CURRENT PRACTICES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IN OPERATION THEATERS: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY.

Objective: To evaluate the prevailing practices regarding personal protective equipment in operation theaters. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Pakistan Naval Ship Shifa Hospital, Karachi, from May to Jun 2020. Methodology: After the approval of the approval of the hospital ethical committee, 300 online forms were send. A total of 227 respondents returned the 22 questions survey forms. Data was collected and analyzed using online site www.surveyplanet.com. Results: A total of 203 forms were included in our final analysis. Most 128 (63.1%) were males with 90 (44.3%) common aged between 31-40 years and 168 (82.8%) working in tertiary care hospitals. One hundred and fifty eight (77.8%) were routinely managing known Covid cases per-operatively. One hundred and seventy four (85.7%) reported that personal protective equipment was being provided by the hospital administration; 55 (27.1%) have bought part of full protective equipment at their own expense; 72 (35.5%) re-using protective equipment; 167 (82.3%) being provided with N-95 masks and 120 (59.1%) re-using N-95 masks. One hundred and twenty one (59.6%) wearing level III protective gear during all surgeries, 192 (94.6%) respondents reported maintaining hand hygiene after each patient. Only 65 (32%) taking shower at the hospital at the end of their shift. Conclusion: Most of the operation theaters were providing protective equipment to their staff with nearly half reusing protective gear and N-95 masks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]