Clear surgical masks are now available for health care providers to use when treating patients who are deaf.
These clear masks should only be used with deaf patients, not those who are hard of hearing. Following the guidance of our speech therapists, deaf patients are often trained to read lips, while patients who are hard of hearing are not.
The clear surgical facemask is not approved for use when caring for a patient who has COVID-19 or is suspected of the infection. Clear surgical facemasks can be reused during periods of short supply when caring for deaf patients, as long as they are not damaged, soiled or saturated. Please refer to these guidelines on how to don, doff and reuse clear surgical facemasks.
To obtain a clear mask at the Nebraska Medical Center:
- Call Interpretive Services at 402-559-8697
- Provide your name, phone number, department name, cost center and number of masks needed
- Pick up masks in Clarkson Tower, level one, room 1865
To obtain a clear mask at the Bellevue Medical Center and health centers in Omaha:
- Call Interpretive Services at 402.559.8697
- Provide your name, phone number, department name, cost center and number of masks needed
- Contact Kevin Jones at 402-559-3229 to request pickup and delivery of clear masks. You’ll need to provide Jones this information:
- The pick-up location for the masks (Clarkson Tower, level one, room 1865)
- The exact location of delivery
- The amount of masks to be picked up
To obtain a clear mask at the University Health Center and Grand Island Health Center:
- Call Interpretive Services at 402-559-8697
- Provide your name, phone number, department name, cost center and number of masks needed
- Request campus delivery