EMS PRO TOP PRODUCTS
The STAL Shield and Stand Reduces Risk to Healthcare Workers
These droplets are called fomites. Each fomite can contain thousands of viral parti- cles. The STAL shield will greatly reduce the number of fomites being formed, thereby greatly reducing the number of infectious par- ticles the healthcare worker is exposed to and reducing the risk of an infection developing. In addition to respiratory viruses, these fomites can contain bacteria such as pneumococcus and even tuberculosis.
No one expects to become ill just by doing their job. However, this is a real risk for health care workers. As health care workers, our attitudes and behaviors are changing and evolving concerning infection risk in the work environment.
The inspiration for the STAL came during the H1N1 pandemic. During that time, both device creators, Dr. Steve Wheeler and Mr. Al Wickheim, were involved in pandemic pre- paredness – Steve as a medical director for the British Columbia Air Ambulance, and Al as an Advanced Care Paramedic instructor teaching infection prevention and control. It became apparent that for patients who
three main factors: the virulence of the infec- tious agent, the susceptibility of the host and the number of infectious agents the host is exposed to.
The risk of infection from exposure to only a few organisms is much lower than when exposed to a greater number. The STAL Shield works on the principal that it will re- duce the number of infectious particles the
Twenty years ago, very few of us wore gloves when attending to bloody trauma vic- tims. “I can’t start an IV with gloves on,” nurses and paramedics would state. Now, no one would consider not wearing gloves as we all know the infectious risk associated with blood. The same also holds true now with respiratory secretions. In 2003 during the SARS epidemic, it was health care workers who were at the greatest risk of contracting SARS. This was from patients coughing up the virus and the health care worker breathing it in.
were ill with a respiratory condition or who had an airway problem that required suction- ing, these patients would cough and spread contaminants onto the attendant health care workers. In fact, the suctioning would often induce this cough. Even if a patient did not cough directly onto the health care worker they would create an aerosolized spray car- rying infectious particles into the surrounding environment. The health care workers could then inhale these infectious vectors. Infection transmission is dependent on
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health care worker is exposed to. When a person coughs or sneezes their secretions are expelled at a high velocity and are funneled through a small area, the mouth. The STAL Shield is designed to capture this fluid as it leaves the mouth. It is essentially a splatter shield that slips over the suction catheter, creating a barrier right at the oral and nasal opening. It blocks the spread of fluid carrying infectious particles from being propelled into the air where it will turn into a mist of droplets.
As emergency medical workers we do not know who our patients are or what diseases they may have. It is also difficult to maintain complete universal precautions in an often chaotic environment. Goggles fall off or are left in a pocket; masks don’t fit correctly or are dislodged. In these situations when you are focusing on helping and/or saving the pa- tient, the lack of protection is often not no- ticed. The STAL Shield is an automatic way to reduce the risk of exposure to infection. When used with other preventive measures on all patients requiring suction, it will block the spread of virulent disease from patients who are highly infectious. As with gloves, the STAL Shield should become part of normal procedure when attending to patients who re- quire suctioning.
For more information, visit:
www.prodaptivemedical.com or call 866-224-3109
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