were less knowledgeable about FPE; the unique ED environment and culture inhibited opportunities and motivation for FPE use. Eye protection was infrequently used.

DISCUSSION

Optimal FPE use is challenged by ED care models and settings. Changes are needed to translate pandemic-related improvements into routine care of other respiratory infections.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified key determinants of FPE behavior. A review of context-specific FPE guidance for ED by infection prevention and control professionals would help to promote practicable, sustainable compliance.

Investigating the Strategies Adopted by Emergency Nurses to Address Uncertainty and Change in the Event of Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Grounded Theory Study

Emergency nurses frequently encounter uncertainty and changes during the management of emerging infectious diseases, which challenge their capability to perform their duties in a well-planned and systematic manner. To date, little is known about the coping strategies adopted by emergency nurses in addressing uncertainty and changes during an epidemic event. The present study explored emergency nurses’ behaviours and strategies in handling uncertainty and practice changes during an epidemic event. A qualitative study based on the Straussian grounded theory approach was established. Semi-structured, face-to-face, individual interviews were conducted with 26 emergency nurses for data collection. Adapting protocol to the evolving context of practice was revealed as the core category. Four interplaying subcategories were identified: (1) Completing a comprehensive assessment, (2) continuing education for emerging infectious disease management, (3) incorporating guideline updates and (4) navigating new duties and competencies. The nurses demonstrated the prudence to orientate themselves to an ambiguous work situation and displayed the ability to adapt and embrace changes in their practice and duties. These findings offer insights into the need for education and training schemes that allow emergency nurses to acquire and develop the necessary decision-making and problem-solving skills to handle a public health emergency.

Evaluating the impact of a mass gathering (2018 Commonwealth Games) on emergency department presentations with communicable diseases: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To identify the impact of a mass gathering event (MGE) on emergency department (ED) patient presentations with communicable diseases and underpinning syndromic indicators (SIs).

METHODS

This retrospective observational cohort study was undertaken in one large public teaching hospital ED in Queensland, Australia. Routinely collected ED data for patient presentations with an ICD-10 diagnosis corresponding to a communicable disease were used to compare demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes before (March 23 to April 3), during (April 4 to April 15), and after (April 16 to April 27) the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

RESULTS

Over the study period, there were 10 595 patient presentations to the ED; 14.2% (n = 1503) were diagnosed with a communicable disease. The median age of those with a communicable disease was 8 years, 50.5% (n = 759) were female, and 24.8% (n = 373) arrived by ambulance. The most common communicable disease profile was respiratory in nature (51.4%, n = 772). The most common SI was altered breathing (24.0%, n = 185). ED length of stay (LOS) increased over the study period (pre: 160 min; during: 163 min; post: 180 min, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The 2018 Commonwealth Games had an impact on ED presentations with communicable diseases, in terms of LOS. A longer LOS and higher percentage of patients with a LOS of more than 4 hrs in the ED were noted following the MGE period. This outcome indicates a potential need to continue with up-scaled services. Future research is required to understand the broader impact on other EDs in the area, and longitudinal patient follow-up is needed to determine the potential spread of communicable diseases.

Comparing inpatient versus emergency department clinician perceptions of personal protective equipment for different isolation precautions

Adherence to isolation precaution practices, including use of personal protective equipment (PPE), remains a challenge in most hospitals. We surveyed inpatient and emergency department clinicians about their experiences and opinions of various isolation policies, specifically those related to wearing PPE. Our findings show several differences between inpatient and emergency department clinicians involving perceptions related to safety, and the difficulty associated with using PPE for certain types of organisms.

Instilling a culture of cleaning: Effectiveness of decontamination practices on non-disposable sphygmomanometer cuffs

Background

Sphygmomanometers and their cuffs are non-critical items that can act as a fomite for transmission of pathogens which may cause healthcare-associated infection (HAI), leading to an argument that disposable equipment improves patient safety.

Aim

The aim of this study was to demonstrate that decontamination decreased in microbial contamination of non-disposable sphygmomanometer cuffs, providing evidence to negate the need to purchase, and dispose of, single-patient-use cuffs, reducing cost and environmental impact.

Methods

A pre-post intervention study of available sphygmomanometer cuffs and associated bedside patient monitors was conducted using a series of microbiological samples in a rural emergency department. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test analysed the effect of the decontamination intervention. To further examine the effect of the decontamination intervention, Mann-Whitney U-tests were conducted for each aspect.

Findings

Contamination was significantly higher before decontamination than afterwards (Z = -5.14, U = 55.0, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.61 inner; Z = -5.05, U = 53.5, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.59 outer).

Discussion

Decontamination of non-disposable sphygmomanometer cuffs decreases microbial load and risk of HAI, providing evidence to negate arguments for disposable cuffs while being environmentally sensitive and supportive of a culture of patient safety and infection control.