| Summary: | There are several common issues that factor in to a health care worker (HCW) not being compliant with policies for respirator wear. The most common of these problems is that respirators have tight fitting straps which can cause discomfort. Discomfort is produced by facial pressure, heat, labored movement of facial muscles, and itchiness. Other common complaints are more subjective in nature such as claustrophobia and perceived shortness of breath. In addition the most common problems encountered when respirators are worn is that the straps are not placed in the correct manner, a seal check in not completed after donning, and removal is not done by touching the straps only. There are three types of respirators used by health care facilities; particulate-filtering face-piece respirators, elastomeric respirators, and powered air-purifying respirators. The most commonly used group in health care settings are the particulate-filtering face-piece respirators, specifically those certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) called N95 respirators. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that there are approximately 1.7 million health care associated infections yearly which account for 99,000 deaths. Proper use of respiratory protection is a critical part of the process of protecting HCWs from contracting these diseases. The purpose of this report is to review the effectiveness, safety and guidelines for different levels of wear compliance of HCW along with donning and doffing behavior for respirator use in health care settings
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