ArticleTherapeutic advances in infectious disease
Personal protective equipment use by healthcare workers in intensive care unit during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: a secondary analysis of the PPE-SAFE survey.
Article in Therapeutic advances in infectious disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Resistance Paradox in COVID-19 Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Retrospective Study on Rapid Molecular Stewardship.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The influence of air temperature on the subjective feelings of barrier suit users.International journal of biometeorology · 2025Article
- Incidence of nosocomial pneumonia in two intensive care units of a French University Hospital from 2016 to 2022 in the era of COVID-19 pandemic.Infection prevention in practice · 2025Article
- Under Armour - Use of personal protective equipment for simulated CPR of COVID-19 patients: an observational study.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2024Observational
- An analysis of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections in patients treated in a Swedish Covid-19 intensive care unit.SAGE open medicine · 2024Article
- Article
- Determinants of nurse's and personal support worker's adherence to facial protective equipment in a community setting during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada: A pilot study.American journal of infection control · 2023Article
- Variation in Communication and Family Visiting Policies in Italian Intensive Care Units during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Secondary Analysis of the COVISIT International Survey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection: a narrative review.ERJ open research · 2022Review
- Elevated Rates of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia and COVID-19 Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Critically Ill Patients with SARS-CoV2 Infection in the Second Wave: A Retrospective Chart Review.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Article
- Pandemic Critical Care Research during the COVID-19 (2020-2022): A Bibliometric Analysis Using VOSviewer.BioMed research international · 2022Review
- The Use of Personal Protective Equipment among Frontline Nurses in a Nationally Designated COVID-19 Hospital during the Pandemic.Infection & chemotherapy · 2021Article
- Characterization of epidemiological distribution and outcome of COVID-19 in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: a nationwide retrospective multi-centre study during first wave in Italy.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2021Article
- Evaluation of Capillary Blood Gases in Medical Personnel Caring for Patients Isolated Due to SARS-CoV-2 in Intensive Care Units before and after Using Enhanced Filtration Masks: A Prospective Cohort Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Adverse Effects of Personal Protective Equipment Among Intensive Care Unit Healthcare Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.SAGE open nursingArticle
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Authors and funding
12 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundItaly was the first Western country to be heavily affected by COVID-19. Healthcare workers (HCWs) were exposed to a high risk of occupational infection, partially due to insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies. This study aimed to describe the practices, availability, training, confidence in PPE use and the adverse effects due to extended PPE use, as reported by HCWs in Italy. We also aimed to provide a comparison between Italian data and those from other countries.
methodsThis study was a secondary analysis of a previously published international study, the PPE-SAFE Survey, conducted in April 2020. Data were analysed from the original study database.
resultsWe analysed the responses from 380 healthcare workers based in Italy, out of the 2711 respondents to the international survey. Among the Italian respondents, FFP2 and FFP3 respirators or equivalent were the most used masks for routine tasks (respectively 188/380, 50%; and 163/380, 43%). The median time of wearing PPE without taking a break was 5 h [interquartile range (IQR) 4-6], with statistically significant difference from other countries [median 4 h (IQR 2-5)
conclusionMost of the surveyed Italian HCWs reported working at above usual capacity, long shifts with PPE without breaks and routine use in intensive care unit of aerosol protection (e.g. FFP2/FFP3), hazmat suits and face shields/visors. The correct adherence to safety procedures (e.g. donning/doffing in pairs, performing fit test) has substantial scope for improvement in the future.
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