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COVID-19
Create Your Own Surgical Masks
Ideas Work
P r a c t i c a l p e a r l s f r o m y o u r c o l l e a g u e s
That
W
hen the coronavirus out-
break caused a shortage
of personal protective
equipment at our hospital, we
jumped at the chance to help and
developed the prototype for a DIY
mask made of blue wrap. After pre-
senting our idea to the hospital's
administration, we received their
full support to set up shop in a
large conference room where
workers from nearly every depart-
ment joined our assembly line to
create the masks. Here's a video
explaining the needed supplies and
showing how the masks are made:
osmag.net/fJEdX2. We made more
than 20,655 before stopping pro-
duction! Staff members wear the
homemade masks over N95 respira-
tors to help improve the durability of the much-needed form of pro-
tection. (Check out more about our efforts on p. 20).
Brady Heuer, BSN, RN, CNOR
Kristen Dirksen, RN, ADN
Valley View Hospital
Glenwood Springs, Colo.
• TEAM EFFORT Staff members from throughout Valley
View Hospital volunteer to help turn blue wrap into much-
needed masks.
Anna
Stonehouse
Pictures
brady.heuer@vvh.org
kristen.dirksen@vvh.org