I have noticed a significant increase in general laxity about PPE since COVID masking has been dropped. A significant % of OR staff (esp anesthesia & RTs) not bothering to mask inside actual OR even when sterile fields are open & set up.
Nurses inside OR generally much more consistent (they directly handle & set up sterile equipment).
I’ve seen unmasked anesthesiologists & RTs for emergency CS & gyne cases… I don’t get it. We mask to prevent contamination of open surgical wounds. Just because COVID mask mandates are over doesn’t mean INSIDE an operating room is a mask free zone.
Used to be that it was unthinkable to be unmasked inside an active OR. Even in the hallways during active OR time. It’s a sad commentary on the impact of the antimask stupidity spilling over to areas where it can impact quality & safety of the patient care environment.
@heiltsuk_paleo Just got screamed at (literally) by a surgeon who flew into a rage this morning because we asked them to mask during a consultation. Behind them on the wall were at least 10 degrees from various medical institutions. 🤦🏼♀️🤯
@heiltsuk_paleo My husband and I are RTs, we are the only people masking in our hospitals and my husband works in a reservation hospital. Shit is crazy.
@heiltsuk_paleo @Lunesly_ At some point, will they also say there's no modern & serious study proving that sterilization of surgical instruments make a real difference or something ? Caus that's the next step, isn't it ?
@heiltsuk_paleo A Respirologist in 🇨🇦 told me that sometimes he's in such a hurry to intubate a patient that he doesn't "have time" to put on a face 😷 so he's done it maskless several times. He said he trusts his vaccination status 100% 😒
@heiltsuk_paleo I had an anaesthetist last year for a gynae procedure who wore her mask under her chin the whole time. I was sedated, not under general anaesthetic, so aware she was doing it but too out of it to complain. I have Long Covid and another infection could be a huge setback for me.
@heiltsuk_paleo Wait, surgical staff aren’t required to mask during surgery? Really!?