3 ways the PPE shortage is affecting doctors
Some are being told to go mask-less to avoid frightening patients; others are repurposing snorkel masks
NSW hospital doctors have spilled the beans on hospital policies that put them at increased risk of infection, during a survey of more than 1000 members conducted by the doctors’ union, ASMOF NSW.
It revealed some have not been given PPE at all, with one doctor commenting they were told a mask “would frighten the patients”.
Doctors were also being asked to go without a mask when assessing patients with fever or respiratory disease but at no or low COVID-19 risk.
“Reasoning for this is that it will deplete stock and cause fear amongst junior doctors, nurses and patients,” one doctor commented.
