Institutional COVID-19 Protocols: Focused on Preparation, Safety, and Care Consolidation.

Publication/Presentation Date

1-1-2020

Abstract

As the confirmed cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continue to grow with over 1 million documented infections in the United States alone, researchers and health care workers race to find effective treatment options for this potentially fatal disease. Mortality remains high in patients whose disease course requires mechanical ventilation and admission to intensive care units. While focusing on therapies to decrease mortality is essential, we must also consider the logistical hurdles faced with regard to safely and effectively delivering treatment while limiting the risk of harm to hospital staff and other noninfected patients. In this article, we discuss aspects of surge planning, considerations in limiting health care worker exposure, the logistics of medication delivery in a uniform and consolidated manner, protocols for delivering emergent care in a rapidly deteriorating coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patient, and safe practices for transporting infected patients.

Volume

43

Issue

4

First Page

413

Last Page

427

ISSN

1550-5111

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

32833778

Department(s)

Department of Medicine

Document Type

Article

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