This study aims to identify error-prone operational steps and key sites of self-contamination during donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE).

A total of 56 health care workers, including 37 nurses and 19 physicians, were recruited to don and doff the PPE recommended by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Operational errors and sites of self-contamination were recorded using UV-fluorescent labeling and video surveillance.

Three main errors during donning were identified: choosing a loose-fitting coverall that was difficult to handle; ignoring to inspect the seal of N95 respirator or gloves; and forgetting to pull up the zipper completely. Four main errors during doffing were identified: removing the N95 respirator in a wrong way; touching the scrubs with contaminated hands and elbows; touching contaminated external surfaces of the goggles; and performing insufficient hand hygiene. Key sites that were easily contaminated during the doffing of PPE included left hand and wrist, left lower leg, chest, and left abdomen.

Identifying the steps prone to errors and key sites of self-contamination in the process of PPE donning and doffing can facilitate the training of PPE use and provide detailed evidence for optimizing standardized protocols to reduce contamination.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a necessary item in the period of unknown and high-risk emerging infectious disease. It is not only the necessary requirement of strict isolation, but also the last line of defense to protect medical staff.

Compare the differences between contaminated frequency and sites under two types of PPE doffing.

Recruited 56 health care workers (HCWs) who worked in clinical to follow the different PPE removal guidelines issued by the Chinese Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) final resolution for preventing Ebola virus. Eight batches of HCWs were divided to conduct simulations of contaminated PPE removal using fluorescent lotion (Glitter Bug Potion, On Solution Pty Lt). Then we recorded the frequency and sites of contamination of personnel after removal of contaminated PPE by the method of visual observation.

According to China’s CDC process, the parts that are easily contaminated during PPE removal are: left hand and wrist (7 times), left calf (7 times), front chest center and left and right chest (6 times each) and left abdomen (5 times). Contaminated parts of the PPE process in accordance with the WHO process from high to low were: right hand and wrist (13 times), left hand and wrist (12 times), middle of the abdomen (10 times), left chest (9 times), and left abdomen (6 Times). There was no statistical difference between the two kinds of PPE piercing and removal (Z=1.177, P > 0. 05).

Under the guidance of the two processes recommended by China CDC and WHO, there was no significant difference in the frequency of pollution after removing PPE. It is speculated that the PPE recommendation processes issued by WHO and China CDC are effective for personal protection against fulminating infectious diseases.

Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential when facing emerging infectious diseases. Proper training methods can promote the use of the PPE correctly.

To explore the effect of the training method of sequential operation training on medical staff to master PPE penetration and removal skills, and to study the memory attenuation after training.

Fifteen medical staff with no experience of PPE operation in a hospital were trained to wear PPE in accordance with WHO standards by illustration and sequential operation method. The training included 30 minutes of theoretical teaching and 60 minutes of practical exercises. At the end of the training and 1 week after the training, the training objects were evaluated for PPE operation. A 2.5 x 2.5 cm fluorescent agent was applied on 6 parts, such as hands, chest, abdomen, and knees, to simulate contamination. After taking the PPE off, the parts of the whole body and the inner layer of clothing that were fluorescently contaminated were recorded. The whole operation process was recorded by video to evaluate whether the operation was correct. The error rates of two operations and the contamination position and frequency were compared.

The error rate of the operating PPE after training was 18.6%, rising to 31.9% after 1 week (Z=16.0, P<0.05). After the training, the average number of contaminated PPE removal was 1.96±1.56, which rose to 2.96±2.03 one month later. The difference was statistically significant (Z=8.92, P<0.05). The main vulnerable sites are the wrist, chest, abdomen, and left calf.

Illustrative sequential operation training is an important means to improve the way for medical staff to wear PPE, but it must be completed more than once to ensure that medical staff can firmly master the skills of wearing and removing PPE.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a necessary item in the period of unknown and high risk emerging infectious disease. It is not only the necessary requirement of strict isolation but also the last line of defense to protect medical staff.

To determine the frequency and sites of contamination of personnel during the process of using Chinese PPE.

Recruit 56 health care workers (HCWs) who worked in front-line clinical to test PPE issued by the Chinese Center for Disease Control for preventing Ebola virus. Eight batches of HCWs were divided to conduct simulations of contaminated PPE removal using fluorescent lotion. Then the frequency and sites of contamination of personnel were recorded after removal of contaminated PPE. The method of visual observation was used to determine contamination.

The frequency of easily contaminated parts included: left hand and wrist (7 times), left calf (7 times), front chest center, left and right chest (6 times each), and left abdomen (5 times). Mistakes in the process of wearing PPE included: clothing touching the ground (20.00%), N95 air mask tightness not checked (13.33%), glove air-tightness not checked (4.44%), protective clothing zipper not checked (4.44%). Mistakes in doffing PPE included: clothes touching the ground or the inner surface is polluted (20.00%), the wrong method of removing N95 mask (14.44%), touching the pollution goggles mirror with hands (12.22%), incomplete washing steps, insufficient time and frequency of hand hygiene (11.11%).

It is necessary to carry out training on PPE donning and doffing for Chinese medical workers.

Chinese herbal medicine has been used to treat millions of people with schizophrenia for thousands of years.

To evaluate Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for schizophrenia.

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Seven trials were included. Most studies evaluated Chinese herbal medicine in combination with Western antipsychotic drugs; in these trials results tended to favour combination treatment compared with antipsychotic alone (Clinical Global Impression ‘not improved/worse’ n= 123, RR=0.19, 95% CI 0.1-0.6, NNT=6,95% CI 5–11; n=109, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ‘not improved/worse’ RR=0.78,95% CI 0.5-1.2; n=109, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms ‘not improved/worse’ RR=0.87,95% CI 0.7-1.2; n= 109, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms ‘not improved/worse’ RR=0.69,95% CI 0.5-1.0, NNT=6 95% CI 4-162). Medium-term study attrition was significantly less for people allocated the herbal/antipsychotic mix (n=897, four RCTs, RR=0.34,95% CI 0.2–0.7, NNT=23,95% CI 18-43).

Results suggest that combining Chinese herbal medicine with antipsychotics is beneficial.