What Is The Impact Of The Shortages In Personal Protective E

What is the impact of the shortages in personal protective equipment (PPEs) on the safety of the patients in this period of a fight against coronavirus?

Research Question: What is the impact of the shortages in personal protective equipment (PPEs) on the safety of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic?

This research aims to analyze how PPE shortages during the COVID-19 crisis compromise the safety of both healthcare providers and patients. PPEs, including masks, gloves, gowns, and shields, are critical in preventing the transmission of the virus within healthcare settings. During the pandemic, global shortages of PPEs have emerged, significantly affecting healthcare delivery and infection control practices (Livingston & Berkwits, 2020).

The shortage of PPEs has led healthcare facilities to adopt interim measures such as using makeshift shields without masks, which are less effective in preventing infection (Liu et al., 2020). Such measures increase the risk of healthcare providers contracting COVID-19, which subsequently elevates the risk of transmitting the virus to uninfected patients and the broader community. Adequate PPEs serve a dual purpose: protecting healthcare workers and acting as a barrier to prevent the spread of infection from providers to patients and vice versa.

Inadequate PPE supplies also compel healthcare administrators to reduce staff numbers, limiting the number of healthcare providers present at any given time. Although this strategy aims to conserve PPEs, it inadvertently increases workload for remaining staff, resulting in fatigue, medication errors, and compromised quality of care (Liu et al., 2020). The heightened workload and PPE scarcity create a vicious cycle that exacerbates the risk of nosocomial infections and endangers patient safety.

This study will utilize a qualitative approach to explore healthcare providers’ perspectives on PPE shortages and their impact on patient safety. Data will be gathered through interviews with selected healthcare workers, allowing for an in-depth understanding of the operational challenges faced during the pandemic. This approach is appropriate because it emphasizes rich, contextual insights that are critical for understanding complex issues such as PPE shortages and infection control in crisis circumstances (Liu et al., 2020).

References

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