Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Effects of Surgical Masks on Cardiopulmonary Function in Healthy Subjects
Published on: February 12, 2021
Difficulties in using personal protective equipment: Training experiences with the 2015 outbreak of Middle East
JaHyun Kang1, Eun Jin Kim2, Jeong Hwa Choi3
1College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
This study aimed to evaluate practical barriers to personal protective equipment (PPE) use found through health care personnel (HCP) training sessions held during and after the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in Korea. Difficulties observed were ill-fitting sizes, anxiety, confusion from unstandardized protocols, doubts about PPE quality and effectiveness, and complexity of using several PPE items together. Further research to generate robust evidence and repeated HCP trainings are necessary to ensure HCP and patient safety in future outbreaks.
Related Concept Videos
Personal Protective Equipment
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings II: Doffing
Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...

