In Illinois, Project HOPE Bolsters Respiratory Protection at Long-Term Care Facilities
Long-term care facilities across the United States were devastated by COVID-19. In northern Illinois, Project HOPE is providing respiratory safety training and supplies to ensure staff and residents are equipped for the next big public health threat.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the U.S. in 2020, it quickly became evident that those at long-term care facilities were far more vulnerable to infection than the general population. By fall 2020, nearly 1 in 4 COVID-19 deaths were among nursing home residents and staff.
In Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, Project HOPE provided surge support in these facilities to help break the chain of transmission. At the height of the pandemic, our teams obtained testing materials, supplies, and personal protective equipment. We also supported staff in other areas, including consultation on infection prevention and control measures, universal masking, and mental health support for staff, residents, and families.
During this time, the team identified a great need for change. Many facilities were unfamiliar and noncompliant with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard, requiring employers to develop and implement a comprehensive program to protect employees from airborne hazards. Staff lacked training on the process of medical evaluations (to ensure a user can wear a respirator without health issues) and were uninformed on the process for fit testing (to ensure a respirator properly fits).
There were also gaps in critical resources: Very few facilities were using portable air purifiers, nor was there much use of powered air-purifying respirators for those who couldn’t wear tight-fitting respirators. Staffing shortages made it very challenging to dedicate enough time to make quality improvements.
As the pandemic waned, Project HOPE pivoted from urgent relief to long-term support, stepping into action to help address these gaps and improve respiratory safety. Over the past year, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and the Illinois Department of Public Health, Project HOPE has been providing facilities with the training and resources needed to bring their respiratory protection programs into full compliance with the OSHA standard and to better respond to future health crises.
“This year alone we’ve reached more than 250 long-term health facilities in making sure they have not only the expertise but also the education, materials, equipment, supplies, and training to fit test and keep not only their staff safe but their residents as well,” says Harley Jones, Project HOPE’s Director of Domestic Programs.
Since starting the training, our teams have reached over 750 health workers representing 21 counties and 264 facilities across northern Illinois, impacting 41,000 beds.
“I learned so much from Project HOPE about creating a Respiratory Protection Program for my organization,” says Elizabeth Accardi of Lee County Health Department, who attended an in-person fit testing training in June. “They explained each requirement in detail and helped us formulate our program to meet it. We could not have done it without them.”
In addition to training, participating facilities have received educational materials, equipment, and supplies needed to conduct fit testing. Supplies included reusable and disposable fit test hoods, testing solutions, nebulizers, N-95s, PAPRs, and backup battery packs. We have also delivered 544 air purifiers, educating participants on their benefits, and provided over 14,000 medical evaluations through our partner, Resp Safety.
“Project HOPE provides excellent education into what can be used and what is required to help make sure a facility is safe and providing safe care to its residents,” says Mike Babicz, a staff member at Libertyville Manor. “Libertyville Manor Generations of Care has obtained consultation, materials, and equipment, ensuring N95 fit testing is done properly and the facility has a safe environment. The Project HOPE team has become an extension of our team.”
Despite progress, there are still significant areas for improvement in respiratory protection, with staffing shortages being the greatest barrier to compliance.
“The nursing shortage currently looms large for all health care settings, yet the long-term care environment has faced staffing challenges for a very long time, which has only worsened in recent years,” says Shelly Fischer, Clinical Lead for the Respiratory Protection Program. “These facilities house and care for the oldest and most vulnerable members of our society, and Project HOPE is poised to continue to work with local and state health departments to strengthen the provision of care and mitigate adverse outcomes for this population.”
