Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025
06:57
Effects of Surgical Masks on Cardiopulmonary Function in Healthy Subjects
Published on: February 12, 2021
3.2K
Examining the Roles of Training, Fit Testing, and Safety Climate on User Confidence in Respiratory Protection: A Case
Mihili Edirisooriya1, Emily J Haas1
1National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA.
Sustainability
|July 29, 2024
Summary
New respirator designs (elastomeric half-mask respirators without exhalation valves or with filters) increase worker confidence when fit tested, trained, and supported by a positive safety climate. This enhances workplace safety.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Respiratory Protection
- Public Health Emergencies
Background:
- Worker confidence in respiratory protection is crucial for workplace safety.
- New elastomeric half-mask respirator (EHMR) designs without exhalation valves (EVs) or with exhalation valve filters (EVFs) aim to improve source control.
- Limited research exists on the workplace introduction and efficacy perception of these novel EHMRs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate worker confidence in novel EHMRs (no EV/EVF) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To identify factors influencing worker confidence in the efficacy of these respirators.
- To understand the role of organizational safety climate in respirator use.
Main Methods:
- Online survey administered to 882 EHMR users across 32 health delivery settings.
- Data collected between October 2021 and September 2022.
- Statistical analysis of survey responses regarding respirator efficacy, fit testing, training, and safety climate.
Main Results:
- Fit testing and training were statistically significantly associated with higher user confidence in EHMR efficacy, including protection against COVID-19.
- A positive organizational safety climate perception correlated with increased confidence in EHMR efficacy.
- These factors are vital for worker acceptance and adherence to respiratory protection protocols.
Conclusions:
- Tailored fit testing and training are essential for enhancing worker confidence in new respirator designs.
- Organizational safety climate plays a significant role in supporting worker engagement with health and safety behaviors, even during public health crises.
- Future respirator development should consider user comfort and the impact of organizational factors on effective implementation.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Personal Protective Equipment
1.5K
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is unique clothing or equipment worn by an employee to minimize or prevent exposure to infectious agents. PPE creates a barrier between the employee and the infectious materials. PPE must be readily available in the patient care area. PPE includes gloves, gowns and aprons, masks and respirators, goggles, face shields, shoes, and headcovers:
1.5K
01:22PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning
944
Donning PPE must be completed before contact with the patient. This process protects from infectious agents. The sequence and action included in each donning are critical, and the steps must be systematic to avoid exposure to pathogens. The institutional policy also needs to be followed while donning PPE. The pre-donning preparations are gathering equipment, inspecting the PPE equipment for tears, holes, or damage, removing jewelry, removing any garments below the elbows, and tying the hair...
944
01:25Tracheostomy Care II: Procedure
151
Tracheostomy care is an essential nursing skill that involves cleaning and maintaining a tracheostomy tube to prevent infection and other complications. Here's a step-by-step guide explaining each procedure with its rationale. Note that disposable gloves are to be worn at all times and changed as often as needed to maintain a sterile work environment, and to protect both patient and healthcare worker.
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene, and put on personal protective equipment: gown, gloves, mask...
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene, and put on personal protective equipment: gown, gloves, mask...
151
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
1.2K
Transmission-based precautions are for patients infected or suspected to be infected (or colonized) with organisms posing a significant risk to others. The transmission precautions include airborne and protective environment precautions.
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...
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...
1.2K
01:30Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
985
A thorough assessment of respiratory health is paramount in clinical settings to identify and manage respiratory distress and ensure adequate oxygenation. This article elaborates on the critical aspects of respiratory evaluation, including airway assessment, skin color examination, and the observation of accessory muscle use, which are integral to effectively diagnosing and managing patients with respiratory conditions.
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
985
01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
1.0K
Respiratory assessment is a cornerstone of nursing assessments, crucial for the early detection of patient deterioration. This evaluation transcends routine procedures, representing a critical skill nurses must master to ensure optimal patient care.
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
1.0K