OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens transmitted in the hospital setting has reached alarming levels, despite intensified interventions. In the context of mandates that hospitals ensure compliance with disinfection procedures of surfaces in the environment surrounding the patient, we implemented a multihospital project to both evaluate and improve current cleaning practices. DESIGN: Prospective quasi-experimental, before-after, study. SETTING: Thirty-six acute care hospitals in the United States ranging in size from 25 to 721 beds. METHODS: We used a fluorescent targeting method to objectively evaluate the thoroughness of terminal room disinfection cleaning before and after structured educational and procedural interventions. RESULTS: Of 20,646 standardized environmental surfaces (14 types of objects), only 9,910 (48%) were cleaned at baseline (95% confidence interval, 43.4-51.8). Thoroughness of cleaning at baseline correlated only with hospital expenditures for environmental services personnel (P = .02). After implementation of interventions and provision of objective performance feedback to the environmental services staff, it was determined that 7,287 (77%) of 9,464 standardized environmental surfaces were cleaned (P < .001). Improvement was unrelated to any demographic, fiscal, or staffing parameter but was related to the degree to which cleaning was suboptimal at baseline (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvements in disinfection cleaning can be achieved in most hospitals, without a substantial added fiscal commitment, by the use of a structured approach that incorporates a simple, highly objective surface targeting method, repeated performance feedback to environmental services personnel, and administrative interventions. However, administrative leadership and institutional flexibility are necessary to achieve success, and sustainability requires an ongoing programmatic commitment from each institution.
OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens transmitted in the hospital setting has reached alarming levels, despite intensified interventions. In the context of mandates that hospitals ensure compliance with disinfection procedures of surfaces in the environment surrounding the patient, we implemented a multihospital project to both evaluate and improve current cleaning practices. DESIGN: Prospective quasi-experimental, before-after, study. SETTING: Thirty-six acute care hospitals in the United States ranging in size from 25 to 721 beds. METHODS: We used a fluorescent targeting method to objectively evaluate the thoroughness of terminal room disinfection cleaning before and after structured educational and procedural interventions. RESULTS: Of 20,646 standardized environmental surfaces (14 types of objects), only 9,910 (48%) were cleaned at baseline (95% confidence interval, 43.4-51.8). Thoroughness of cleaning at baseline correlated only with hospital expenditures for environmental services personnel (P = .02). After implementation of interventions and provision of objective performance feedback to the environmental services staff, it was determined that 7,287 (77%) of 9,464 standardized environmental surfaces were cleaned (P < .001). Improvement was unrelated to any demographic, fiscal, or staffing parameter but was related to the degree to which cleaning was suboptimal at baseline (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvements in disinfection cleaning can be achieved in most hospitals, without a substantial added fiscal commitment, by the use of a structured approach that incorporates a simple, highly objective surface targeting method, repeated performance feedback to environmental services personnel, and administrative interventions. However, administrative leadership and institutional flexibility are necessary to achieve success, and sustainability requires an ongoing programmatic commitment from each institution.
Authors: Clare Rock; Bryce A Small; Yea-Jen Hsu; Ayse P Gurses; Anping Xie; Verna Scheeler; Stephanie Cummings; Polly Trexler; Aaron M Milstone; Lisa L Maragakis; Sara E Cosgrove Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2019-07 Impact factor: 3.254
Authors: Roy F Chemaly; Sarah Simmons; Charles Dale; Shashank S Ghantoji; Maria Rodriguez; Julie Gubb; Julie Stachowiak; Mark Stibich Journal: Ther Adv Infect Dis Date: 2014-06
Authors: Stephen Y Liang; Daire R Jansson; Patrick G Hogan; Tyler W Raclin; Melanie L Sullivan; Carol E Muenks; Satish Munigala; Stacey L House; Stephanie A Fritz Journal: Ann Emerg Med Date: 2019-02-04 Impact factor: 5.721
Authors: Sean L Barnes; Daniel J Morgan; Anthony D Harris; Phillip C Carling; Kerri A Thom Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2014-07-25 Impact factor: 3.254
Authors: Deverick J Anderson; Luke F Chen; David J Weber; Rebekah W Moehring; Sarah S Lewis; Patricia F Triplett; Michael Blocker; Paul Becherer; J Conrad Schwab; Lauren P Knelson; Yuliya Lokhnygina; William A Rutala; Hajime Kanamori; Maria F Gergen; Daniel J Sexton Journal: Lancet Date: 2017-01-17 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Jennifer H Han; Nancy Sullivan; Brian F Leas; David A Pegues; Janice L Kaczmarek; Craig A Umscheid Journal: Ann Intern Med Date: 2015-08-11 Impact factor: 25.391