AUSTIN (KXAN) — A team effort between a local doctor and an engineer is helping to keep frontline healthcare workers safe.
Critical COVID-19 patients are put on ventilators, but the process of putting them on those machines can spread the virus. “When intubating somebody you’re in very close proximity to their face,” explained Dr. Joseph Eddings.
He said when you’re putting a breathing tube down into a patient’s airway, particles that contain the virus can spray and infect doctors and nurses in that same room.
That’s what led to Eddings designing and making a prototype “intubation tent.”
“With our coworkers, the nurses, the techs, the physicians, we start to become a family. You get to know these people and really, the reason I did it was just so we can protect each other,” Eddings told KXAN.
The tent-like structure is made with PVC pipes and glue.
Brian MacCleery, Chief Systems Engineer at National Instruments, made a dozen and posted the design online.
“It’s clearly needed in this type of situation where doctors are really putting themselves at significant risk,” he said. “It’s a positive use of the Internet. You can donate them to your local intensive care units. You can make an impact.”
MacCleery said each tent costs about $20 to make. It took him 20 to 30 minutes to assemble one in his garage.
“As engineers and scientists we want to do everything we can do help,” he said. “This is the kind of thing that, as an engineer at National Instruments, we’re always looking for problems to solve and ways we can help out.”
Eddings said, “It’s not difficult [to make one]. If I can do it, it’s not difficult.”
As shown in the video, the tent can be placed over a patient. By clipping a plastic sheet on to it, you create a protective barrier between the patient and the healthcare worker.
Eddings said that can help to contain the virus particles and not spread them all over the room.
He said the 12 tents MacCleery made have been donated to local hospitals.
According to Eddings, “They’re currently in all four of the St. David’s hospitals that are in town.”
He added, when he showed his prototype to his coworkers, “The nurses seemed to be very grateful about it.”
Eddings said, “We can go to work and feel a little bit safer in this environment that’s really, does not feel very safe at times.”
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