TY - JOUR
T1 - Contact patterns during cleaning of vomitus
T2 - A simulation study
AU - CDC Prevention Epicenters Program
AU - Su, Yu Min
AU - Phan, Linh
AU - Edomwande, Osayuwamen
AU - Weber, Rachel
AU - Bleasdale, Susan C.
AU - Brosseau, Lisa M.
AU - Fritzen-Pedicini, Charissa
AU - Sikka, Monica
AU - Jones, Rachael M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - Background Environmental service workers cleaning bodily fluids may transfer pathogens through the environment and to themselves through contacts. Methods Participants with experience in cleaning of hospital environments were asked to clean simulated vomitus using normal practices in a simulated patient room while being videorecorded. Contacts with environmental surfaces and self were later observed. Results In 21 experimental trials with 7 participants, environmental surfaces were contacted 26.8 times per trial, at a frequency of 266 contacts per hour, on average. Self-contact occurred in 9 of 21 trials, and involved 1-18 contacts, mostly to the upper body. The recommended protocol of cleaning bodily fluids was followed by a minority of participants (2 of 7), and was associated with fewer surface contacts, improved cleaning quality, and different tool use. Participants used different cleaning practices, but each employed similar practices each time they performed an experimental trial. Conclusions Training in the use of the recommended protocol may standardize cleaning practices and reduce the number of surface contacts.
AB - Background Environmental service workers cleaning bodily fluids may transfer pathogens through the environment and to themselves through contacts. Methods Participants with experience in cleaning of hospital environments were asked to clean simulated vomitus using normal practices in a simulated patient room while being videorecorded. Contacts with environmental surfaces and self were later observed. Results In 21 experimental trials with 7 participants, environmental surfaces were contacted 26.8 times per trial, at a frequency of 266 contacts per hour, on average. Self-contact occurred in 9 of 21 trials, and involved 1-18 contacts, mostly to the upper body. The recommended protocol of cleaning bodily fluids was followed by a minority of participants (2 of 7), and was associated with fewer surface contacts, improved cleaning quality, and different tool use. Participants used different cleaning practices, but each employed similar practices each time they performed an experimental trial. Conclusions Training in the use of the recommended protocol may standardize cleaning practices and reduce the number of surface contacts.
KW - Contact frequency
KW - Environmental service workers
KW - Health care
KW - Infectious diseases
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ajic.2017.07.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ajic.2017.07.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 28844383
AN - SCOPUS:85028084725
SN - 0196-6553
VL - 45
SP - 1312
EP - 1317
JO - American Journal of Infection Control
JF - American Journal of Infection Control
IS - 12
ER -