Journal article
The effect of contact precautions on healthcare worker activity in acute care hospitals
Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.34(1), pp.69-73
01/2013
DOI: 10.1086/668775
PMID: 23221195
Abstract
Contact precautions are a cornerstone of infection prevention but have also been associated with less healthcare worker (HCW) contact and adverse events. We studied how contact precautions modified HCW behavior in 4 acute care facilities. Prospective cohort study. Four acute care facilities in the United States performing active surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Trained observers performed "secret shopper" monitoring of HCW activities during routine care, using a standardized collection tool and fixed 1-hour observation periods. A total of 7,743 HCW visits were observed over 1,989 hours. Patients on contact precautions had 36.4% fewer hourly HCW visits than patients not on contact precautions (2.78 vs 4.37 visits per hour; [Formula: see text]) as well as 17.7% less direct patient contact time with HCWs (13.98 vs 16.98 minutes per hour; [Formula: see text]). Patients on contact precautions tended to have fewer visitors (23.6% fewer; [Formula: see text]). HCWs were more likely to perform hand hygiene on exiting the room of a patient on contact precautions (63.2% vs 47.4% in rooms of patients not on contact precautions; [Formula: see text]). Contact precautions were found to be associated with activities likely to reduce transmission of resistant pathogens, such as fewer visits and better hand hygiene at exit, while exposing patients on contact precautions to less HCW contact, less visitor contact, and potentially other unintended outcomes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The effect of contact precautions on healthcare worker activity in acute care hospitals
- Creators
- Daniel J Morgan - University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. dmorgan@epi.umaryland.eduLisa PinelesMichelle ShardellMargaret M GrahamShahrzad MohammadiGraeme N ForrestHeather S ReisingerMarin L SchweizerEli N Perencevich
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.34(1), pp.69-73
- Publisher
- United States
- DOI
- 10.1086/668775
- PMID
- 23221195
- ISSN
- 0899-823X
- eISSN
- 1559-6834
- Grant note
- CCU319276 / PHS HHS K08-HS18111 / AHRQ HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2013
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9983779490202771
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