Face Masks

OVERVIEW

• multiple types of face mask are used for personal protection

USES

• personal protection
• protection of patient from health care nasopharyngeal secretions

DESCRIPTION

Standard Surgical Facemask (some come with a visor attached)

N95 Face Mask (‘duckbill’)

N100 Face Mask

• see here

METHOD OF INSERTION AND/OR USE

• placed over the mouth and nose

OTHER INFORMATION

Surgical Face Mask

• designed to catch bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosol form from the wearer’s mouth and nose
• can protect wearer from being splashed in the mouth from body fluids
• also serves as a reminder not to touch mouth or nose
• they do not prevent inhalation of bacteria or viruses

N95

• Used for respiratory droplet infection spread (eg SARS, influenza, Tb) for general presence in room (not procedures)
• used for  reverse barrier nursing in severely immunocompromised patients
• certified to filter 95% of particles of a particular test size
• The N refers to the ability to resist oil (N stands for Non-oil resistant). R means resistant to oil and P means oil proof
• filters out the droplets that carry viruses (the viruses themselves would be small enough to pass through the filter)
• should not be put back on if removed
• should be replaced every 6 hours (WHO recommendation)

N100

• more expensive
• highest filtering of respiratory particles/diseases
• CDC recommends masks better than N95 for procedures likely to produce droplets (e.g. airway suctioning, intubation) if airborne precautions are needed