Sir, the pandemic has forced us to adapt and change many aspects of our clinical practice. Surgeries are kept minimally stocked to prevent aerosol contamination and the role of a clean 'runner nurse' has been established in many departments and settings.1 In our departments, the runner nurse may be responsible for several aerosol generating procedure (AGP) surgeries during a session, with tasks including the escorting of patients and the provision of additional equipment as required. With the use of single side surgery rooms, there have been barriers to communication between staff members. Runner nurses have been unable to enter the surgeries and those in surgery have struggled to gain the attention of those outside, with concomitant delays in treatment provision. With restricted operating time due to the incorporation of fallow time, procedures need to be carried out as efficiently as possible.
Communication barriers have been overcome by the introduction of a common household electrical device: the wireless doorbell. Available at an affordable price from many retailers, the doorbell receiver can be placed outside of the surgery in the vicinity of the runner nurse and the doorbell button covered within the surgery or placed in an AGP staff member's pocket. It allows those working in an AGP surgery to gain the attention of the runner nurse with the press of a button. This efficient and cost-effective method of communication avoids unnecessary doffing and donning of PPE, reduces the risk of aerosol spread and can summon assistance rapidly, for example during a medical emergency. With many teaching hospitals moving towards clinical pods to overcome the challenges of open clinics,2 we hope this novel idea will be useful to colleagues to aid communication between staff members.
References
All Wales Clinical Dental Leads COVID-19 Group. Standard Operating Procedure for the Dental Management of Non-COVID-19 Patients in Wales. 26 August 2020. Available at: https://bda.org/advice/Coronavirus/Documents/Wales-SOP-for-treatment-of-non-COVID-19-patients.pdf (accessed 22 May 2021)
Peakin W. Dental hospital installs 'AGP pods'. Scottish Dental Magazine 10 February 2021. Available at: https://www.sdmag.co.uk/2021/02/10/dental-hospital-installs-agp-pods/ (accessed 22 May 2021).
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Crummey, A., Keogh, A., Muir, V. et al. For whom the bell tolls. Br Dent J 231, 2 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3236-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3236-0