Sonja Hansen1,2, Frank Schwab3,4, Alexander Gropmann3,4, Michael Behnke3,4, Petra Gastmeier3,4. 1. Institut für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 27, 12203, Berlin, Deutschland. sonja.hansen@charite.de. 2. Nationales Referenzzentrum (NRZ) für Surveillance von nosokomialen Infektionen, Berlin, Deutschland. sonja.hansen@charite.de. 3. Institut für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 27, 12203, Berlin, Deutschland. 4. Nationales Referenzzentrum (NRZ) für Surveillance von nosokomialen Infektionen, Berlin, Deutschland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are the most frequent adverse events in the healthcare setting and their prevention is an important contribution to patient safety in hospitals. OBJECTIVES: To analyse to what extent safety cultural aspects with relevance to infection control are implemented in German hospitals. METHODS: Safety cultural aspects of infection control were surveyed with an online questionnaire; data were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: Data from 543 hospitals with a median of [IQR] 275 [157; 453] beds were analysed. Almost all hospitals (96.6 %) had internal guidelines for infection control (IC) in place; 82 % defined IC objectives, most often regarding hand hygiene (HH) (93 %) and multidrug resistant organisms (72 %) and less frequently for antibiotic stewardship (48 %) or prevention of specific HAI. In 94 % of hospitals, a reporting system for adverse events was in place, which was also used to report low compliance with HH, outbreaks and Clostridium difficile-associated infections. Members of the IC team were most often seen to hold daily responsibility for IC in the hospital, but rarely other hospital staff (94 versus 19 %). CONCLUSIONS: Safety cultural aspects are not fully implemented in German hospitals. IC should be more strongly implemented in healthcare workers' daily routine and more visibly supported by hospital management.
BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are the most frequent adverse events in the healthcare setting and their prevention is an important contribution to patient safety in hospitals. OBJECTIVES: To analyse to what extent safety cultural aspects with relevance to infection control are implemented in German hospitals. METHODS: Safety cultural aspects of infection control were surveyed with an online questionnaire; data were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: Data from 543 hospitals with a median of [IQR] 275 [157; 453] beds were analysed. Almost all hospitals (96.6 %) had internal guidelines for infection control (IC) in place; 82 % defined IC objectives, most often regarding hand hygiene (HH) (93 %) and multidrug resistant organisms (72 %) and less frequently for antibiotic stewardship (48 %) or prevention of specific HAI. In 94 % of hospitals, a reporting system for adverse events was in place, which was also used to report low compliance with HH, outbreaks and Clostridium difficile-associated infections. Members of the IC team were most often seen to hold daily responsibility for IC in the hospital, but rarely other hospital staff (94 versus 19 %). CONCLUSIONS: Safety cultural aspects are not fully implemented in German hospitals. IC should be more strongly implemented in healthcare workers' daily routine and more visibly supported by hospital management.
Authors: Michael Behnke; Seven Johannes Aghdassi; Sonja Hansen; Luis Alberto Peňa Diaz; Petra Gastmeier; Brar Piening Journal: Dtsch Arztebl Int Date: 2017-12-15 Impact factor: 5.594
Authors: Seven Johannes Sam Aghdassi; Sonja Hansen; Peter Bischoff; Michael Behnke; Petra Gastmeier Journal: Antimicrob Resist Infect Control Date: 2019-05-08 Impact factor: 4.887