Cooling vests offer effective cooling that they are now part of the standard work clothing for nurses in the COVID nursing departments at Radboud university medical center.
![Cooling Vests Down Heat Perceived by COVID-19 Duty Nurses Cooling Vests Down Heat Perceived by COVID-19 Duty Nurses](https://images.medindia.net/health-images/1200_1000/simple-strategies-improve-emotion-skills-of-nurses.jpg)
‘Cooling vest had little effect on core temperature. But, they may decrease heart rates. Subjective perceptions also matters more.’
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Good protective clothing is essential for their work, but the temperature under these suits can reach up to 36 degrees, leading to reduced comfort. The cooling vests - originally developed for elite athletes competing at the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games - were modified and prepared for use in COVID-related health care.Read More..
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Cooling vests for top athletes
Thijs Eijsvogels, exercise physiologist and principal investigator, explains: "The elite-athlete cooling vests were not immediately suitable for this use because they were designed to cool aggressively before or after physical exertion.
COVID care involves long-term use in which the vests are worn during the health care activities. The cooling power of the modified vest is lower, but it works longer."
Although the cooling vests were already in use, a study of their effects was being carried out at the same time. The Cooling for COVID-19 healthcare workers (COOLVID) study followed 17 nurses working in COVID care for two days: one day with and one day without a cooling vest.
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Less heat stress during a shift
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Therefore, the cooling vest had little effect on core temperature. However, the participants' heart rates were a few beats per minute lower on the days they wore the cooling vests. The biggest difference was in the subjective perceptions of the health care providers.
Co-research Yannick de Korte: "Without a cooling vest, almost 90% of the nurses experienced discomfort and warmth. With a cooling vest, only 20-30% of the participants experienced this. They therefore perceived the conditions under which they have to do their work as more pleasant and comfortable. Virtually everyone said: 'With a cooling vest, I can work like I normally do without protective clothing'."
Source-Eurekalert