Real-time fit of a respirator during simulated health care tasks.

Fit is an important but difficult-to-predict feature of respirator performance. This study examined a new approach to measuring respirator performance using two continuous direct-reading particle-counting instruments in a simulated health care workplace. A pilot test was conducted with eight experienced health care professionals who passed a traditional quantitative fit test before performing three randomized 10-min health care scenarios (patient assessment [PA], IV treatment [IV], and wound care [WC]).