AANA Issues Statement on the Use of Self-Supplied Personal Protective Equipment

PARK RIDGE, Ill., March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- (AANA)— The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) continues to devote its resources to monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurse anesthetists, advocating for their safety and that of their patients and communities. To that end, the AANA Board of Directors has issued the following position statement to support healthcare workers on the use of self-supplied personal protective equipment (PPE):

The AANA believes that all healthcare workers should be allowed to use self-supplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including industrial respirators that meet National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards, when providers feel that the equipment being provided by their healthcare facility is not adequate to protect them. The AANA opposes healthcare facility policies that prohibit healthcare providers from self-supplying the PPE they need to be safe.

Furthermore, the AANA supports the appropriate use of PPE by anesthesia providers as described in our position statement on the Use of PPE During the COVID-19 Crisis. The AANA also believes that decisions to change recommendations for the proper use of PPE should be evidence based and not due to challenges with supply.

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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthetists