Last week, ACEP had a call with The Joint Commission to convey our concern that hospitals were punishing or forbidding staff from wearing their self-purchased or donated PPE. We shared your personal (anonymized) stories that we collected of being sanctioned by your hospitals.
Today, TJC issued a statement supporting your right to bring your own standard face masks or respirators to wear at work when your healthcare organizations can’t routinely provide access to PPE that is commensurate with your risk of exposure. Update: The TJC also posted an FAQ about this statement.
If you are having any trouble with your hospitals related to wearing donated or self-purchased PPE, we encourage you to share this statement with your administrators. If you continue to experience pushback, please reach out to us for further assistance at acepadvocacy@acep.org.
Related:
- ACEP Statements on PPE & Physician Protections
- ACEP Strongly Supports Emergency Physicians who Advocate for Safer Working Conditions amidst Pandemic
- PPE Updates: What You Need to Know
- ACEP's Federal Updates
