Sterilize and Reuse Mask

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Specializes in ER/PACU.

My employer is handing out isolation masks (the yellow tie ones) at the beginning of our shift and collecting them at the end to "be sterilized and reused". We are being told that is being done nationwide, but my friends at other facilities locally and in other states have said they are not doing that. I asked how they sterilized them and how/if the integrity of the mask is affected. I have not received an answer. We also asking about makeup and perfumes that may get on the mask from each user. Please let me know if you are or are not doing this. Thanks!

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How the heck are they sterilizing a disposable paper mask???

Sorry, but your employer sounds like they are feeding you a load of BS. God I hope they are not reusing masks that are not even the right kind of mask for this situation.

1 minute ago, NurseSpeedy said:
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11 hours ago, NurseSpeedy said:

How the heck are they sterilizing a disposable paper mask???

I work at a huge research facility, and we just got an email saying they have ways to decontaminate our N95s. Somehow they're able to disinfect them with highly-pressurize, aerosolized hydrogen peroxide. Apparently they've been using the process in their Microbiology and infectious disease labs for a years, and now they're up-scaling the facility that does it to process all of our N95s moving forward. No word on surgical masks, though.

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Have also been told the same thing as adventure_rn. (maybe we work at the same facility?)

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21 hours ago, NurseSugar said:

My employer is handing out isolation masks (the yellow tie ones) at the beginning of our shift and collecting them at the end to "be sterilized and reused". We are being told that is being done nationwide, but my friends at other facilities locally and in other states have said they are not doing that. I asked how they sterilized them and how/if the integrity of the mask is affected. I have not received an answer. We also asking about makeup and perfumes that may get on the mask from each user. Please let me know if you are or are not doing this. Thanks!

Same here. I have also asked how they are planning on doing this (**insert cricket chirps here**)

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12 hours ago, smf0903 said:

Same here. I have also asked how they are planning on doing this (**insert cricket chirps here**)

You would think it would be a pretty straight forward answer-unless they don’t know what they’re doing-which may be nothing but handing back out the masks.

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The president also said we can do this. He had no specifics on this either. Because it can't be done.

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Read this article to find out how one hospital is solving this problem.

Duke Starts Novel Decontamination of N95 Masks to Help Relieve Shortages

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Thanks, I had no idea.

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could you send your protocol to Gov. Cuomo of NY and the other state governors?

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hmmmm! my BS meter is chirping. Try sending this to the CDC and a national news agency, and see what is said about that from official sources.

See if you can do it anonymously, if to a news agency.

This is a yellow surgical mask, not even an N95 respirator. It is kleenex with strings.

RN with 40 years of experience, most in ICU, two credentials, lots of scars from weird fights with administration.

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My facility is doing this as well.

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