Personal Protective Equipment and Hand Hygiene Status in Health Care Workers during the Covid-۱۹ Pandemic

Background: The COVID-۱۹ pandemic presents a major risk to Health Care Workers (HCWs), which necessitates protective strategies. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Hand Hygiene (HH) could prevent COVID-۱۹ infections in healthcare facilities. Our study aimed to determine the level of PPE proper use among HCWs of Mashhad educational hospitals as well as their level of HH.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January ۱st, ۲۰۲۱ to January ۱st, ۲۰۲۲ in three educational hospitals in Mashhad. A standard checklist was arranged based on the WHO guidelines and was filled out by the supervisors. Data were analyzed using SPSS v۲۳.۰.Results: The total HCWs included in this study were ۲۴۶, including ۱۵۴ women. The majority of the participating staff were nurses ۱۳۵ (۵۴.۹%). The most common PPE was the N۹۵ mask (۷۱.۱%). One hundred and eighty-four people (۴۶.۳%) washed their hands through the standard method, and there was no significant difference between men and women. Also, the level of correct PPEs donning and doffing was ۴۲.۲% and ۲۸.۴%; respectively. PPE donning was not significantly different between men and women. However, we found a significant difference in doffing PPE.Conclusion: It became evident that HCWs paid moderate attention to PPE and HH, demanding HCWs training to prevent infectious diseases such as the COVID-۱۹.

Keywords:

COVID-۱۹ , personal protection equipment , Hand Hygiene , Health care workers