Respiratory protection for healthcare workers in the workplace against novel H1N1 influenza A: letter report

"At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) the Institute of Medicine convened this committee to provide recommendations regarding the necessary respiratory protection for healthcare workers in their workplace against novel H1N1 influenza A (nH1N1). This report focuses on the scientific and empirical evidence regarding the efficacy of various types of personal respiratory protection technologies as one measure to protect healthcare workers against nH1N1. The committee concludes that an emphasis is needed on implementing a range of strategies across all levels of the hierarchy of controls to minimize risk and decrease the number of healthcare workers and other patients exposed to patients with suspected or confirmed nH1N1. The committee provides the following findings and recommendations and provides additional detail in the report that follows. " - p. 1-2Committee on Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers in the Workplace Against Novel H1N1 Influenza A, Board on Health Sciences Policy. ; Catharyn T. Liverman, Tracy A. Harris, M.E. Bonnie Rogers, and Kenneth I. Shine, editors.Outcome of the Workshop on Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers in the Workplace Against Novel H1N1 Influenza A held August 12-13, 2009 in Washington, DCAvailable via World Wide Web in Open Book format or, though free registation, as an Acrobat .pdf file (524.3 KB, 69 p.).Includes bibliographical references (p. 30-36).IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2009. Respiratory protection for healthcare workers in the workplace against novel H1N1 influenza A: A letter report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press