Protection procedures and preventions against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 in healthcare settings for nursing personnel: Lessons from Taiwan

Background

Since coronavirus disease 2019 was first discovered, at the time of writing this article, the number of people infected globally has exceeded 1 million. Its high transmission rate has resulted in nosocomial infections in healthcare facilities all over the world. Nursing personnel account for nearly 50% of the global health workforce and are the primary provider of direct care in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Nurses stand on the front line against the spread of this pandemic, and proper protection procedures are vital.

Objectives

The present study aims to share the procedures and measures used by Taiwan nursing personnel to help reduce global transmission.

Review methods

Compared with other regions, where large-scale epidemics have overwhelmed the health systems, Taiwan has maintained the number of confirmed cases within a manageable scope. A review of various national and international policies and guidelines was carried out to present proper procedures and preventions for nursing personnel in healthcare settings.

Results

This study shows how Taiwan's health system rapidly identified suspected cases as well as the prevention policies and strategies, key protection points for nursing personnel in implementing high-risk nursing tasks, and lessons from a nursing perspective.

Conclusions

Various world media have affirmed the rapid response and effective epidemic prevention strategies of Taiwan's health system. Educating nurses on procedures for infection control, reporting cases, and implementing protective measures to prevent nosocomial infections are critical to prevent further outbreaks.

Introducing the 21st Century's New Four Horsemen of the Coronapocalypse

As the world struggles through the COVID-19 pandemic, we should also be asking what systems-level measures will be needed to prevent this or even worse disasters from happening in the future. We argue that the pandemic is merely one of potentially myriad and pleiomorphic future global disasters generated by the same underlying dynamical system. We explain that there are four broad but easily identifiable systemic, pathologically networked conditions that are hurtling civilization toward potential self-destruction. As long as these conditions are not resolved, we should consider catastrophe as an inevitable emergent endpoint from the dynamics. All four conditions can be reversed with collective action to begin creating an enduring and thriving post- COVID-19 world. This will require maximal application of the precautionary principle.