I propose a study

We have a new process in the operating room.

It is a hepa filter that is very powerful.

It will be used next to the patient’s head during aerolizating procedures such as intubation and extubation.

IT IS VERY LOUD.

AND NEXT TO THE PATIENT’S HEAD AS THEY ARE EMERGING FROM ANESTHESIA.

It is to be used on all patients who do not have a covid test prior to surgery.

Um, that’s like 80% of the evening patients.

We are still to use N-95 masks.

On the evening shift we’ve been doing this for nearly seven months.

In the beginning none of our patient’s were tested. Everyone was thought to be a person of interest or potentially infected and treated accordingly.

The number has slowly gotten better over time with access to testing and testing prior to elective surgery becoming more common.

However, no one know when they are coming to the hospital to get emergency or urgent surgery.

And the pre-op tests are for 96 hours before surgery.

Again, not an evening shift type of thing.

But apparently this new hepa filter is.

My theory, which I will propose as a PICOT if I have to, is that the loud hepa filter next to their head, as they are waking up from anesthesia, will activate their flight or flight instincts. Leading patients either to try to get away or try to fight us off.

Either way they will be struggling or fighting the staff.

When they wake up.

Because IT IS VERY LOUD!

I have seen this with my own eyes.

I have held down a waking patient up as they panicked.

So, I propose a study.

Now to get the research council’s backing.