S Pelke1, D Ching, D Easa, M E Melish. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Honolulu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of gowning in a neonatal intensive care unit on colonization patterns, necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory syncytial virus and other infections, mortality, and traffic and handwashing patterns. METHODS: Alternate 2-month gowning and no-gowning cycles were established in a 24-bed level III neonatal intensive care unit for 8 months, with respiratory site, umbilical, and stool surveillance cultures done weekly on all patients. Traffic flow and handwashing compliance were evaluated by direct observation. RESULTS: Demographic data did not differ between periods. There were no significant differences between the gowning and no-gowning periods in the rates of bacterial colonization, any type of infection, or mortality. There was no effect on traffic flow or handwashing compliance. CONCLUSION: Gowning in the neonatal intensive care unit is an unnecessary custom without benefit in neonatal colonization, infection rates, mortality, traffic patterns, and handwashing behavior.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of gowning in a neonatal intensive care unit on colonization patterns, necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory syncytial virus and other infections, mortality, and traffic and handwashing patterns. METHODS: Alternate 2-month gowning and no-gowning cycles were established in a 24-bed level III neonatal intensive care unit for 8 months, with respiratory site, umbilical, and stool surveillance cultures done weekly on all patients. Traffic flow and handwashing compliance were evaluated by direct observation. RESULTS: Demographic data did not differ between periods. There were no significant differences between the gowning and no-gowning periods in the rates of bacterial colonization, any type of infection, or mortality. There was no effect on traffic flow or handwashing compliance. CONCLUSION: Gowning in the neonatal intensive care unit is an unnecessary custom without benefit in neonatal colonization, infection rates, mortality, traffic patterns, and handwashing behavior.
Authors: Tom Jefferson; Chris B Del Mar; Liz Dooley; Eliana Ferroni; Lubna A Al-Ansary; Ghada A Bawazeer; Mieke L van Driel; Sreekumaran Nair; Mark A Jones; Sarah Thorning; John M Conly Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2011-07-06
Authors: Tom Jefferson; Ruth Foxlee; Chris Del Mar; Liz Dooley; Eliana Ferroni; Bill Hewak; Adi Prabhala; Sreekumaran Nair; Alessandro Rivetti Journal: Evid Based Child Health Date: 2008-12-10
Authors: Hossam S Alslaim; Jonathan Chan; Fozia Saleem-Rasheed; Yousef Ibrahim; Patrick Karabon; Nathan Novotny Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2022-04-01
Authors: Tom Jefferson; Chris Del Mar; Liz Dooley; Eliana Ferroni; Lubna A Al-Ansary; Ghada A Bawazeer; Mieke L van Driel; Ruth Foxlee; Alessandro Rivetti Journal: BMJ Date: 2009-09-21