Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Mass Screening , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Academic Medical Centers , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Asymptomatic Infections , Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , Child , Child, Preschool , Clinical Laboratory Techniques , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , Pregnancy , Prevalence , SARS-CoV-2 , Virginia/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
General guidance for personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous research of PPE demonstrates the ability of gloves to harbor infectious pathogens. We surveyed health care workers to investigate current PPE practices during linen removal from patient rooms and during patient transport. The results suggest a possible risk for cross-contamination of the environment from overuse of gloves.
Subject(s)
Health Personnel , Hygiene , Patients' Rooms , Personal Protective Equipment , Bedding and Linens , Gloves, Protective , Humans , United StatesABSTRACT
The learning hospital is distinguished by ceaseless evolution of erudition, enhancement, and implementation of clinical best practices. We describe a model for the learning hospital within the framework of a hospital infection prevention program and argue that a critical assessment of safety practices is possible without significant grant funding. We reviewed 121 peer-reviewed manuscripts published by the VCU Hospital Infection Prevention Program over 16 years. Publications included quasi-experimental studies, observational studies, surveys, interrupted time series analyses, and editorials. We summarized the articles based on their infection prevention focus, and we provide a brief summary of the findings. We also summarized the involvement of nonfaculty learners in these manuscripts as well as the contributions of grant funding. Despite the absence of significant grant funding, infection prevention programs can critically assess safety strategies under the learning hospital framework by leveraging a diverse collaboration of motivated nonfaculty learners. This model is a valuable adjunct to traditional grant-funded efforts in infection prevention science and is part of a successful horizontal infection control program.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/prevention & control , Infection Control/methods , Publications/statistics & numerical data , Cross Infection/economics , Financing, Organized , Humans , Infection Control/economics , Models, Organizational , Publications/economics , VirginiaABSTRACT
A primary strategy of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention is standardized, aseptic insertion of central lines. We compared hospital-wide CLABSI rate pre- and post-implementation of a dedicated procedure team as well as central line checklist completion and patient-specific variables between the procedure team and other providers. No significant differences were found. Further CLABSI prevention should focus on central line maintenance.
Subject(s)
Catheter-Related Infections/prevention & control , Catheterization, Central Venous/adverse effects , Central Venous Catheters/adverse effects , Bacteremia/prevention & control , Checklist , Humans , Infection Control/methods , Patient Care TeamABSTRACT
We examined the barriers and perceptions of using a 1-step daily disinfectant and ultraviolet light for environmental cleaning using an anonymous Likert scale survey. Results indicated that environmental services workers believe that cleaning is important for infection prevention and that ultraviolet light and 1-step daily disinfectant cleaner are effective sporicides.
Subject(s)
Disinfection/methods , Household Work/standards , Infection Control/methods , Patients' Rooms/standards , Disinfectants , Disinfection/instrumentation , Humans , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
Touchless ultraviolet disinfection (UVD) devices effectively reduce the bioburden of epidemiologically relevant pathogens, including Clostridium difficile. During a 25-month implementation period, UVD devices were deployed facilitywide for the terminal disinfection of rooms that housed a patient who tested positive for C difficile. The deployment was performed with structured education, audit and feedback, and resulted in a multidisciplinary practice change that maximized the UVD capture rate from 20% to 100%.