FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2021
Saratoga Hospital Wound Care Specialist Co-Authors Article On Helping Healthcare Workers Prevent PPE-Related Skin Injuries
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., March 30, 2021—Personal protective equipment has taken on new importance during COVID-19 as one of the most effective ways to safeguard healthcare workers. However, when worn incorrectly, especially for long periods of time, PPE can contribute to skin infections.
To help reduce this risk of infection, early in the pandemic the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel—including Saratoga Hospital Medical Group’s Dr. Lee Ruotsi—developed recommendations on preventing and treating PPE-related skin problems. Their guidance was published recently in the Journal of Clinical Nursing in the peer-reviewed article, “Best?Practices for Preventing Skin Injury Beneath Personal Protective Equipment During the COVID?19 Pandemic: A Position Paper from the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP).”
Recommendations include:
- Applying skin sealants, barrier creams, and moisturizers before and aftering wearing PPE.
- Removing PPE frequently to relieve pressure on the skin, ideally for 15 minutes every two hours while away from patient-care areas.
- Treating skin injuries immediately.
- Educating healthcare workers about the correct way to wear and handle PPE.
“We were concerned about reports of skin injuries—especially around the eyes, nose and mouth—which could serve as potential sites of infection,” said Ruotsi, medical director of the Saratoga Hospital Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Medicine. “In most cases, these injuries can be prevented by taking some simple steps.”
An international expert on wound care, Ruotsi serves on the NPIAP board of directors and is chair of the education committee. Co-authors include his colleagues on the board: William V. Padula, University of Southern California; Janet Cuddigan and Joyce M. Black, University of Nebraska Medical Center; David Brienza, University of Pittsburgh; Virginia Capasso, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Jill Cox, Rutgers University; Barbara Delmore, NYU Langone Health; Sarah Holden-Mount, American Medical Technologies; Nancy Munoz, Southern Nevada VA Health System; Ann Marie Nie, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota; Joyce Pittman, University of South Alabama; Sharon Sonenblum, Georgia Institute of Technology; and Ann Tescher, Mayo Clinic Hospital.
“The benefits of wearing PPE far outweigh the risks, and those risks can be mitigated with careful planning and treatment,” Ruotsi said.
NPIAP is an independent, nonprofit professional organization that seeks to improve pressure injury prevention and management through education, public policy and research.
Ruotsi has more than 15 years of experience leading and consulting on wound care and hyperbaric medicine programs, teaching in residency programs, and lecturing nationally and internationally on topics related to wound care and hyperbaric medicine.
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About Saratoga Hospital: Saratoga Hospital is the Saratoga region’s leading healthcare provider and the only acute-care facility in Saratoga County. The hospital’s multispecialty practice, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group, provides care at more than 20 locations, ensuring easy access to programs and services that can have the greatest impact on individual and community health. Saratoga Hospital has maintained Magnet designation for nursing excellence since 2004. The hospital is an affiliate of the Albany Med Health System, which also includes Albany Med, Columbia Memorial Health and Glens Falls Hospital. The region’s largest locally governed health system, it has 1,520 beds, more than 800 physicians and 125 outpatient locations. For more information: www.saratogahospital.org or www.facebook.com/SaratogaHospital.
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