Stethoscope hygiene: A call to action. Recommendations to update the CDC guidelines.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
; 42(6): 740-742, 2021 06.
Artículo
en Inglés
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1233676
ABSTRACT
Healthcare-acquired infections are a tremendous challenge to the US medical system. Stethoscopes touch many patients, but current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not support disinfection between each patient. Stethoscopes are rarely disinfected between patients by healthcare providers. When cultured, even after disinfection, stethoscopes have high rates of pathogen contamination, identical to that of unwashed hands. The consequence of these practices may bode poorly in the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Alternatively, the CDC recommends the use of disposable stethoscopes. However, these instruments have poor acoustic properties, and misdiagnoses have been documented. They may also serve as pathogen vectors among staff sharing them. Disposable aseptic stethoscope diaphragm barriers can provide increased safety without sacrificing stethoscope function. We recommend that the CDC consider the research regarding stethoscope hygiene and effective solutions to contemporize this guidance and elevate stethoscope hygiene to that of the hands, by requiring stethoscope disinfection or change of disposable barrier between every patient encounter.
Texto completo:
Disponible
Colección:
Bases de datos internacionales
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Contaminación de Equipos
/
Estetoscopios
Tipo de estudio:
Estudio pronóstico
/
Ensayo controlado aleatorizado
Límite:
Humanos
País/Región como asunto:
America del Norte
Idioma:
Inglés
Revista:
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
Asunto de la revista:
Enfermedades Transmisibles
/
Enfemeria
/
Epidemiología
/
Hospitales
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Artículo
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