[MCOH-EH] Fit Testing

[Kim Schlessinger]

Respiratory fit testing is performed by the Employee Health and Safety (EH&S) Department at Samaritan Health Services (SHS).  SHS has two acute care hospitals and three critical access hospitals, as well as many medical and specialty clinics, located across three Oregon counties.  Total employee population is 6,000.  6.0 FTEs are dedicated to EH&S Nurse positions.  The EH&S nurses (all registered nurses) perform the majority of the respiratory fit testing, as well as PAPR training.  We have two different brands of PAPRs.  The nurses also do the medical evaluation.  On the rare occasion an employee does not pass the medical evaluation, they are referred to the Occupational Medicine physician, who is not part of our department.  There is one Safety Officer for the entire system and she is part of our department.  She was instrumental in researching alternative N95s during the pandemic when there was supply chain issues with obtaining our regular healthcare grade N95s. She also assisted with PAPR training and fit testing during the height of the pandemic.  

 

I would estimate that our nurses spend 50% (maybe more) of their time conducting fit testing.  They perform fit testing when a new hire is seen for their new hire screening visit.  Re-instatement of annual fit testing resumed in May and employees are notified the month of hire to schedule an appointment.  We do struggle with no-shows and cancellations with the annual fit testing appointments.  

 

Agency employees are referred to the Samaritan Occupational Medicine department for their medical evaluation and fit testing.  

 

Best regards,

 

Kim Schlessinger, MN, ANP, COHN-S

Director, Employee Health and Safety

Samaritan Health Services

 

From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Charles Hackett
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2022 7:10 AM
To: MCOH/EH
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Fit Testing

 

Who is responsible for fit testing within your organization?

Do you outsource to a vendor? If so, who do you use?

If internal, what resources are dedicated to the program?

As always

Thank you

Charlie

Charles D Hackett, MD, MPH

Medical Director, Employee and Occupational Health, Lifespan

Chief Community and Family Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital

Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Brown University

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