ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The 9-Month COVID-19 Pandemic Experience of Otorhinolaryngology Staff at a Tertiary Health Center
Üçüncü Basamak Bir SaÄŸlık Merkezindeki Kulak Burun BoÄŸaz KliniÄŸi Personelinin 9 Aylık COVID-19 Pandemi Deneyimi
Received Date : 25 Nov 2022
Accepted Date : 17 Jan 2023
Available Online : 23 Jan 2023
Tuğçe PÜTÜRGELİ ÖZERa, Ömer BAYIRb, Güleser SAYLAMb, Emel ÇADALLI TATARb,
Murad MUTLUb, Muharrem DAÄžLIb, Mehmet Hakan KORKMAZb,c
aClinic of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Abdulkadir Yüksel State Hospital, Gaziantep, Türkiye
bDepartment of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Health Sciences Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye
cDepartment of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
Doi: 10.24179/kbbbbc.2022-94534 - Makale Dili: EN
KBB ve BBC Dergisi. 2023;31(2):81-9
Copyright © 2020 by Turkey Association of Society of Ear Nose Throat and Head Neck Surgery. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
ABSTRACT
Objective: To document our experiences in a tertiary
health center in the planning and accomplishment of safe and efficient
otolaryngology, head and neck surgery (OHNS) practices, and the rates
of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) among our healthcare professionals
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods:
We retrospectively investigated the COVID-19 infection rates among
OHNS department professionals during the first 9 months of the pandemic
(between 15 March 2020-15 December 2020), and also the number
of patients examined at our clinic, the number and types of
operations done with comparison to pre-pandemic period. The general
and specific precautions for OHNS staff were also revised. Results:
During the 9-months the numbers of OHNS outpatient examinations
(minimum 5.9% and maximum 43.3%) and inpatient hospitalizations
(minimum 0.8% and maximum 31.4%) decreased significantly, compared
to the same months in 2019. The rate of COVID-19 diagnosis
among our staff was 25.45%. The highest rates of COVID-19 positivity
were seen among outpatient technicians (40%), and the lowest rate
was among the nurses in the operating rooms (12.5%). Conclusion:
The OHNS staff is at high risk as they are extremely exposed to upper
airway diseases, and these healthcare professionals are in a very risky
position in terms of COVID-19 transmission. All of the staff must follow
the absolute precautions during examinations and procedures including
all types of patient care.
Keywords: COVID-19; educational personnel; precautions; health personnel
ÖZET
Amaç: Bu çalışmamızda, kliniğimizde koronavirus hastalığı-
2019 [coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)] pandemisinin ilk 9
ayında planladığımız güvenli, verimli kulak burun boğaz ve baş boyun
cerrahisi (KBB-BBC) uygulamalarını, bu süreç boyunca personelin
COVID-19 enfeksiyon oranlarını, yapılan poliklinik ve ameliyat hizmetleri
hakkında deneyimlerimizi sunmayı amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntemler:
Salgının ilk 9 ayında (15 Mart 2020-15 Aralık 2020 arasında)
KBB-BBC kliniği çalışanları arasında COVID-19 enfeksiyon oranları,
kliniğimizde muayene edilen hasta sayısı, uygulanan operasyonların
sayısı ve türleri pandemi öncesi dönemle retrospektif olarak karşılaştırıldı.
Bulgular: Dokuz aylık dönemde KBB-BBC ayaktan muayene
(en az %5,9 ve en fazla %43,3) ve yatan hasta (en az %0,8 ve en fazla
%31,4) sayısı 2019’un aynı aylarına göre önemli ölçüde düştü. COVID-
19 tanı oranı personelimiz arasında %25,45 idi. COVID-19 pozitifliği
en fazla poliklinik teknisyenlerinde (%40), en az ise ameliyathane hemÅŸirelerinde
(%12,5) görüldü. Sonuç: KBB-BBC personeli, üst solunum
yolu ile ilgilenen bir bölüm olması ve muhtemel COVID-19 hastalığına
aşırı derecede maruz kalmaları nedeniyle bu hastalık için yüksek
risk altındadır. Muayene ve her türlü hasta bakımı dâhil olmak üzere
tüm işlemlerde mutlak tedbirlere uyulması gerekmektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: COVID-19; çalışan eğitimi; önlemler; sağlık çalışanı
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