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As an increasing number of people are still contracting COVID-19, numerous public healthcare authorities are collaborating with healthcare professionals to treat affected patients. However, that, unfortunately, increases the risk of contracting the virus for both the patients and healthcare providers. After all, medical professionals such as nurses and doctors are constantly working on the frontlines and are more prone to infection than anyone else. That said, the key here is to provide these healthcare professionals with the resources to protect themselves. As a result, the WHO is calling on healthcare leaders and governments worldwide to address persistent issues and threats to the safety and health of healthcare workers.
The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a constant reminder of the commendable role of healthcare workers, saving countless lives during such testing times. However, hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities cannot keep their patients safe until they keep their health workers safe. Besides physical risks, the COVID-19 pandemic poses various psychological risks. Healthcare workers are continuously operating for long, grueling hours to meet patients’ healthcare demands and are distancing themselves from their families. All of which takes a severe toll on their mental stability.
Keeping this in mind, let us take a look at some ways to ensure healthcare worker safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Use disposable gowns, gloves, and masks
The first and foremost essential safety measure stems from utilizing disposal resources as they limit the virus spread. Healthcare facilities should provide masks, gloves, and disposable medical gowns for healthcare practitioners to keep them safe and reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Unfortunately, people are carelessly reusing their masks and gowns, unaware that the virus can linger on them. For instance, when they touch contaminated surfaces, their gloves, gowns, and masks become contaminated as well. Therefore, using disposable ones is highly essential. Workers can conveniently use disposable gowns and gloves and throw them away afterward.
COVID-19 virus primarily spreads from one person to another via respiratory droplets. These respiratory droplets get introduced into the air when someone talks, sneezes, or coughs. Surgical masks are an easy way to prevent these droplets from entering your body via your airways. Hence, doctors should always wear a mask, even if they aren’t sick. That said, these days, masks are necessary wherever you go, especially inside medical facilities.
As far as disposable gowns go, they are self-explanatory. Wearing them creates a barrier between you and the COVID-19 virus. Wear them when required and throw them away, grabbing a fresh one whenever required.
Use personal protection equipment (PPE)
Personal protection equipment or PPE is a unique piece of wearable equipment that creates a barrier between the germs, bacteria, and the person wearing it. It does so by reducing physical contact, reducing the spread of germs and bacteria. That said, PPE is of the utmost importance for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 infected patients.
However, you might have to use different PPE types for different situations or patients. Your medical facility will have written guidelines about what kind of PPE to wear and when to wear it. Therefore, using PPE is a must to ensure healthcare worker safety, especially when dealing with COVID-19 infected patients.
Manage visitors’ movement and access
Medical facilities must create procedures to monitor, manage, and control visitors. For example, for suspected or known COVID-19 patients and visitors, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals should restrict them from entering hospital rooms. In addition, they should minimize physical contact with such patients and visitors as much as possible.
Furthermore, medical facilities should incorporate alternative ways to communicate with these suspected COVID-19 patients and visitors. For instance, video calls or the efficient use of Telehealth to interact with co-workers, patients, and visitors alike serves to provide a safe communication platform. Such a preventive measure drastically lowers the risk of COVID-19 infection, reducing physical contact.
Stick to precautions
Standard medical facility health and safety policies are there for a reason. They protect everyone involved inside a medical facility, from staff to patients to everyone involved in the care receiving or giving process.
However, as mentioned above, it is vital to pay close attention to the proper usage and disposal of protective equipment. In addition, all healthcare workers looking after a COVID-19 patient must always follow their medical facility’s health and safety protocols. They must keep physical contact as low as possible.
Address mental health issues
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly increased healthcare workers’ operational demands while limiting recovery opportunities. As a result, they are at a higher risk of suffering from mental health issues. For example, nurses have to work for 24 hours and sometimes even night shifts to meet understaffing needs during these pressing times. Such a thing leads to burnout, resulting in work-related stress.
And, while most businesses are downsizing, medical facilities, on the other hand, should hire more workers, especially frontline healthcare workers, to battle COVID-19. It will help reduce the pressure on existing healthcare practitioners. Similarly, they should provide their existing workforce mental support and ensure that no worker puts their psychological and physical health at stake.
Conclusion
One of the biggest obstacles medical facilities face during the COVID-19 pandemic is implementing worker and patient health and safety policies. However, adopting the latest public health and safety recommendations is a viable way to ensure the staff remains protected from COVID-19 infection. After all, innovating and constantly updating your policies will benefit staff, patients, and the medical facility alike. Fortunately, now that the vaccines have begun rolling out worldwide, we can hope for a light at the end of this horrifying tunnel.
