Pressure Injury, Pressure Ulcer of Skin
Conditions
Keywords
Pressure Injury Prevention, Personal Protective Equipment, Nursing, Nasal Bridge, N-95 Mask
Brief summary
The primary goal of this study is to explore whether applying the Mepilex foam on the nasal bridge directly between the skin and the N95 mask will prevent nasal bridge pressure injury among nursing staff, secondary to long-term ( \>8+ hours) wear time. The secondary goal is to evaluate if using the Mepilex maintains the seal of the mask.
Detailed description
Nurses use the N95 Mask as part of the personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients with COVID-19. The N95 mask covers their nose and mouth with a tight seal. Nurses wear the mask for more than 8 hours per day, as a result they are at increased risk for skin injury on the nasal bridge. Mepliex is foam dressing which has been used to prevent pressure injuries to the skin. This study will evaluate if using Mepilex or band-aid on the nasal bridge of the nurses who wear the N95 for more than 8 hours decreases the potential for skin injury. In addition, the investigators will test if the Mepilex or band-aid also maintains the seal of the mask. Maintaining the seal is important to ensure that the nurse is not exposed to the virus. The investigators will be working with nurses who do not directly take care of COVID-19 patients to ensure the safety of all participants.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALApplying the Mepilex foam
Mepilex foam will be directly applied on the nasal bridge directly between the skin and the N95 mask.
Sponsors
Columbia University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
Single-blind design
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 64 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* The sample will consist of nursing staff working on non-COVID units, including: Medical Surgical Units, Operating Rooms or Ambulatory Care- Labor and Delivery Unit, Maternity Unit and Medical Oncology Unit, at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Lawrence Hospital.
Exclusion criteria
*
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants with Pressure Injury Prevention | 48 hours | Researchers will count the number of participants with and without injury on the nasal bridge directly between the skin and the N95 mask |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants that Maintain Mask Seal Integrity | 12 hours | Researchers will assess the integrity of the N95 mask seal using both interventions - Mepilex and Band-Aid. The number of participants with acceptable seal according to the Fit Test will be counted |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed