key: cord-0917523-etwfmjg3 authors: Summerlin-Long, Shelley; Selimos, Amy; Brewer, Brooke; Buchanan, Mark; Clark, Christa; Croyle, Karen; Culbreth, Cynthia; Monte, Pamela Del; DiBiase, Lauren M.; Hendrickson, Lori; Miller, Pam; Schnell, Natalie; Schultz, Katherine; Stancill, Lisa; Teal, Lisa; Sickbert-Bennett, Emily; Weber, David J. title: Building a Personal Protective Equipment Monitor Team as Part of a Comprehensive COVID-19 Prevention Strategy date: 2021-08-18 journal: Am J Infect Control DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.08.009 sha: 722b2e33d9bcc3c3d0677fd391dc692a86f9a2b0 doc_id: 917523 cord_uid: etwfmjg3 We instituted Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Monitors as part of our care of COVID-19 patients in high-risk zones. PPE Monitors aided healthcare personnel (HCP) in donning and doffing, which contributed to nearly zero transmission of COVID-19 to HCP, despite their care of over 1400 COVID-19 patients. Overall, 626 HCP answered the question on the housewide survey regarding their view of PPE monitors. Among respondents, 68 percent agreed or strongly agreed that "PPE monitors played an important role in keeping staff safe by preventing self-contamination during donning and doffing" (See Figure) . Importantly, only 13 percent disagreed. Based on respondents' survey comments, many who did not agree that PPE monitors played an important role in keeping staff safe worked in areas where monitors were not always available. Among HCP job classes, providers (MDs/NPs/PAs) were less likely to see the value of the PPE monitors (61.1%) than nurses (66.8%), allied health (67.6%), and support staff (68.3%.) This is likely due to providers having more confidence donning and doffing for sterile procedures and surgeries. HCPs who solely worked in the COVID containment zones were less likely to agree that the monitors kept staff safe (54.8%) than staff who worked solely in units with occasional COVID patients (66.6%). HCPs who reported working in both areas saw the most value in PPE monitors (77.8%). Since the survey occurred 6 months into the program, we speculate HCPs in the high-risk zones with dedicated monitors saw less value in the program over time, but HCPs floating between areas with and without monitors saw more value in units having dedicated monitors. Use of appropriate PPE is essential for protecting HCP who provide care for patients with known COVID-19. PPE monitors are recommended as a method to ensure that HCP properly don and doff PPE. 6, 9, 10 Our assessment demonstrates that PPE Monitors are an important part of a comprehensive COVID-19 prevention strategy. Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center Health News Web site Emerging infectious diseases: Focus on infection control issues for novel coronaviruses (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-CoV and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-CoV), hemorrhagic fever viruses (Lassa and Ebola), and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) Contamination of Health Care Personnel During Removal of Personal Protective Equipment Effect of single-versus double-gloving on virus transfer to health care workers' skin and clothing during removal of personal protective equipment Identifying and Implementing Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Self-Contamination of Health Care Workers Caused by Doffing of Personal Protective Equipment During the COVID-19 Pandemic Alternative doffing strategies of personal protective equipment to prevent self-contamination in the health care setting Impact of doffing errors on healthcare worker self-contamination when caring for patients on contact precautions Development of a Sterile Personal Protective Equipment Donning and Doffing Procedure to Protect Surgical Teams from SARS-CoV-2 Exposure during the COVID-19 Pandemic The effects of trained observers (dofficers) and audits during a facility-wide COVID-19 outbreak: A mixed-methods quality improvement analysis We wish to thank the UNC-MC Nursing House Supervisor team, the staff caring for COVID-19patients, and all of the staff who have served as PPE Monitors and kept our colleagues safe.