Internet of Things (IoT) in Healthcare. (Part 4)

APPLICATION OF IoT IN HEALTHCARE:

SMART-WATCH:

• Wearable IoT devices such as smartwatches are the most conspicuous application of internet of things (IoT) technology. The passive use of a wearable device can monitor vital signs and even can save lives. Using the wearable device the health issues can be detected such as irregular heartbeat etc.

• Wearables represent a new frontier in healthcare, as they can provide emergency care to the elderly, monitor baby cribs, gather continuous electronic health records to allow more patient-centred healthcare, enable hyper-accurate and extensive clinical trials that collect and correlate data across yet unrealized data points.

• The continuous monitoring of the user’s vitals wearables devices can provide allow people and medical professionals to notice irregularities etc.

• Recently tech-giant Apple started working on their smartwatch to detect depression levels. Every year lots of people take treatment for depression. This device track and suggest what to do in case of depression. This is an innovative example of artificial intelligence which helps to give prediction levels of the users. The internet of things in healthcare will help to cure the mental health of working-class people very effectively.

INSULIN PENS AND SMART CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORING:

CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORING 

 

INSULIN PEN

• Smart Insulin pens are intelligent, convenient, reusable. It’s your personal diabetes companion that keeps track of your dose data. By using a mobile app called Inkpen keeps track of your data and helps you make decisions. It automatically records insulin doses, tracks active insulin, recommends mealtime and correction doses, shares therapy data with your doctor etc.

• People with diabetes use insulin pen to inject insulin, a vital hormone for people who have diabetes, they contain a cartridge, a dial to measure dosage and disposable needle.

• Insulin pens are nowadays used by many people because it is more simple, convenient delivery than using a vial and syringe.

• There are mainly two types of insulin pen they are:

1. Disposable Pen: this contains a prefilled insulin cartridge. Once used, the entire pen unit is thrown away.
2. Reusable Pen: this contains a replaceable insulin cartridge. Once empty, a person discards the cartridge and installs a new one.

SMART VIDEO PILLS:

A small pill can travel through a patient’s intestinal tract and take pictures as it travels. It can then send the collected information to the wearable device, which in turn would send it to a dedicated smartphone app. Small pills can also help to visualize the gastrointestinal tract and colon remotely.

• The tiny pills have a drug and an ingestible sensor. The sensor gets activated when it comes to contact with stomach fluid to detect when the pill has been taken.

• The data is then transmitted to a wearable patch that eventually conveys the information to a paired smartphone app.

• Doctors and caregivers, with patient consent, can access the data via the web portal.

HEARABLES & HEARING AIDS:

HEARABLES:

• Technologies or group of technologies that work in combination with each other to enhance an individual’s hearing ability is known as hearable.

• Hearables have the potential to be used in the management of hearing loss.

• Hearables can provide access to other assistive listening devices and audio devices and audio devices such as smartphones, TV’s, computers and FM loops.

• Hearables are likely to expand the range of technology types that now can be used to manage hearing loss.

• Hearables are new-age hearing aids which have completely transformed the way people who suffered hearing loss interact with the world.

HEARING AIDS:

• A hearing aid is an electronic, battery-operated device that amplifies and changes sound to allow for improved communication.

• User’s will able to connect and monitor their hearing aids, so they can stream sound from their android devices without additional hardware.

INGESTIBLE SENSORS:

• Ingestible sensors are the ingestible electronic devices, roughly the size of a medicine capsule, composed of biocompatible materials that make up the power supply, microprocessor, controller, sensors etc..

• These pilled size sensors which monitor the medication in our body and warns us if detects any irregularities in our body.

• These ingestible sensors can be a boon for a diabetic patient as it would help in curbing symptoms and provide early warning for the disease. 

• For example proteus digital health.

• It gives the device ability to telecommunicate for use in the healthcare industry for disease diagnostics and monitoring.

• They are non-invasive.

MOODABLES:

• Moodables claim to improve relaxations to helping people with stress disorders and ADD.

• These devices can read the brainwaves and send low-intensity currents to the brain accordingly.

• These techniques can be used on a healthy as well as on an impaired brain, this will help to understand an awful lot about human brain functioning and how mood can be elevated.

• Soon moodables will be human’s best friend in the years to come.

HEALTHCARE CHARTING:

• IoT devices such as 'Audemix' reduce much manual work which a doctor has to do during patient charting.

• It is powered by voice commands and captures the patient’s data.

• It makes the patient’s data readily accessible for review. It saves around doctor’s work by 15 hours per week.

REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING:

• Remote patient monitoring is a method of healthcare delivery that uses the latest advances in information technology to gather patient data outside of traditional healthcare settings.

• It provides the convenience of being treated by expert professionals continuously while being at home, with better accuracy.

• Some examples of data which can be monitored are weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, heart rate, electrocardiogram and blood oxygen levels.

• It uses varies from monitoring SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in infants to memory loss in elderly people. It can be greatly useful for a patient with mobility issues, post-surgery patients, elderly patients etc.

HOSPITAL OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT:

• IoT can be used to create an automated, centralized database management system that can track all the documentation, optimize queues and track hospital staff and patients through their mobile devices.

• Some IoT innovations that are facilitating operations management in hospitals are:- Auto-bed, RIFD.

GLUCOSE MONITORING:

• Testing your blood sugar levels is one of the best ways to understand your diabetes and how different foods, medications, and activities affect your diabetes.

• Keeping track of your blood glucose can help you and your doctor makes a plan to manage this condition.

CONNECTED INHALER:

• The IoT based inhalers are sensors that act as a clip on to existing inhalers.

• It has a GPS extension which allows it to track when and where the puffs are taken by the patients.

• These sensors are linked with an app that the patient needs to install on their smartphone. This information is readily conversed to the app by the sensors via Bluetooth on the smartphone or plug-in hub.

• The connected inhalers enable the physicians to effectively monitor the inhalation technique and frequency capturing factors such as inhalation volume, stimulus time, as well as the patient’s usage of the inhaler.

• Asthma is a condition that impacts hundreds of millions of people globally. Connected inhalers are a form of smart technology that is giving people living with asthma control over their symptoms and treatment.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 👈                          👉 Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Internet of Things (IoT) in Healthcare. (Part 3)

CHALLENGES:

DATA SECURITY AND PRIVACY:

• One of the most significant challenges faced by the IoT is data security and privacy.

• IoT enabled mobile devices to capture data in real-time, but most of them lack adherence to data protocols and standards.

• There is significant ambiguity regarding data ownership and regulations.

• The data stored within IoT enabled devices are prone to data thefts and it makes the data more susceptible to cybercriminals that hack into the systems to compromise personal health information.

• Some examples of misuse of IoT device data are fraudulent health claims and the creation of fake ID for buying and selling drugs.

MASSIVE INPUTS OF GENERATED DATA:

• Some of the most exciting health care IoT initiatives include ways to reduce emergency room waiting times, track

COST:

• Cost is one of the greater challenges when planning to consider IoT app development for healthcare mobility solutions.

• The costs are completely worth it if the IoT implementation is one that solves a genuine problem.

• While you will spend a significant amount of money and resources in developing IoT applications, the returns will be huge when your business saves time and manpower.

UNDERDEVELOPED INITIATIVES: 

• Many IoT initiatives directed at battling chronic diseases or other issues still need time to grow and develop.

• This technological niche as a whole must grow a lot in order to start providing regular enhancement results.

POSSIBLE LACK OF AVAILABLE MEMORY: 

• IoT sensors and devices can general colossal amount of data, all of which is important and needs to be analyzed.

• This poses questions of huge data repositories that must hold all those volumes of info for indefinite terms.

DIFFICULTIES WITH REGULAR UPDATES:

• With so many hardware solutions comes as much software for powering and managing it all.

• This software must be timely updated in order to run smoothly and stay at its latest version. Where lots of efforts and might spawn many technical issues.

GLOBAL HEALTH CARE REGULATIONS:

• The IoT still has to be approved by global healthcare regulatory bodies worldwide, this will take time and may keep many innovations at bay just because of some formalities.

Part 1, Part 2 👈                          👉 Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Internet of Things (IoT) in Healthcare. (Part 2)

BENEFITS OF IOT IN HEALTHCARE:

SIMULTANEOUS REPORTING AND MONITORING:

• IoT is based upon the transfer of data, this can significantly be exploited for the good of the medical sector.

• The medical devices that connected to the patients give an indication for many health parameters such as blood pressure, heart beating rate (ECG), diabetes rate (sugar levels), weight etc...

• Real-time monitoring via connected devices can save lives in the event of the medical emergency like heart attack, heart failure, diabetes, asthma etc. It is a quicker and effective treatment.

• This can be achieved by connecting these devices like mobile phones into the cloud, which provides constant monitoring and supervision over the patient condition.

• All these data’s are collected and stored in the cloud, the data can be accessed by the authorized doctors, physicians or psychologist and hence they take the procedure if needed.

• A study of the center of connected health policy showed that integrating IoT technology into patient monitoring and reporting have greatly reduced 50% of readmission mainly for failure patients.

• The role of IoT in healthcare has made it easy for doctors to attend to multiple patients in a matter of minutes.

END-TO-END CONNECTIVITY AND AFFORDABILITY:

• The IoT in healthcare application can allow a better connection and use of the latest technology to enhance connectivity and data sharing.

• Technologies (i.e) connectivity protocols such as Bluetooth, wi-fi, z-wave and Zigbee. Tracking and identifying illness becomes easy and less time-consuming.

• With this technology, the overall treatment cost and time gets reduced and also allows the patient to be easily treated.

• IoT can automate patient care workflow with the help healthcare mobility solution and other new technologies and next-generation healthcare facilities.

• IoT in healthcare enables interoperability, machine-to-machine communication, information exchange and data movement that makes healthcare service delivery effective.

• This technology-driven setup can bring down the costs by cutting down unnecessary visits and utilizing better quality resources.

DATA ASSORTMENT AND ANALYSIS:

• The use of IoT in healthcare involves storing massive data about a patient’s medical history. There are a vast amount of data a healthcare device sends in a very short time.

• For healthcare professionals, to manage a vast amount of data is not easy as it sounds and also it is hard to store and manage if the access to the cloud is unavailable.

• Data collected in real-time through IoT enabled mobile devices can be analysed and segregated through mobility solution powered by IoT.

• This will reduce the collection of raw data and can drive vital healthcare analysis and data-driven insights, which reduces errors and speed up decision-making and less prone to errors.

• These can be achieved overcloud with the providers (i.e) doctors only getting access to final reports with graphs.

TRACKING AND ALERTS:

• Wearable and smart devices are dominating our lives be allowing us to monitor ourselves and optimize our health data.

• The on-time alert is critical in event of life-threatening circumstances, real-time tracking and alerts in life-threatening situations can turn as a saviour to safeguard a critical patient’s health with constant notifications and real-time alerts for proper monitoring, analysis and diagnosis.

• Healthcare monitoring solutions powered by IoT play a vital role in real-time tracking, altering and monitoring by dropping notifications to people about critical parts via mobile apps and other linked devices. This reports and alters gives a firm opinion about a patient’s conditions irrespective of time and place.

REMOTE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE:

• In the event of an emergency, patients can connect a doctor who is many kilometres away with smart mobile apps.

• With mobility solutions in healthcare, the medics can instantly check the patients and identify the aliments on the go.

• Numerous healthcare delivery chains that are functioning to build machines that can distribute drugs on the basis of the patient’s prescription and aliment-related data available via linked devices.

• IoT will improve the patient’s care in the hospital. This, in turn, will cut on people’s expanse on healthcare.

RESEARCH:

• IoT for healthcare can also be used for research purposes, it’s because IoT enables us to collect a massive amount of data about the patient’s illness which would have taken many years if we collected it manually.

• The data thus collected can be used for the statistical study that would support the medical research.

• IoT doesn’t only save time but also our money which would go in research.

• IoT has a great impact in the field of medical research, which enables the introduction of bigger medical treatments.

• IoT is used in a variety of devices that enhance the quality of the healthcare services received by the patients.

• Even the existing devices are now being updated by IoT by simply using embedding chips of smart devices. The chip enhances the assistance and cares that a patient requires.

TREATMENT OUTCOMES CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED OR MAXIMIZED:

• The data gathered by IoT healthcare devices are highly accurate, enabling informed decisions.

• Health facilities and practitioners will be capable of minimizing errors because all patient information can be measured quickly and sent to a broad of doctors or a healthcare cloud platform.

• AI-driven algorithms running on these IoT devices could also help make intelligible decisions or suggestions based on existing data.

REDUCED COST:

• Using IoT solutions and connected medical devices allows healthcare providers to monitor patients in real-time.

• Which it means fewer unnecessary visits to the doctors, and fewer hospitals stays and readmissions to efficient data collection and management.

BETTER PATIENT EXPERIENCE:

• Being connected to the health care system through the internet of things, patients get more engaged in their treatment and doctors improve diagnosis accuracy since they have all the necessary patient data at hand.

BETTER MANAGEMENT OF DRUGS AND MEDICINE ADHERENCE:

• IoT solutions allow hospital staff to spend less time searching for drugs, track supplies and medicine.

• Healthcare IoT monitoring solutions help patients adhere to their treatment plans and doctors to track compliance with prescriptions.

IMPROVED TREATMENT:

• Healthcare solutions that are connected through cloud computing and use big data, can provide caregivers with the ability to access real-time data which can be used to make informed decisions and to provide evidence-based treatments.

ERROR REDUCTION:

• Using IoT for data collection and workflow automation is an excellent way to cut down on waste, such as unnecessary tests and expensive imaging, reduced system costs and minimize errors etc.

IMPROVED PATIENT EXPERIENCE:

• Better accuracy in diagnosis, proactive treatments, timely physician intervention and improved treatment resulting in high trust among patients.
• The IoT plays a vital role in the healthcare of providing increased patient experience.

FASTER DISEASE DIAGNOSIS:

• Continuous patient monitoring and real-time data help in diagnosing diseases at an early stage or even before the disease develops based on symptoms.

PROACTIVE TREATMENT:

• Continuous health monitoring opens the doors to providing proactive medical treatment.

DRUGS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT:

• Management of drugs and medical equipment is a major challenge in the healthcare industry. Through connected devices, these are managed and utilized efficiently with reduced costs.

eHealth:

• eHealth is referred to as the use of information and communications technologies in healthcare.

REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING/ TELEHEALTH:

• Remote patient monitoring is a method of healthcare delivery that uses the latest advances in information technology to gather patient data outside of traditional healthcare settings.

• Remote patient monitoring uses digital technologies to collect medical and other forms of health data from individuals in one location and electronically transmit that information securely to healthcare providers in different locations for assessment and recommendations.

• Telehealth is the use of digital information and communications technologies, such as computers and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely and manage your health care.

• These may be technologies you use from home or that your doctor uses to improve or support healthcare service.

Part 1 👈                          👉 Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Internet of Things (IoT) in Healthcare. (Part 1)

IoT:

Internet of things (IoT) is referred to the ever-growing network of the physical objects that feature an IP address for internet connectivity and the communication that occurs between the objects and other internet-enabled devices and systems.

• The internet of things is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers.

•  The internet of things has the ability to transfer data over a network requiring human to human or human to computer interaction.

•  Internet of things (IoT) is an ecosystem of connected physical objects that are accessible through the internet.

•  The main scope of IoT is that it can connect devices embedded in various systems to the internet. When devices/objects can represent themselves digitally, they can be controlled from anywhere, the connectivity then helps us capture more data from one places, ensuring more ways of increasing efficiency.

•  Internet of things also referred to as machine to machine (M2M), Skynet or internet of everything.

•  A thing in the internet of things can be a person with a heart monitor implant, an animal with a biochip transponder, or any other natural or man-made object that can be assigned an internet protocol (IP) address and it is able to transfer data over a network.

•  IoT enables devices have made remote monitoring.

HOW IoT HELP IN HEALTHCARE?

IoT IS undoubtedly transforming the healthcare industry by redefining the space of devices and people interaction in delivering healthcare solutions. IoT has applications in healthcare that benefit patients, families, physicians, hospitals and insurance companies.

IoT FOR PATIENTS:

• Wearables like fitness bands and other wirelessly connected devices like blood pressure and heart rate monitoring cuffs, glucometer etc.
•  IoT has changed people’s lives, especially elderly patients, by enabling constant tracking of health conditions.
•  This has a major impact on people living alone and their families.
•  On any disturbance or changes in the routine activities of a person, alert mechanisms send signals to family members and concerned health providers.

IoT FOR PHYSICIANS:

• By having a piece of monitoring equipment embedded with IoT, physicians can keep track of patients’ health more effectively.
• They can track patients adherence to treatments plans or any need for immediate medical attention.
• IoT enables healthcare professionals to be more watchful and connect with the patients proactively.
• Data collected from IoT devices can help physicians identify the best treatment process for patients and reach the expected outcomes.

IoT FOR HOSPITALS: 

• Apart from the monitoring patient’s health, there are many other areas where IoT devices are useful in hospitals.
•  IoT devices tagged with sensors are used for tracking the real-time location of medical equipment like wheelchairs, defibrillators, nebulizers, oxygen pumps and other monitoring equipment.
•  IoT enabled hygiene monitoring devices to help in preventing patients from getting infected.
•  IoT devices also help in asset management like pharmacy inventor control, environmental monitoring, humidity and temperature control.

IoT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES:

• Insurance companies can leverage data captured through health monitoring devices for their claims operations.
• This data will enable them to detect fraud claims.
• IoT devices bring transparency between insurers and customers in the underwriting, pricing, claims to handle, and risk assessment process.
• IoT devices can enable insurance companies to validate claims through the data captured by these devices.

Click Here For 👉 Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Part (1)

PPE stands for Personal protective equipment is referred to as the equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious injuries and illness or it is specialized clothing that worn for protection against the dangerous and infectious problem. PPE acts as infection prevention and control.

• PPE prevents contact with the user against health or safety risks at work.
• PPE acts as a barrier between potentially infectious material and the public health practitioner. It helps to prevent the spread of germs in the hospital.
• The persons in the healthcare sectors such as staffs, visitors, patients, doctors must use PPE when there will be contact with body fluids, blood and also for the dust particles that contain an infectious agent such as airborne droplets etc.
• The PPE includes gloves, aprons, long-sleeved gowns, surgical masks, eye goggles, face visors and respirator masks.
• The proper training must be needed for the correct usage and disposal of PPE, if they don’t have knowledge about PPE, it may increase the risk of transmitting infections.
• PPE is designed as disposable clothing so it can be effectively removed and disposed of after wearing.

WHY PPE IS IMPORTANT?

 PPE is the first line of defence against the hazards.

 PPE is most important in preventing injury and infections.

 PPE is important when working with body fluids, blood and also from airborne droplets.

 It keeps you from being liable for our own injuries.

 The PPE is important to increase the quality of work.

 Head protection.

 Eye and face protection.

 Hand and skin protection.

 Hearing protection.

 Leg protection.

WHY WE USE PPE?

• The PPE is used to minimize the exposure of hazards to injurious physical, chemical, ergonomic or biological agents.
• It is used to reduce the risk of injury.
• It is used to wear for head protection by eliminating noise.
• It is used when other controls are not available or adequate.
• PPE is used in an emergency situation.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES YOU WILL FACE WHEN YOU DON’T WEAR PPE?

There are many consequences that happen when you don’t wear PPE, without PPE the professionals/healthcare workers are at the risk of:-

 Infections.

 Breathing contaminated air.

 Occupational asthma.

 Cuts & punctures.

 Chemical burns.

 Chemical harming the eyes.

 Cancer due to exposure.

 Hearing loss etc.

HOW TO SELECT PPE ACCORDING TO THE SITUATION?

PPE should be selected according to the hazards identified they are:-

• Check whether the PPE that fits well and is comfortable.
• Always select the PPE for the proper size.
• Check for the required degree of protection.
• Check the appropriateness of the equipment to the situation.
• Select the right PPE based on the work performed.
• Check for the heavy or poorly fitted PPE, because it is unlikely that it will be worn.
• Check and evaluate the cost.
• Check the PPE whether it is disposable or not.
• Always check the standards while selecting, for example, if you use eyewear check whether it should cover from the eyebrow to the cheekbone.

HOW TO MAINTAIN PPE?

Regular inspection and maintenance are always important because, without proper maintenance, the effectiveness of PPE cannot be assured:-

 For maintenance the process of inspection, care, cleaning, repair and proper storage is important.

 The most important thing is that proper inspection of PPE.

 Always check for any malfunctioning and damage.

 Always clean the PPE before using.

 Periodic testing plays a vital role in maintaining.

 Use the right replacement parts which match the original, for example, respirator filters.

 Always keep the replacement available for PPE.

REGULATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

There are some requirements is there for PPE they are:-

 Provide adequate protection against particular hazards for which they are designed.

 Be safe for design and construction for the work performed.

 Be durable.

 Be easily cleanable.

 Be on safe design and construction for the work to be performed.

And some regulations are required to wear any type of PPE which is regulated by OSHA (occupational safety and health administration) they are:-

 When PPE is required.

 What PPE is necessary.

 How to properly don, doff, adjust and wear PPE.

 Limitations of PPE.

 Proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of PPE.

WHAT ARE THE PLACES /SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE PPE?

The PPE requires in different places and situations include:-

 Healthcare sector

 Extreme temperatures

 Harmful dust

 Radiations

 Lasers

 Hazardous chemical

 During handling of sharp objects etc…

WHAT ARE THE PPE THAT NEEDED DURING COVID-19?

The necessary PPE required for the appropriate care of patients are

1. Non-disposable isolation gown.

2. N95 respirator.

3. Face shield/ eye protection.

4. Patient care gloves.

HOW TO DON THE PPE DURING COVID-19?

Donning PPE must always take place in the area where it is safe to be, gather all PPE items and place in one location such as an isolation cart or nurse server outside of the patient room, don all prior to entering the patient room

 Perform hand hygiene.

 Don gown.

 Don N95.

 Don face shield/goggles.

 Perform hand hygiene.

 Don gloves.

HOW TO REMOVE THE PPE?

 Perform hand hygiene over gloves.

 Remove the gown.

 Remove gloves.

 Exit patient room.

 Perform hand hygiene.

 Don clean gloves.

 Use a disinfectant wipe to clean surface for the face shield.

 Remove face shield.

 Disinfect face shield.

 Perform hand hygiene on gloves.

 Remove N95

 Remove gloves.

 Perform hand hygiene.

 Place cleaned face shield in the designated area.

TYPES OF PPE USED IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS:

 Gloves

 Gowns/aprons

 Surgical masks

 Respirator masks

 Eye goggles

 Face shields

 Safety shoes

Click Here for 👉 Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Part (7)

HAND HYGIENE:

Hand hygiene is one of the most important aspects of protecting yourself from the transmission of infections. It prevents you from many hazardous infections. If you don’t follow proper hand hygiene it leads to the cause for health hazards associated with infections. Washing hands with hand wash or soap are the best way to get rid of germs and microorganisms. Alcohol-based sanitizers are recommended for decontamination of hands.

PURPOSE OF HAND HYGIENE:

 It reduces the transmission of microorganisms to patients.

 It reduces the infection caused by organisms acquired from the patient.

 It prevents you from contamination.

WHAT ARE THE MOMENTS OF HAND HYGIENE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS?

 Before touching a patient.

 Before clean/aseptic procedures.

 After the body fluids exposure or risk.

 After touching a patient.

 After touching patient surroundings.

STEPS FOR HAND WASHING:

STEP 1: WET HANDS

Wet your hands and apply enough liquid soap to create a good lather. The temperature of the water should be between 35°C and 45°C.

STEP 2: RUB PALMS TOGETHER

Rub your hand palm to palm in circular motions, rotate clockwise and anticlockwise.

STEP 3: RUB THE BACK OF HANDS

With your fingers linked through the other hand, use your right palm to rub the back of your left hand the swap.

STEP 4: INTERLINK YOUR FINGERS

Link your fingers together, facing each other, into clasped hands. Then rub your palms and fingers together.

STEP 5: CUP YOUR FINGERS

Cup our fingers together, with your right hand over and your left hand under. With your fingers interlocked, rub the backs of them against your palms the swap.

STEP 6: CLEAN THE THUMBS

Enclose your right hand around your left thumb and rub as you rotate it then swap.

STEP 7: RUB PALMS WITH YOUR FINGER:

Rub your fingers over left palm in a circular motion then swap.

Once your hand washing is over thoroughly rinse with warm running water and dry your hand with a clean towel. 

Then use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS:

Standard precautions are the minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, regardless of suspected or infectious status. Standard precautions include:-

• Hand hygiene.

• Use of personal protective equipment.

• Respiratory hygiene.

• Sharps safety.

• Safe injection practices.

• Sterile instruments.

• Clean and disinfected environmental surfaces.

REFERENCES:

• https://www.who.int/medical_devices/meddev_ppe/en/
• https://openwho.org/courses/IPC-PPE-EN
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/isolation-gowns.html
• https://www.cardinalhealth.com/en/product-solutions/medical/infection-control/infection-control-apparel/isolation-gowns.html
• https://theglovecompany.com.au/glove-info/ppe/
• https://ehs.research.uiowa.edu/ppe-glove-information
• https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks
• https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

To Read 👉 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Part (6)

GOGGLES:

Goggles provide greater protection from splashes, liquids and dust than shielded safety glasses. It should fit tightly against your face, it provides the best protection against liquid pesticides and other toxic chemicals. Eye protection is mandatory in all areas with potential for eye injury. Although safety glasses provide adequate eye protection for many laboratory operations, they are not sufficient for operations with substantial danger. Safety goggles are intended to shield the wearer’s eyes from impact hazards such as particles, flying fragments etc. goggles fit the face immediately surrounding the eyes and from the protective seal around the eyes.

FACE SHIELDS:

Face shields are intended to protect the entire face or portions from impact hazards such as objects, large chips etc. if you wore the face shield alone it does not protect you from impact hazards. Use face shields with safety goggle, spectacles etc. it is made with different transparent materials and varying level of thickness.

SAFETY SHOES:

Safety shoes are designed to protect feet against a wide variety of injuries. Some common types of injuries are puncture, impact and compression safety shoes are come under personal protective equipment. There is some OSHA standard for safety shoes, the OSHA’S foot protection standard requires protective footwear to be used when employees are “working in areas where there is a danger of the foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects, or objects piercing the sole, where such employee's feet are exposed to electrical hazards”. In healthcare, they don’t specify footwear mainly but they do mandate that employees must use protective footwear if there is a danger of injuries, electrical shocks etc.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF USING SAFETY SHOES?

 It protects from falling and flying objects.

 It protects from punctures.

 It protects from cutting hazards.

 It protects from electrical hazards.

 Avoiding slipping and falling.

 Prevent burns.

 It prevents you from extreme temperatures.

HOW TO CHOOSE SAFETY SHOES?

Safety shoes must be chosen based on the hazards and the risk present, always check:

• The risk of objects falling onto or striking the feet.
• Any sharp or pointed objects that might cut the top of the feet.
• Objects that may penetrate the bottom or side of the foot.
• Possible exposure to corrosive or irritating substances.
• Evaluate the risk of ankles from uneven walking surfaces.
• Foot injury due to exposure to extreme temperature.
• Exposure to water or other liquids that may penetrate the footwear causing damage.
• Check for always the correct fit.

HOW A SHOE DESIGN SHOULD BE?

Safety shoes provide both impact and compression protection or offer electrical insulation from foot contact with electrical sources.

HOW TO DON SAFETY SHOES?

 Remember to keep the feet dry as well as socks, the insole and lining of the shoes.

 Try to wear your socks that making them adhere to your feet.

 When you put your feet in the shoes make sure the insole doesn’t move.

 Move your fingers to adapt the feet to the shoes.

 Move the feet back and forth to allow the insole to match the feet’s anatomy.

 Remember to tie your shoes well, they must adhere to the feet without being tight.

 Never leave the shoelaces untied, because it can damage the feet.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5👈                           👉 Part 7

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Part (4)

SURGICAL MASK:

The surgical mask/face mask is worn by healthcare professionals, this is also known as isolation mask. It is used to prevent infection, bacteria etc. the surgical mask is a loose-fitting, disposable covering that creates a physical barrier between the mouth/nose of the wearer. The surgical masks are never reused, wash or disinfect. The surgical mask does not protect against smaller airborne particles.

IS THERE ANY PURPOSE OF USING SURGICAL MASK?

• It is used to prevent the spread of infection between sick and well persons.
• It should protect the wearer from splashed with body fluids.
• It prevents direct transmission of body fluids from the healthcare professionals to the patient.
• The surgical mask has sufficient filtration efficiency to bacterial and aerosol particles.

HOW TO CHOOSE A SURGICAL MASK:

• The mask should have fluid proof and splash resistance to blood and body fluids.
• The surgical mask should have pleats/folds so that it allows the user to expand the mask so as to cover from nose to under the chin.
• The mask should have greater stability during breathing.
• The surgical mask must have a minimum pore size for efficient filtration.
• The surgical mask should be light in weight.
• The mask should be breathable and have less breathing resistance.
• It should be comfortable to wear.

HOW TO DON SURGICAL MASK:

1. First, clean your hands with hand wash and sanitizer.
2. Check whether the mask having holes on it.
3. Determine which side of the mask is at the top, the side of the mask that has a stiff bendable edge is the top and it is meant to mould to the shape of your nose.
4. Check which type of facemask you wear there are different categories they are

• Face mask with ear loops
• Face mask with ties
• Face mask with bands

    5. If you using a facemask with ties then take the bottom ties, one in each hand, and secure with a              bow at the nape of your neck.

    6. Pull the bottom of the mask over your mouth and chin.

HOW TO REMOVE A SURGICAL MASK:

1. Clean your hands with hand wash and hand sanitizer before touching the nose.
2. The front of the mask is contaminated only touch the ear loops, ties and band.
3. If the mask having ear loops then hold both of the ear loops and gently lift and remove the mask.
4. If the mask having ties then untie the bottom bow first and then untie the top bow and pull the mask away from you as the ties are loosened.
5. If the mask having the bands then lift the bottom strap over your head first then pull the top strap over your head.
6. Finally through your mask in the trash. 
7. Clean your hands with soap and hand sanitizer.

DO’S AND DON’TS:

DO’S:

• Make sure to wear your mask to protect yourself from infectious droplets that may occur when patients cough, sneeze, laugh or talk.
• Check to make sure the mask has no defects, such as a tear or torn strap or ear loop.
• Bring both top ties to the crown of the head and secure with a bow, tie bottom ties securely at the nape of the neck in a bow.
• Remove the mask when no longer in clinical space and the patient intervention is complete.
• For the ear loop mask, remove the mask from the side with your head titled forward.
• For tied masks, remove by handling only the ties, and untie the bottom tie followed by the top tie.
• Properly dispose of the mask by touching only the ear loops or the ties.
• Always perform the hand hygiene before and after removing a surgical mask.

DON’T:

• DON’T use for protection against very small particles that float in the air.
• DON’T wear if wet or soiled, get a new mask.
• DON’T leave a mask hanging off one ear or hanging around the neck.
• DON’T reuse.
• DON’T touch the front of the mask, as it is contaminated after use.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 👈                          👉 Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Part (5)

RESPIRATOR MASK:

The N95 respirators it is a disposable mask that covers the nose and the mouth and it helps the wearer from breathing hazardous substances.

• It acts as the air-purifying respirator certified by the national institute for occupational safety and health (NIOSH).
• It has a filter efficiency of 95% i.e greater against oil-free particulate aerosols.
• It has the capability of filtering the contaminants like tuberculosis, viruses, bacteria and mists.
• It doesn’t filter toxic gases, vapours and the smell of smoke.

IS THERE ANY PURPOSE OF USING RESPIRATOR MASK?

• It is designed to protect against particulate matter such as dust, fumes, mists, aerosols and smoke particulates.
• It is effective against biological particles such as spores, bacteria, viruses.
• It is particularly effective against aerosolized droplets which are invisible to our naked eye. 

TYPES OF RESPIRATORS:

• Air-purifying respirator.
• Supplied air respirator.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT RESPIRATOR?

 First, identify the respiratory hazard.

 Evaluate the hazard.

 Check the airborne levels while choosing the respirator.

 Check for the respirator fit testing.

 

WHAT ARE THE RISK OF EXTENDED USE AND REUSE OF RESPIRATORS?

Although the extended use and reuse of the respirator cause potentially more benefits it also has some risk, The most significant risk is of contact transmission from touching the surface of the contaminated respirator, contact transmission occurs through direct contact with others as well as through indirect contact by touching and contaminating surfaces that are then touched by other people, this may reduce the respirator ability protect the wearer caused rough handling or excessive reuse.

COMMON PROBLEMS OF USING RESPIRATOR:

• INCREASED RESISTANCE TO BREATHING: Higher breathing resistance of the air-purifying respirators under conditions of heavy work may cause the user breathing difficulty, particularly in hot humid conditions. To avoid placing additional stress on the wearer, use the lightest respirator possible that presents the least breathing resistance.
• REDUCED ENDURANCE: the prolonged use or continued use of the respirator causes pulmonary effects such as decreased endurance etc...
• REDUCED VISUAL FIELD: visual field loss occurs due to wearing full-face respiratory protection.
• INCREASED RISK FOR HEAT STRESS: Significant thermal discomfort should be expected when wearing the respirator.
• DISCOMFORT OR IRRITATION: Workers may develop local skin disease and allergic reaction when wearing the respirator which causes irritation, itchiness etc.
• PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS: Psychological effects while wearing respirator vary from mild discomfort to real inability to tolerate the mask and anxiety. Difficulty in tolerating the mask may lead to risk in breathing.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN N95 AND SURGICAL MASK?

N95:

• N95 masks are designed to filter at least 95% of the airborne particles.
• N95 respirators are solely designed to reduce and prevent the user’s exposure to airborne contaminants.
• Unlike the surgical mask one size fits all, N95 respirator comes in various sizes and also should be selected based on how it’s fit.
• Many N95 respirators also filter at the front of the mask, forcing air to be filtered properly through instead of allowing the user to breathe in unfiltered air.

SURGICAL MASK:

• A surgical mask is primarily designed to prevent biological particles from being expelled by the wearer into the environment.
• A surgical mask is a physical barrier that protects the user from splashes of body fluids, blood and air contaminants.
• A surgical mask is a cheaper alternative.
• A surgical mask is not designed to provide a tight seal against the user’s face.

HOW TO DON THE RESPIRATOR?

 Secure ties or elastic bands at the middle of the head and neck.

 Fit flexible band to the nose bridge.

 Fit snug to face and below the chin.

 Fit check respirator.

HOW TO REMOVE RESPIRATOR?

1. Front of the respirator is contaminated so don’t touch.
2. If your hands get contaminated during respirator removal, immediately wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
3. Grasp bottom ties or elastic of the respirator, then the ones at the top, and remove without touching the front.
4. Discard the respirator in the waste container.

DO’S AND DON’TS:

DO:

• Check to make sure the N95 respirator has no defects such as holes or torn straps.
• Wear for protection against very small particles that float in the air.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction for donning and removing the N95 respirator.
• Ensure a proper fit.
• Mould the respirator over the bridge of your nose when putting it on to help keep the N95 respirator on and fitting properly.
• Tilt head forward and remove the N95 respirator by pulling the bottom strap over the back of the head, followed by the top strap without touching the front of the mask.
• Discard an N95 respirator by touching straps only.
• Perform hand hygiene before and after use of an N95.
• Remove the N95 respirator when no longer in clinical space and the patient intervention is complete.

DON’T:

• DON’T wear if wet or soiled, get a new respirator.
• DON’T reuse, toss it after wearing once.
• DON’T let patients are visitors wear N95 respirators unless they’ve been fit tested.
• DON’T use the N95 respirator if air leaks around the respirator edges.
• DON’T touch the front N95 respirator as it is contaminated after use.
• DON’T share your N95 respirator with others, germs can spread that way.
• DON’T leave an N95 respirator hanging around your neck.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 👈                          👉 Part 6, Part 7