If you work on a covid hospital ward what PPE do you wear?

[25yearsnhsworker]

I work in community and we wear mask, gloves and apron into every patient. Known covid positive patient we wear fp3 mask and gown to protect uniform.
Local hospital is short staffed and I am going to be volunteering at weekends on a covid ward (not ITU) and wondered what PPE is worn if you work on a standard covid ward.

We just wear level 1 unless doing an AGP so gloves, apron and mask. Goggles if there’s a splash risk.

We just wear level 1 unless doing an AGP so gloves, apron and mask. Goggles if there’s a splash risk.

Likewise. Although if patient in a sideroom then meant to use ffp2 mask etc

Just the standard mask, gloves, pinny and visor if not doing AGPs. If doing AGPs then FFP3 respirator, long sleeve water resistant gown, gloves and visor.

It just seems crazy to me that we wear the same PPE for confirmed COVID cases as we do for all other patients.

I work in the community and we only ever wear the paper masks, positive or not. Which no doubt explains why most of my team have had covid...

I also have done some volunteer shifts on covid wards and the PPE is the same unless AGPs.

I strongly believe coughing needs to be treated the same as AGPs though!

@ExcitingTimes2021

Just the standard mask, gloves, pinny and visor if not doing AGPs. If doing AGPs then FFP3 respirator, long sleeve water resistant gown, gloves and visor.

It just seems crazy to me that we wear the same PPE for confirmed COVID cases as we do for all other patients.

It does seem crazy, there is always debate in my community team about PPE and some confusion about what we should be wearing. I feel more safer going onto other patients if I have worn the gown in covid + patients if I cant do the visit last and go straight home.

@PrivateHall

I work in the community and we only ever wear the paper masks, positive or not. Which no doubt explains why most of my team have had covid...

I also have done some volunteer shifts on covid wards and the PPE is the same unless AGPs.

I strongly believe coughing needs to be treated the same as AGPs though!

I feel the same about coughing especially in some patients who don't have the insight to cover their mouth.

If less than 8 covid positive patients we wear normal uniform with surgical mask (change every 6 hours) then apron and gloves (change between each patient) and visor.

More than 8 positive patients we wear scrubs (cooler than uniform), ffp3 mask and apron and gloves (change between patients) and visor.

If any are on cpap we wear the plastic masks and long sleeve gowns over scrubs and visor. We don't go any more invasive than cpap and it's 1:1 nursing for those patients as they are classed as hdu on our ward (general paeds).

@25yearsnhsworker yes I get that coz when you are going into your own car in your uniform after caring for a positive patient in the community I would want my whole uniform covered not just half the front coverage that normal pinnys offer.

@privatehall yep I also agree with the coughing. I work on a ward with mixed covid and non covid. (Covid in side rooms, this should not be happening but bed pressures..) I hate the fact that when I turn around to wash my hands the patient is coughing which could be contaminating my back not covered by a pinny, then I’m off to care for patients without covid in the bays!!! It’s the same with the front. The pinnys don’t cover the sleeve, collar, or half of the legs of my uniform yet this is supposed to be adequate protection, not only for myself, but also to protect the next patient I am caring for from cross contamination. I can wash my hands hundreds of times in a shift but if the virus is on my uniform I can’t wash that after every contact so surely the whole uniform should be covered!!

I can’t believe medical staff are expected to look after covid positive patients in a surgical mask. No wonder so many are off sickness

Oh yes I should also point out that we are required to ask all our patients, covid or not, to also wear a facemask when staff come to deliver care. But the majority of them say they cannot tolerate it, which is understandable to be honest as they are in hospital as they are very unwell! No doubt someone who has never cared for the unwell patients has made up that rule from their safe and secure office (or home)!

@Gluestick80

We just wear level 1 unless doing an AGP so gloves, apron and mask. Goggles if there’s a splash risk.

Same, even if being coughed all over by a covid positive patient.

I'm only on the bank and have only done a couple of shifts in the last 12 months. Just doesn't feel safe. I feel sorry for my substantive colleagues who have no choice.

I can’t believe medical staff are expected to look after covid positive patients in a surgical mask. No wonder so many are off sickness

100% agree. It's shocking, is there a petition I can sign? You can buy ffp2/3 masks on amazon, and various pharmacies too (I got one for my elderly, CV Dad for when he got his vaccine). There's obviously not a shortage. It's appalling you're not getting this level of protection with covid + patients, especially given how much money the government has thrown at PPE procurement.

Do covid patients have to wear a mask themselves when you're in with them? Especially if they're coughing this seems important.

I am surprised at just level one for a covid ward.
I thought a gown would be worn to cover uniform and I really thought a fp3 mask would be worn to protect staff and their families. Our hospital has a lot of staff off with covid and seeing the nurse in her 50's die has made me really sad.
I suppose I could take a visor with me to wear over my surgical mask.

No gown. Apparently a plastic pinny which doesn't cover you all up is fine. We do wear scrubs not uniform though. No the patients/women don't wear masks. I work on a labour ward so not really possible. But also means spending hours and hours in close proximity - it's not like even do a quick BP and retreat.

When I was sent to the wards the paper masks didn’t feel safe in the vicinity of covid patients. We brought this up frequently.

We were told only ff3 masks for aerosol generating procedures and I always thought that anything which could generate a cough was aerosol generating, but was told not. To me repositioning, getting in and out of bed, getting dressed etc is liable to make someone cough as you tend to take deeper breaths when doing these things...

It’s outrageous. If surgical masks offered protection then the pandemic would have been declared over by now.

paper masks

Please can people stop perpetuating the myth that surgical masks are made of paper 🙄 Flimsy, poorly fitting, and of questionable efficacy they may well be - but made of paper they are not.

I'm. A care assistant and only get a paper mask a plastic bag pinny and gloves. They expect us to do personal care in these with confirmed covid residents and often for. Long amounts of time. Its disgusting