Nadia Masroor

The Impact of Discontinuing Contact Precautions for VRE and MRSA on Device-Associated Infections

The impact of discontinuing contact precautions for patients with MRSA and VRE colonization/infection on device-associated hospital-acquired infection rates at an academic medical center was investigated in this before-and-after study. In the setting of a strong horizontal infection prevention platform, discontinuation of contact precautions had no impact on device-associated hospital-acquired infection rates.

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.

Cervical cancer screening in rural mountainous Honduras: knowledge, attitudes and barriers

INTRODUCTION Because cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in Honduras, this study assessed knowledge, attitudes and barriers to cervical cancer screening services by Papanicolaou smear (pap smear) for women in rural, remote Honduras served by Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Global Health and Health Disparities Program (GH2DP). METHODS Two interviewers administered an institutional review board approved, 20 question survey by convenience sample methodology to adult female patients visiting GH2DP clinics in June 2014. A total of 146 surveys were completed. Of the respondents, 30 were living in La Hicaca, the largest and wealthiest village in the region, and 116 were living in surrounding, less affluent, villages. RESULTS On average, women from La Hicaca had 2.9 children whereas women from surrounding villages had 4.3 children (p=0.0095). There were no significant differences between La Hicaca and surrounding villages in average respondent age, age of first intercourse and number of sexual partners. Seventy three percent (22/30) of women from La Hicaca and 60% (70/116) from surrounding villages reported undergoing cervical cancer screening by pap smear (p=0.1890). Eighty-two percent (18/22) of the respondents from La Hicaca and 84% (59/70) from surrounding villages were screened in the past two years (p=0.7846). The majority of the women from surrounding villages (81%, 57/70) and 23% (5/22) from La Hicaca traveled >1 h to receive a pap smear (p≤0.0001). Women from La Hicaca (86%, 19/22) were more likely to receive their pap smear results than women from surrounding villages (60%, 42/70) (p=0.0225). Although 17% (5/30) of respondents from La Hicaca and 11% (13/116) (p=0.4175) from surrounding villages were aware of the cause of cervical cancer, 60% (18/30) of women in La Hicaca and 82% (95/116) in surrounding villages (p=0.0106) believed it is preventable. Of the 106 women (73%) who had heard of cervical cancer screening, only 92 women (63%) had been screened (p<0.0001). Women undergoing cervical cancer screening were more likely to believe that cervical cancer is preventable (n=78, p=0.0054). The most common screening barriers were lack of awareness and fear (19/54, 35%; 15/54, 28%). CONCLUSIONS Although yearly screening services are available in this community, knowledge and access barriers exist for increased implementation. Notification of pap smear results is suboptimal. These findings will guide regional and collaborative effort to improve cervical cancer screening services.

Approaches to hand hygiene monitoring: From low to high technology approaches

Hand hygiene is a global and critical infection prevention practice across all healthcare settings. Approaches to monitoring hand hygiene compliance vary from simple methods such as direct observation and product usage to more advanced methods such as automated electronic monitoring systems. Current literature supports a multimodal approach, supplemented by education, to enhance hand hygiene performance.

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

Perceptions and Barriers to Universal Gloving for Infection Prevention: A Survey of Healthcare Workers and Patients.

Prevention: A Survey of Healthcare Workers and Patients Nadia Masroor, BS; Summer Donovan, DO; Kakotan Sanogo, MS; Leah Couture; Janis Ober RN, MSN; Michael Stevens, MD, MPH; Michael Edmond, MD, MPH, MPA, FIDSA, FSHEA; Gonzalo Bearman, MD, MPH; Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA; Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Infectious Diseases, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA