Hastings-Quinte paramedics will soon have special protective equipment as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic services.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the paramedics have been using masks, but while offering protection when used in the pre-hospital setting, it is harder to communicate with patients, and over time they are more uncomfortable to wear.
This is true during summer months with increasing heat that makes it harder for the paramedic to breathe.
Paramedic Chief Doug Socha explained during a meeting of the Emergency Services Committee on Wednesday.
“There’s a lot of fogging and steam. It’s hard to communicate through some of the masks. You can’t see any facial expressions from that side. And really I think we’re starting to see obviously more COVID positive patients in the area.”
In his report Socha said that since the beginning of the global pandemic, Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services has always been able to equip paramedics with increased demands for personal protective equipment (PPE) for nearly 175 frontline paramedics and support staff.
He pointed out that the service has been dealing with the pandemic the longest of anyone in Canada. For over a year paramedics have been donning and doffing PPE, dealing with fogged goggles in the summer, experiencing challenges in communicating with patients and PPE failures when patients have knocked off masks/goggles. With the summer months approaching, and consistent long distance transfers to help increase hospital capacity the service has acquired a few powered-air purifying (PAPR) units.
The power-aired purifying units provide greater splash resistance, higher particulate filtration efficiency than N95s, are less taxing on breathing, allow for better interpersonal communication, and do not require labour-intensive fit testing.
Socha added, “It’s a complete visor that goes across the front of face.”
“That way you can see the facial expression. You can easily communicate compared to trying to talk through a respirator with patients in some of the older population in trying to maintain that level of confidence.”
The committee will recommend to Hastings County council that 180 helmets and 80 PAPR units equipment be purchased at a cost of $171,707. This will be paid for by the provincial government.
