Nurses want more protection against H1N1
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- September
- 4
  The New York State Nurses Association is calling on Dr. Richard Daines, state health commissioner, to ensure that its members receive greater protections against the swine flu/H1N1 virus, which is expected to affect many people this fall.
  The group disagrees with state guidelines that say surgical masks are appropriate protection for routine care of patients with respiratory illness. The Nurses Association said surgical masks protect against droplets but not from airborne aerosols.Â
  “When flu virus becomes aerosolized, such as when a patient coughs or sneezes, it can be inhaled by anyone nearby,” said Tina Gerardi, CEO of the organization. “Ordinary surgical masks do not prevent this mode of transmission.”
  The group cites an Institute of Medicine report issued this week that states the minimum protection a worker in a hospital or non-hospital setting should have is a N-95 respirator that has been tested to make sure it fits tightly enough. The recommendation is in line with guidelines issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, according to the Nurses Association, which has more than 37,000 members.
  Mandatory immunizations are not an “easy fix” that will prevent workers from spreading the virus, the Nurses Association said in a letter to Daines. Vaccines are not expected to be available until November, the group wrote.
  “To effectively prevent the spread of infection, healthcare facilities must establish and implement effective infection control policies and procedures and DOH must ensure that federally mandated infection control procedures are being followed,” the letter said.
This entry was posted
on Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 12:14 pm by Cara Matthews.
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If Nurses or others truly want to reduce or eliminate the hazard – then use a 1/2 face respirator hepa filter, (purple), and acid gas, (yellow) combination, (combo) cartidges.
You can work aroud sick people all day with high confidence of not being contaminated by airbore particles, droplets or aerosols. This the most effective way to prevent flu transmission but it costs a little more than N95.
N95 dust masks do seal effectively to prevent anything.
As alaways with safety it is safety vs money- thats why this way will be pooh poohd by those responsible to implement this solution- although it doesn’t prevent worker from buying their own.
Keep an eye on this solution as it will pick up steam this year and become the most effective solution and one that will hopefully become the “Recommended Solution” as well.
Ooopps I meant N95 “do not” seal well enough to prevent disease transmission. After I sent the response above, I ran into a headline in California requesting the Govenor open up the reserve respirator supply to do just that- Provide more and better protection to health care workers and it also protects the public from being exposed to health care workers who may be sick as well.
Bottom line- if you want protection then use a respirator. If you want to take a more risky but inexpensive approach, then try using an N95 paper dust mask.
After all- its only your life were talking about.