Video Insights
Use of Personal Protective Equipment
The video “Ebola Exercise,” showcasing the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during patient care in challenging situations, such as dealing with the Ebola virus, illustrates the importance of preparedness exercises. The procedures of donning and doffing PPE, as well as proper disposal techniques, are complex. They have to be taught because one can easily contaminate themselves and their environment if they do not put on and take off the protection carefully.
Notably, the step of doffing is the longest one because the PPE has been contaminated. It cannot be touched by bare skin or clean clothes under the exterior (Esp, 2023). The individuals in the video demonstrate how to step out of the PPE once it is on the floor, emphasizing that one should touch contaminated materials as little as possible (Esp, 2023). In contrast, donning must thoroughly inspect every part of the PPE and ensure that skin or non-protective clothing is not exposed before dealing with patients.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Another part of the video that is interesting is the strategies to prevent cross-contamination. For instance, here, one can see a negative pressure room – a setting where the air flows into the room but not outside of it (Esp, 2023). Relatives and visitors are not permitted to enter due to safety precautions, although exceptions may be made for pediatric patients. The room is guarded and cleaned regularly to ensure that contagious materials are not brought out by non-supervised personnel (Esp, 2023).
Disposal of Personal Protective Equipment
Finally, the specific steps for disposing of the used PPE caught my attention. Specifically, the instructor demonstrates a gooseneck tying method to close the bag with contaminated material and prevent leakage securely. Using other knots may create holes in the bag and increase the risk of releasing hazardous waste outside the protected area.
Personal Reaction
I expected to see many of the elements shown in the video. For instance, I knew how to don PPE and check that everything was in good condition, such as looking for tears and cuts. Furthermore, I knew I would see proper techniques for doffing and disposal of used equipment.
The comment about talking to patients in PPE was unexpected and informative. Patients are likely to be scared of the infection itself, and a medical professional in PPE may further exacerbate their stress. Workers who wear suits, masks, eye protection, and gloves cannot communicate as clearly because their faces are concealed, and their voices are muffled (Esp, 2023). As a result, it may be challenging to connect with people, calm them down, and discuss their symptoms or necessary steps without training.
The events depicted in the exercise illustrate the importance of preparedness in ensuring the safety of care providers and the community. Using PPE requires staff to be attentive, careful, and confident in their use of the equipment. Thus, they need exercises such as the one performed in the video to repeat these steps when similar situations occur.
The role of knowing how to use PPE was evident in several recent emergencies, including the Ebola virus and the COVID-19 pandemic (Beam et al., 2019; Leiker & Wise, 2020). The lack of available equipment meant that medical personnel could not waste or mishandle PPE in any way, while workplace safety was paramount for healthcare workers (Leiker & Wise, 2020). Training was highlighted as one of the most crucial elements in reducing the risks associated with medical care.
Summary
In conclusion, the correct use of protective equipment can significantly impact the safety of both the community and healthcare workers. Training on donning and doffing PPE is necessary for dealing with infectious conditions and keeping staff protected. The video showing exercises for Ebola depicts a scenario that is well-known to many professionals who have dealt with COVID-19. The complex processes of using and discarding contaminated materials underscore the importance of preparedness.
References
Beam, E. L., Schwedhelm, M. M., Boulter, K. C., Vasa, A. M., Larson, L., Cieslak, T. J., Lowe, J. J., Herstein, J. J., Kratochvil., C. J., & Hewlett, A. L. (2019). Ebola virus disease: Clinical challenges, recognition, and management. Nursing Clinics, 54(2), 169-180.
Esp, A. (2023). Ebola exercise. University of Nevada.
Leiker, B., & Wise, K. (2020). COVID–19 case study in emergency medicine preparedness and response: From personal protective equipment to delivery of care. Disease-a-Month, 66(9).