ACEP ID:
Author: Kelly Gray-Eurom, MD, MMM, FACEP, Chief Quality Officer/Assistant Dean for Quality and Safety, Professor of Emergency Medicine UFCOM
Minimize the number of items you bring to work, which will decrease the number of items that must be decontaminated after your shift. Keep it simple — bring only the essentials.
Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to doff PPE during your shift to eat and hydrate. On-the-go snack ideas include:
Seriously consider whether any other items are necessary. Do you need it for patient care? Do you need it for your personal care? Can it be easily decontaminated after your shift? If the answer is no, leave it at home. Prepare yourself mentally and physically. Do the things that help calm your psyche before a shift. Try to keep the “normals” that you can keep. You are the most important thing that you bring to work. Keeping you safe, sane, and healthy is the best thing that you can do for your patients, your family, and your well-being.