Kaila Cooper

Acceptability and Necessity of Training for Optimal Personal Protective Equipment Use.

Healthcare workers routinely self-contaminate even when using personal protective equipment. Observations of donning/ doffing practices on inpatient units along with surveys were used to assess the need for a personal protective equipment training program. In contrast to low perceived risk, observed doffing behaviors demonstrate significant personal protective equipment technique deficits. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:226-229.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae at a low prevalence tertiary care center: Patient-level risk factors and implications for an infection prevention strategy

Highlights:Carbapenem‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) continues as a global threat to hospitals.Recognizing patient‐level risk factors may help enhance CRE surveillance.Antimicrobial stewardship programs play a critical role in combating CRE. &NA; Limited treatment options and a growing global threat from carbapenem‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections illustrate the importance of understanding the epidemiology of CRE. Using a retrospective chart review and point prevalence testing demonstrated specific patient risk factors for CRE‐positive clinical cultures in a tertiary medical center with a low CRE prevalence.

Chlorhexidine gluconate bathing: Patient perceptions, practices, and barriers at a tertiary care center

HIGHLIGHTSThe chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing practices of 437 non–intensive care unit patients were evaluated.Self‐care, non–intensive care unit patients used CHG bathing products incorrectly 81% of the time.Education and assistance by health care workers improved CHG bathing compliance.Medical record documentation was a reliable tool to track CHG bathing compliance. &NA; Many studies indicate that daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing reduces the risk of hospital‐acquired infections. In this study, we found that patient perceptions can be a barrier to bathing practice, and many independent‐care patients do not use CHG bathing products correctly. Furthermore, electronic medical record documentation may be a reliable tool to assess CHG bathing compliance.

Disinfection of noncritical equipment on units with high hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infections

ABSTRACT We assessed barriers and knowledge of disinfection of noncritical items (NCIs) between intensive care unit (ICU) and non‐ICU staff members. General understanding of cleaning NCIs was low across all staff. Non‐ICU staff had a better understanding of who is responsible for disinfecting and where to access information on storing cleaned NCIs. Opportunities exist for heightened disinfection of NCIs through improved point‐of‐care instructional information, improved cleaning supply access, and increased instrument storage space.

Barriers and perceptions of environmental cleaning: An environmental services perspective

&NA; We examined the barriers and perceptions of using a 1‐step daily disinfectant and ultraviolet light for environmental cleaning using an anonymous Likert scale survey. Results indicated that environmental services workers believe that cleaning is important for infection prevention and that ultraviolet light and 1‐step daily disinfectant cleaner are effective sporicides.

Seasonal Variation in Bare-below-the-elbow Compliance

Affiliations: 1. Hand Hygiene Australia, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; 2. Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Department, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; 3. Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; 4. Infection Control and Infectious Diseases Departments, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 5. Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 6. Victorian Infectious Disease Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 7. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; 8. School of Nursing and Midwifery; Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia; 9. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Address correspondence to Andrew Stewardson, Infectious Diseases Department, Austin Health, PO Box 5555, Heidelberg, VIC Australia 3084 (andrew.stewardson@austin.org.au). PREVIOUS PRESENTATION: This work was presented in part as poster 11 at the Australian Society for Infectious Diseases Annual Scientific Meeting, Launceston, Australia, June 20–23, 2016. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:502–504