A Pilot Study of Healthcare Workers’ Experience With Personal Protective Equipment

Abstract

Personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance in healthcare settings has continued to be an issue before and during the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand the overall experience of healthcare workers with PPE, including types and uses of PPE, their duties, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction with PPE. By examining the PPE design characteristics and requirements of healthcare workers, the ultimate goal is to redesign PPE to increase comfort and work efficiency. As a pilot study, one-to-one online interviews were conducted with three healthcare workers who had experience wearing PPE while working in a hospital. The transcripts were analyzed using NVivo software, and a total of 5 subgroups were created based on the 69 unique codes by grouping them into semantic units: environmental situation and characteristics, satisfaction, improvement and suggestion, issues and problems, and PPE wearing experience. Masks (N95 and surgical), eye protections (goggle and face shield), gowns, and gloves were investigated, and high risk of infection, discomfort and distrust about reusing PPE, low degree of protection, low usability, and low work efficiency were observed.