Surgical team member’s application of personal protective equipment: an observational study

Abstract

Background: Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a term used to refer to clothing or equipment that creates a barrier to protect an individual from work-place hazards, thereby protecting the worker against work-related injuries and illnesses. This study was aimed at determining the compliance of application of personal protective equipment against the standards. Methods: One hundred surgical personnel were included in this study from 21 March 2023 to 23 April 2023. Data were collected through direct observation. The standards were directly changed into question forms with two integral checking components, “Yes”, and “No”. Data were entered and analyzed by statistical package of social sciences (SPSS) version 25. Result: A total of 100 surgical personnel involved in surgical procedures were assessed for how they applied PPE. Majority of healthcare workers, 61.2%, were compliant with the communicable disease control standard on the application of PPE. The highest compliance rate was observed for the put-on gloves over the gown, while the lowest compliance rate was observed for wearing eye protection. Conclusion and recommendation: The practice of PPE usage by surgical personnel was suboptimal. Healthcare facilities can better protect their staff and patients from the spread of infections and other hazards through PPE use protocols. Donning and doffing must always be methodical and supervised by another staff member, especially during surgical emergencies. PPE should be used in accordance with infection prevention and control guidelines and the level of risk involved in the specific procedure.