In the current course, the most exciting topic for me is personal protective equipment (PPE) in the hospital. The area fascinates me in particular because PPE is of the highest importance for every healthcare facility, and it unites all hospitals regardless of their profiles. In the present paper, I provide a brief background of the topic and address a problem that could be solved. Additionally, a problem statement concerning PPE is drafted and discussed.
Personal protective equipment is used in hospitals to protect health care workers, patients, or visitors from infections by preventing the spread of germs. All people who visit or work in hospitals and have contact with blood or other bodily fluids must use PPE. There are different types of PPE, including gloves, masks, eye protection, special clothing (gowns, aprons, head covering, shoes). In some exceptional cases (for instance, during cancer treatments using some drugs), people are required to wear special PPE that is called cytotoxic (Medline Plus, 2019). PPE is considered to be an essential point of every medical institution.
There are numerous problems associated with PPE, including its neglect, its reliability, and many others. One issue especially caught my attention: PPE supply during crises as the Covid-19 pandemic (CDC, 2020). It became clear that hospitals are not yet ready for such emergencies as the rapid spread of the virus. As stated in the CDC report (2020), additional crisis capacity strategies are required to resist PPE shortages.
The current paper is a brief overview of my preferred topic from the course: PPE in hospitals. A summary of the theme is provided, and a problem statement is derived. PPE is one of the most important parts of the hospital’s safety measure, and thus an adequate supply is essential. The current Covid-19 crisis became a vivid example of the unpreparedness of the modern health care system. Further planning and strategies are needed to confront PPE shortages.
References
CDC. (2020). Optimizing supply of PPE and other equipment during shortages. CDC.gov. Web.
Medline Plus. (2019). Personal protective equipment. Medlineplus.gov. Web.