News

POSTED: March 31st, 2020
POSTED IN: Forum Topic, MOCEP, News,

The Missouri College of Emergency Physicians (MOCEP) has heard of physicians being reprimanded for wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) during their shifts in the emergency department. It is the opinion of MOCEP, with guidance from the American College of Physicians (ACEP) that emergency physicians and pre-hospital providers be allowed to wear equipment during their shift that they feel is necessary to keep them safe.

The “silent transmission” of COVID-19 is a factor that emergency department personnel must take into account when seeing and treating patients. MOCEP has and will continue to support the use of surgical masks and N95s with proper eyewear and other protective equipment for all providers regardless of patient complaint. While we understand the global penetrance of COVID-19 has created a need to conserve our supply of PPE, we also don’t believe it is appropriate to sacrifice safety in order to do so.

As emergency physicians, we know the risks of the job we signed up for, but we are on the frontlines in this war against COVID-19 with insufficient protection. As such, we would ask hospitals to allow physicians to use donated PPE in additional to their own PPE, provided that it meets the necessary safety requirements. We can’t afford for emergency physicians and other frontline health care providers to get sick, as America needs these individuals now more than ever.

Guidance was provided from ACEP on March 20 stating “ACEP believes that healthcare personnel in the emergency department and emergency medical services should consider wearing a face mask or surgical mask during their entire shift if they are providing patient care, unless the mask becomes soiled and needs replacement.” The statement goes on to say “We also understand that close contact during procedures or processes that generate potentially infectious aerosols requires a higher level of PPE that includes an N95 respirator.”

ACEP released further guidance on March 25 stating “ACEP has and will continue to support the use of surgical masks with proper eyewear and other protective equipment for all providers regardless of patient complaint. Because the inadequate PPE supply increases the risk to our physicians, they have taken to buying their own PPE or utilizing donations from other industries. ACEP urges hospitals and other healthcare facilities to allow physicians to use their donated or self-purchased PPE.”