Use of personal protection equipment to care for patients with covid-19: scoping review

Abstract

Objective: To summarize knowledge about recommendations for the use of personal protective equipment necessary for the provision of care by health professionals to patients suspected or infected with the new coronavirus.

Method: Scope review with research of primary studies, reviews and preprints articles in English, Portuguese and Spanish, in the last 20 years on the bases WOS/ISI, SCOPUS, MEDLINE/PuBMed, CINAHL, LILACS and SciELO. Unpublished studies in journals were surveyed on bioRxiv and SciELO preprints.

Results: 23 studies were eligible. Experiments with coronavirus prior to SARS-CoV-2 revealed that the equipment was an essential barrier in preventing transmission and follows the precautions of standard precautions, contact, droplet and aerosol. In 13 (57%) studies, this equipment meets international requirements and in 10 (45%).

Conclusion: The personal protective equipment used does not follow the standardization of the second global type, quality and adequate provision, exposing these professionals to the risk of contamination.