Home › Housekeeping guidance previously has been to change PPE between every patient’s bedroom / toilet. Should we continue doing this?
Frequently asked questions for Trust staff
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Coronavirus
Aprons and gloves should be changed. However masks should be used sessionally.
A session refers to a period of time where the staff member is undertaking duties in a specific ward, care setting or exposure environment.
No.
No. Staff will be wearing the appropriate PPE for the level of care that they will be providing on a sessional basis. This will depend on whether aerosol generating procedures are occurring. See inpatient guidance on the Trust’s coronavirus intranet pages.
During sessional use, masks should be changed when they become moist. This length of time will be different for each individual. Aprons and gloves do not have a specific duration before they should be changed when not in direct contact with service users. It is imperative however that effective hand hygiene occurs when donning or doffing any items of PPE. Masks must not be worn for a full shift without being changed.
PPE is provided on the basis of need and consistent with national guidance. Following the Trust guidance will reduce the risk of unnecessary and inappropriate use of PPE.
Moving between wards would be classed as the end of a session and therefore new PPE should be applied if social distancing of 2 metres is not possible or when the individual is required to be within 2 metres of any service users.
The risk assessment would need to take place at ward level on an individualised basis and take into account physical health as well as psychological and self-harm risks.
Gloves and aprons should be changed. However, in an emergency masks can be retained. The infection prevention and control guidance for physical restrictions of patients with suspected / confirmed Covid-19 is available on the Trust’s coronavirus intranet page.
FFP3 face masks need to form a correct seal and facial hair may impede this. Hair must not cross the respirator sealing surface and if the respirator has an exhalation valve, hair within the sealed mask area should not impinge upon or contact the valve. The most commonly used surgical masks are not affected by beards although longer beards are unlikely to fit within the mask coverage.
No. There is no need to wear PPE unless you are unable to maintain a 2 metre distance from others.