Reducing Contamination with Pathogens in Hospital Rooms
Studies have shown that the environment in inpatient rooms regularly becomes contaminated with pathogens that can live on surfaces for several days or even longer. To prevent the spread of infection, providers and staff should use hand sanitizer gel before and after any contact with a patient or a patient’s environment.
When cultured, the surfaces in hospital rooms of patients with Clostridium difficile, vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) test positive for these pathogens about 40% of the time. Bed rails, bed tables, door knobs and sink surfaces have all been shown to be contaminated with these organisms (Carling, PC et al. Am J Infect Control. 2006;34:513-9).
Another study showed that 20% of cell phones or Spectralink phones used by health-care providers are contaminated with pathogens (Goldblatt, JG et al. Infect Contr Hosp Epidemiol. 2007;28:500-3).
“We need to view the environment of the patient’s room as an extension of the patient,” says Dr. Danielle Zerr, medical director of Infection Control. “It’s very important to clean your hands before and after touching the environment because you can contaminate the environment by touching it, and you can also contaminate your hands through contact with the environment.”
Children’s Infection Control Department monitors the use of gel before and after both patient touches and environmental touches. Housewide physician compliance with cleaning hands before or after environmental touches has been 64% in 2008, as compared to 97% compliance with cleaning hands before or after touching a patient.