Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T02:15:29.086Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Feasibility of an Infection Control “Safe Zone” in a Spinal Cord Injury Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Keshonna Lones ,
Swetha Ramanathan ,
Margaret Fitzpatrick ,
Jennifer N. Hill ,
Marylou Guihan ,
Michael S. A. Richardson  and
Charlesnika T. Evans
Keshonna Lones
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center of Innovation of Complex Chronic Healthcare and Spinal Cord Injury Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
Swetha Ramanathan
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center of Innovation of Complex Chronic Healthcare and Spinal Cord Injury Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
Margaret Fitzpatrick
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center of Innovation of Complex Chronic Healthcare and Spinal Cord Injury Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
Jennifer N. Hill
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center of Innovation of Complex Chronic Healthcare and Spinal Cord Injury Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
Marylou Guihan
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center of Innovation of Complex Chronic Healthcare and Spinal Cord Injury Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Center for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Michael S. A. Richardson
Affiliation:
Spinal Cord Injury Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois
Charlesnika T. Evans*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center of Innovation of Complex Chronic Healthcare and Spinal Cord Injury Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.
*
Address correspondence to Charlesnika T. Evans, PhD, MPH, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, 5000 S. 5th Ave (151H), Bldg 1, Rm D302, Hines, IL 60141 ([email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We report on healthcare worker use of a safe zone (outside a 3-foot perimeter around the patient’s bed) and personal protective equipment in 2 inpatient spinal cord injury/disorder units. Workers remained within the safe zone during 22% of observations but were less compliant with personal protective equipment inside the zone.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:714–716

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 37 , Issue 6 , June 2016 , pp. 714 - 716
Copyright
© 2016 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Klevens, RM, Edwards, JR, Richards, CL Jr., et al. Estimating health care-associated infections and deaths in U.S. hospitals, 2002. Public Health Rep 2007;122:160–166.Google Scholar
2. Morgan, DJ, Pinele, L, Shardell, M, et al. The effect of contact precaution on healthcare worker activity in acute care hospitals. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2013;34:69–73.Google Scholar
3. Franck, JN, Behan, AZ, Herath, PS, Mueller, AC, Marhoefer, KA. The red box strategy: an innovative method to improve isolation precaution compliance and reduce costs. Am J Infect Control 2011;39:E208.Google Scholar
4. Richmond, I, Bernstein, A, Creen, C, Cunningham, C, Rudy, M. Best practice protocols: reducing harm from MRSA. Nurs Manage 2007;38:22–27.Google Scholar
5. Muder, RR, Cunningham, C, McCray, E, et al. Implementation of an industrial systems-engineering approach to reduce the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2008;29:702–708.Google Scholar
6. Morgan, DJ, Diekema, DJ, Sepkowitz, K, Perencevich, EN. Adverse outcomes associated with contact precautions: a review of the literature. Am J Infect Control 2009;37:85–93.Google Scholar
7. Kohli, E, Ptak, J, Smith, R, Taylor, E, Talbot, EA, Kirkland, KB. Variability in the Hawthorne effect with regard to hand hygiene performance in high- and low-performing inpatient care units. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2009;30:222–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Gilbert, K. Does hand hygiene compliance among health care workers change when patients are in contact precaution rooms in ICUs? Am J Infect Control 2010;38:515–517.Google Scholar
9. Evans, CT, LaVela, SL, Weaver, FM, et al. Epidemiology of hospital-acquired infections in veterans with spinal cord injury and disorder. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2008;29:234–242.Google Scholar
10. Morgan, DJ, Rogawski, E, Thom, KA, et al. Transfer of multidrug-resistant bacteria to healthcare workers’ gloves and gowns after patient contact increases with environmental contamination. Crit Care Med 2012;40:1045–1051.Google Scholar