You can read what the professionals are saying here.
What is it like in your hospital right now?
https://allnurses.com/what-like-hospital-right-now-t717045/
That's page 1 page, use page tabs on bottom
9 hours ago by FLOATnureCO Member Nurse
FLOATnureCO has 3 years experience.
99 Posts; 3,955 Profile Views
On 3/30/2020 at 6:46 PM, SansNom said:
Current research is showing that it can be potentially rendered airborne for UP TO 3 hours after an aerosolizing treatment or procedure. It doesn't just have an allotted 3 hours of random air time it gets to use at will(haha, sorry, that thought just made me laugh). Most aerosol generating procedures and treatments are ICU specific that most med/surg nurses won't be exposed to (you can Google these pretty quickly).
Aside from the those specific situations, it is a droplet transmitted virus, and a surgical mask will suffice. I know many of you don't believe anything we're being told anymore, with some good reason, but I personally believe this particular bit of information and feel comfortable with a surgical mask unless I'm caring for a patient in the ICU receiving these treatments. I wash my hands frequently, of course, am very mindful of touching my face while at work, and then clean myself thoroughly when I get home.
In the situations we are caring for ICU patients receiving aersolizing treatments (in my hospital anyway) we are provided with N95s and much more protective gear. We have also converted quite a large number of rooms to be negative pressure so these droplets that have been rendered airborne are not just floating all over the hallway.
What is also aerosolizing and related to med-surg nurses is nebulizers…