Ep 139 COVID-19 Part 3 – PPE: What We Know, Conservation Strategies and Protected Code Blue

This is Part 3 of our series on COVID-19. Part 1 Screening, Diagnosis & Management Part 2 Surge Capacity Strategies Part 4 Protected Intubation Part 5 Epidemiology & Prediction Models The single most important thing we can do as ED providers in this COVID pandemic is to protect ourselves, our colleagues, our patients, our families and our friends against transmission of the virus; and there is no higher risk of transmission that during the resuscitation of a sick COVID patient. In this podcast we speak with a world expert on PPE, Dr. Laurie Mazurik about protecting against transmission of the virus before, during and after your shift. Not only do we discuss the details of all PPE from head protection to footwear, but we give tips on the equally important non-PPE protection as well. We touch on PPE conservation strategies as we struggle with supplies, give you the bottom line on donning/doffing sequencing, and discuss the core principles of the protected code blue... Podcast production, sound design & editing by Anton Helman Written Summary and blog post by  Anton Helman March, 2020 Cite this podcast as: Helman, A. Mazurik, L. Episode 139 COVID-19 Part 3 - PPE: What We Know and Conservation Strategies. Emergency Medicine Cases. March, 2020. https://emergencymedicinecases.com/covid-19-ppe. Accessed [date] This podcast and blog post are based on Level C evidence - consensus and expert opinion. Examples of protocols, checklists and algorithms are for educational purposes only and require modification for your particular needs as well as approval by your hospital before use in clinical practice. This podcast was recorded on March 20th, 2020 and the information within is accurate up to this date only, as the COVID pandemic evolves and new data emerges. The blog post will be updated regularly and we are working on a weekly update via the EM Cases Newsletter which will be replicated on the EM Cases website under 'COVID-19' in the navigation bar. Update April 2021: An article was published listing ten scientific reasons in support of COVID airborne transmission, furthering the evidence for current protocols, including PPE and protected code blue. Full text Protecting against COVID-19 transmission before your shift, during your shift and after your shift Before and after your shift Adapted from decontamination checklist by Lauren Westafer * Avoid public transit * Bring your own food/drink supply * Remove jewelry, watches * If you have long hair, tie it up in a tight bun * Obtain clean scrubs at the hospital if possible * Place all your work gear – stethoscope, pens, phone, clipboard etc in a freezer zip lock bag * Use a separate pair of waterproof shoes that you leave at work * Take an extra large freezer bag or garbage bag to place your clothes into * Take with you disinfectant wipes (or if they have run out in your community mix 25mL of bleech in 750mL of water in a spray bottle so that you can wipe down your car steering wheel, gear shift and seat). * After your shift, if possible, shower at the hospital leaving your scrubs there (or place them in a separate freezer bag) and change into the clothes that you kept in the freezer bag. If there is no shower at the hospital, wash your hands, arms and face with soap.