Gangaram Padarath, Pillay Yugan, Alinier Guillaume
Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Email & ORCID ID:
Honorary Research Fellow, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, South Africa.
Qatar Med J. 2022 Nov 3;2022(4):50. doi: 10.5339/qmj.2022.50. eCollection 2022.
The risk of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission in the confined mobile ambulance compartment is increased during aerosol-generating procedures and close proximity. Paramedics are encouraged to increase body-surface-isolation by donning additional personal protective equipment (PPE) during patient encounters. This study aimed to better understand paramedics' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to PPE use during the COVID-19 pandemic in the prehospital setting with a focus on mitigating risks associated with infection control. This prospective quantitative study collected descriptive data using a specifically designed data collection tool. The survey data was then cleaned and analyzed with Microsoft Excel® and the latest version of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. One thousand frontline paramedics employed by the Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service (HMCAS) were invited via email to participate in the study. A total of 282 (28.2% of frontline paramedics) paramedics completed the online survey, of which 80.1% completed the mandatory HMCAS online infection control training program within the last year, and 17.0% between one to two years ago. Approximately 83% of the participants had completed an N95 mask fit test at HMCAS within the past five years, and 91.5% completed the hand hygiene training. The study found that 98.2% of the paramedics were knowledgeable about COVID-19 and its transmission, while 96.1% agreed that aerosol-generating procedures increased airborne transmission. The paramedics' attitudes were mainly positive toward the use of PPE to prevent the spread of the virus, which was synchronous with their practice. The sample population demonstrated a strong knowledge of COVID-19 and its transmission. Their overall positive attitudes and good infection control practices were demonstrative of efforts to mitigate risks associated with the spread of the virus.
在产生气溶胶的操作过程中以及近距离接触时，新型冠状病毒病（COVID-19）在密闭的移动救护车内传播的风险会增加。鼓励护理人员在接触患者时通过穿戴额外的个人防护装备（PPE）来增强体表隔离。本研究旨在更好地了解在院前环境中，护理人员在COVID-19大流行期间与使用PPE相关的知识、态度和做法，重点是降低与感染控制相关的风险。这项前瞻性定量研究使用专门设计的数据收集工具收集描述性数据。然后使用Microsoft Excel®和最新版本的社会科学统计软件包对调查数据进行清理和分析。通过电子邮件邀请了哈马德医疗公司救护服务部（HMCAS）雇佣的1000名一线护理人员参与该研究。共有282名护理人员（占一线护理人员的28.2%）完成了在线调查，其中80.1%在过去一年中完成了HMCAS的强制性在线感染控制培训项目，17.0%在一至两年前完成。在过去五年中，约83%的参与者在HMCAS完成了N95口罩适配测试，91.5%完成了手卫生培训。研究发现，98.2%的护理人员了解COVID-19及其传播方式，而96.1%的人认为产生气溶胶的操作会增加空气传播。护理人员对使用PPE预防病毒传播的态度主要是积极的，这与他们的实际做法一致。样本人群对COVID-19及其传播有很强的了解。他们总体积极的态度和良好的感染控制做法表明他们在努力降低与病毒传播相关的风险。
