N95 fit testing strategy back to pre-pandemic mode

For more than three years, Environmental Health & Safety has seen a dramatic increase in the number of health care workers and students requiring N95 fit testing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.   

The number of people being fit tested annually has increased by 300% compared to pre-COVID. Such an increase in fit testing to ensure staff and student safety was made possible through temporary allocation of additional resources by the institution.   

However, these temporary resources are no longer available, and the time has come for UTMB to return our fit testing operations back to normal. 

EHS, in collaboration with Infection Control & Healthcare Epidemiology, has made the decision to return the fit testing strategy to the pre-COVID approach.   

Effective Sept. 1, the following changes will take effect

  • The airborne high-risk group for fit testing includes front-line health care workers who are more likely to provide close patient care (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) to a symptomatic patient.  This primarily includes physicians/residents, nurses, nurses’ aides, respiratory therapists (and students in these disciplines who are in clinical years of training) and select EVS staff. 

  • It does not include those who have casual contact (e.g., clinic registration, transportation, dietary, etc.).  

  • It does not include those who have infrequent patient contacts (e.g., CES, EVS, Property Services, Police, Utilities, SON students, SHP students, clerical, supply chain and others who support health operations). 

  • Department managers are responsible for ensuring adequate staff each shift is fit tested to support these patients.  For high-risk departments such as ED and respiratory therapy, this might mean 50% to 80% of employees need fit testing.  For low-risk departments, this might mean 10% to 25% of employees need to be fit tested. No department is required to have 100% of staff fit tested for N95. 

  • A risk-assessment tool will be developed and made available to department managers to help identify who needs to be fit tested for an N95. 

  • Routine fit testing at League City Campus and Clear Lake Campus will reduce in frequency from monthly to quarterly.  Scheduled fit testing at Angleton Danbury Campus will reduce in frequency from monthly to semi-annually.   

  • Departments at regional hospital campuses can request on-site fit testing (20- employee minimum) via the Departmental Fit Test Request Form

  • Fit testing during nursing orientation will be reduced to focus on high-risk department nurses. 

  • Routine fit testing of clinical staff in clinics is not required unless that clinic has an identified high risk of working with suspected or confirmed symptomatic TB patients.  As a result, on-site fit testing of most clinics will no longer be routinely scheduled on an annual basis. 

  • Routine fit testing of students through the schools will be reduced.  Students in the  School of Nursing and the School of Health Professions who require fit testing due to their unique clinical rotation needs can self-schedule a fit test online through the EHS website. 

We do understand that these are significant changes from what most of us have experienced over the past three years.  As always, employees can schedule their fit tests and get more information on respiratory protection from the EHS Respiratory Protection website.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out. 

 

— William Pate 
Associate Vice President, EHS, ad interim 
Radiation Safety Officer & Laser Safety Officer 
Institutional Safety Officer 
Environmental Health & Safety 
Business Operations and Facilities 

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