ICU staff make face shields from stationery supplies

Personal protective equipment is so low in one intensive care unit at a Sydney hospital that for several weeks doctors and nurses have been forced to make their own protective face shields out of stationery supplies.

‘‘I am sure they don’t meet infection control standards but we have no other option,’’ said a member of the intensive care unit (ICU) at Sutherland Hospital.

Up to 50 intensive care doctors and nurses have been wearing homemade face shields made from clear plastic binding covers used in stationery, ‘‘sticking some foam to the top of it and using tape to tie it around our heads,’’ said the staff member.

The ICU staff became further concerned about the adequacy of their personal protective equipment (PPE) after being alerted that they were using the wrong masks while treating critically ill Covid-19 patients.

On Tuesday, after reading about ICU workers at St Vincent’s Hospital using the wrong masks, a doctor at Sutherland Hospital realised they too had been using the same mask which is suitable only for dry airborne situations and not for aerosol generating procedures associated with the care of patients being ventilated.

After raising the issue of the model P2 8210 masks with the infection control team, they were told they were at ‘‘low risk’’ and the masks were fine. But later that same day the P2 model 8210 masks were replaced with the P2 (model N95) recommended for healthcare workers performing aerosol-generating procedures, ‘‘including intubation, bronchial suctioning and prolonged contact with critically ill patients’’.

Sutherland Hospital’s ICU members were assured by the NSW Health Department that there was only a low risk of infection because they were wearing face shields.

It was then pointed out no face shields had been available for weeks, which had left staff to make their own. Comment about the adequacy of Sutherland Hospital’s PPE was sought from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.

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