Identification difficulties and costs of hospital acquired infectionsThe aim of this work is to analyze epidemiological data collected in the active HI programme between 2002 and 2004 in forty Polish hospitals and to assess some of the economic consequences of hospital infections. The average cumulative incidence, incidence density and mortality of nosocomial pneumoniae (PNEU), bloodstream infections (BSI), urinary tract infections (UTI) and surgical site infections were calculated. A separate analysis of some costs of hospital infections was also performed in this study. The extra costs of stay in hospital overextended due to SSI, PNEU, BSI and UTI, was assessed for three hospitals of different kind. It is very difficult to assess the total costs of HIs in throughout Poland without a specific study designed for this particular purpose. While the need for such research is obvious, this would be a costly and time-consuming task, unlikely to be carried out without engaging the state’s authorities and central budget.
Background Hand hygiene (HH) is the most important element of infection prevention. The aim of the study was to analyze the level of HH knowledge among medical students of Jagiellonian University Medical College in correlation with their clinical experience and the presence and extent of trainings in hospital hygiene prior to internships, as well as with HH practice among medical staff perceived by students. Material and Methods The study was carried out in a group of 414 students from October to December, 2014. The questionnaire built of 14 questions was used as a study tool. Results Absolutely correct answers to questions about HH were given by 52.9%, and about HH technique by 6.5% of respondents. The degree of accuracy of answers to questions concerning HH did not correlate with the gender of the respondents or with the fact that work placement had been preceded by training in the field of HH or with its scope. A statistically significant correlation was found between the year, the field, and the type of the study. Students with greater professional practice, significantly less often claimed that medical workers comply with HH. Professional practice of 22.9% of students was not preceded by any training in the field of hospital hygiene and in 28% of cases training did not cover HH. Nearly half of the respondents declared that pre-internship training had not addressed the problem of occupational exposure to biological agents. Conclusions The results of the study shows that knowledge gained by students participating in the study was not satisfactory. Moreover, there is a need for improving the educational scheme in the discussed subject at all levels of basic and clinical subjects as well as during internships. Med Pr 2016;67(5):623–633
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Wstęp Higiena rąk jest podstawowym i najważniejszym elementem profilaktyki zakażeń. Celem prezentowanego badania była analiza wiedzy o higienie rąk wśród studentów wybranych kierunków medycznych Collegium Medicum Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w powiązaniu z ich doświadczeniem klinicznym i szkoleniami dotyczącymi zasad profilaktyki zakażeń oraz analiza oceny przez studentów zachowań personelu medycznego w zakresie przestrzegania higieny rąk. Materiał i metody Badanie przeprowadzono między październikiem a grudniem 2014 r. wśród 414 studentów, za pomocą anonimowego kwestionariusza złożonego z 14 pytań. Wyniki W pełni poprawnych odpowiedzi na pytanie o sytuacje wymagające higieny rąk udzieliło tylko 52,9% ankietowanych, a na pytanie o dobór środka do higieny rąk – 6,5%. Stopień poprawności odpowiedzi na pytania dotyczące higieny rąk nie korelował z płcią ankietowanych, uczestnictwem w szkoleniach przed praktykami klinicznymi ani zakresem tych szkoleń. Statystycznie istotną korelację stwierdzono w odniesieniu do roku, kierunku i trybu studiów. Stwierdzono, że wraz ze wzrostem doświadczenia klinicznego mniej ankietowanych deklarowało zgodność obserwowanej praktyki personelu medycznego z zaleceniami. Około 1/5 (22,9%) studentów stwierdziła, że praktyki kliniczne nie były poprzedzone żadnym szkoleniem dotyczącym higieny szpitalnej, a prawie 1/3 (28%) tych, które się odbywały, nie obejmowała zagadnień dotyczących higieny rąk. Według prawie połowy studentów na szkoleniach nie omawiano zagadnień ekspozycji zawodowej na czynniki biologiczne, tj. procedur zapobiegania zakażeniom przenoszonym drogą krwi. Wnioski W badaniu wykazano, że wiedza ankietowanych studentów dotycząca higieny rąk jest niezadowalająca oraz że niezbędna jest poprawa procesu kształcenia w tym zakresie na różnych etapach, zarówno w ramach przedmiotów podstawowych i klinicznych, jak i praktyk zawodowych. Med. Pr. 2016;67(5):623–633
Intensive care units are characterized by the high risk of infections in patients. Pneumonia is one of the most common forms of infection with a high risk of death. Hence, to improve patient safety, specific packages of procedures, the so-called “bundle care,” are recommended by experts in the field. The usage of selected protective procedures carries the risk of transmitting microbes from patients to staff, which in the case of pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 can have serious health consequences for staff. Therefore, medical staff of intensive care units should strictly follow recommendation concerning healthcare workers safety and the rules of isolation, which in the current pandemic should be supplemented with specific elements. The paper presents an overview of the optimization of patient care and staff safety within the so-called “bundle care” in the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Oddziały intensywnej terapii charakteryzują się najwyższym ryzykiem wystąpienia zakażeń u pacjentów. Zapalenia płuc to jedna z ich najczęściej występujących form, obarczona wysokim ryzykiem zgonu. Dla poprawy bezpieczeństwa pacjentów wdrażane są specyficzne pakiety procedur, tzw. bundle care, obejmujące optymalne dla zapobiegania zapaleniom płuc rozwiązania. Jednak ich stosowanie wiąże się z ryzykiem przeniesienia drobnoustrojów z pacjentów na personel, co w przypadku takich patogenów jak SARS-CoV-2 może mieć poważne konsekwencje zdrowotne dla personelu. Przy ich wdrażaniu konieczne jest zatem użytkowanie środków ochrony inwazyjnej i przestrzegania odpowiednich zasad izolacji, które w dobie obecnej pandemii powinny być uzupełnione o specyficzne elementy. Praca prezentuje przegląd artykułów dotyczących optymalizacji opieki nad pacjentami i bezpieczeństwa personelu w ramach tzw. bundle care w pandemii COVID-19.
BackgroundHand hygiene (HH) is the simplest and the most fundamental means of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) prevention in both hospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCFs) which differ as to their structure, organization and epidemiology. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, compliance with the HH guidelines by medical staff of LTCFs and hospitals, in the context of infection control organization.Material and MethodsThe study was carried out among medical staff of LTCFs and hospitals using an anonymous questionnaire designed by the authors. The questionnaire was composed of 22 questions.ResultsAmong 237 healthcare workers from LTCFs and hospitals (51.5% vs. 48.5%), the vast majority were women (97.5% vs. 94.8%), who were nurses (86.9% vs. 91.3%) with 21–30 years of experience (28.5% vs. 44.3%). The respondents, both working in hospitals and in LTCFs, declared that there was some surveillance of HAIs in their workplace – 78.8% vs. 87.8%, respectively, p = 0.082. However, the respondents from LTCFs significantly more often than those working in hospitals declared the lack of HAI registration (12.3% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.002), as well as the lack of surveillance of multidrug-resistant microorganisms (16.4% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.010). Although the knowledge of WHO HH guidelines was declared by over 90% of the respondents, only about 70% of them (with no significant difference between both types of facilities) properly indicated the 5 moments of HH.ConclusionsThe results of the study indicate that the organizational conditions and practice of HH in LTCFs and hospitals present some differences. Therefore, there is a need for observational studies concerning HH in the context of the structure and organization of infection control, as they are necessary for the development and implementation of effective programs to improve the situation in this field.
Wstęp The objective of the study is self-assessment of Polish infection control nurses (ICNs) in terms of the structure of professional tasks and autonomy of decision-making. Materiał i metody A questionnaire survey was filled out by 208 ICNs (around 21% of all Polish ICNs) in 15 provinces located in Poland. The research encompassed ICNs surveillance healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in 2014. Wyniki The work time that ICNs devote to professional tasks and decision autonomy on the scale of 1–100% was as follows: 34% (67% of decision autonomy) was dedicated to detecting and registering HAIs, 12% (71%) – internal control, 10% (58%) – devising and implementing infection prevention practices, 10% (68%) – staff trainings, 8% (65%) – identification and study of outbreaks, 7% (58%) – promoting hand hygiene, 6% (51%) – consults with infected patients, 4% (57%) – consults on decontamination, 4% (54%) – consults on maintaining cleanliness, 3% (51%) – isolation and application of personal protective measures, 2% – other tasks. Infection prevention and control nurses estimated, on average, that their autonomy of decisions concerning the professional tasks performed amounted to 60%. Wnioski Infection control nurses in Poland have difficulty in achieving balance between tasks they perform and the authority they exercise. The ICN professional task structure is dominated by duties associated with monitoring hospital infections, however, the greatest decision autonomy is visible regarding internal control. Decision-making concentrated on internal control may hinder building a positive image of an ICN. We should strive to firmly establish professional tasks and rights of ICNs in legislation concerning performing the duties of a nurse and midwife. Med Pr 2018;69(6):605–612
EN
Background The objective of the study is self-assessment of Polish infection control nurses (ICNs) in terms of the structure of professional tasks and autonomy of decision-making. Material and Methods A questionnaire survey was filled out by 208 ICNs (around 21% of all Polish ICNs) in 15 provinces located in Poland. The research encompassed ICNs surveillance healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in 2014. Results The work time that ICNs devote to professional tasks and decision autonomy on the scale of 1–100% was as follows: 34% (67% of decision autonomy) was dedicated to detecting and registering HAIs, 12% (71%) – internal control, 10% (58%) – devising and implementing infection prevention practices, 10% (68%) – staff trainings, 8% (65%) – identification and study of outbreaks, 7% (58%) – promoting hand hygiene, 6% (51%) – consults with infected patients, 4% (57%) – consults on decontamination, 4% (54%) – consults on maintaining cleanliness, 3% (51%) – isolation and application of personal protective measures, 2% – other tasks. Infection prevention and control nurses estimated, on average, that their autonomy of decisions concerning the professional tasks performed amounted to 60%. Conclusions Infection control nurses in Poland have difficulty in achieving balance between tasks they perform and the authority they exercise. The ICN professional task structure is dominated by duties associated with monitoring hospital infections, however, the greatest decision autonomy is visible regarding internal control. Decision-making concentrated on internal control may hinder building a positive image of an ICN. We should strive to firmly establish professional tasks and rights of ICNs in legislation concerning performing the duties of a nurse and midwife. Med Pr 2018;69(6):605–612
Background: Keeping short, unpainted nails is a significant element of effective hand disinfection among nurses. The aim of the study was to examine the qualitative microbiological purity of painted nails after hand disinfection, taking into account the type of the nail varnish. Material and Methods: Materials were collected from 188 nurses. The results were compiled according to the type of the nail varnish applied on the nail plate. The control group consisted of 24 nurses with natural nails. An indicator of the effectiveness of hand disinfection was the number and type of bacteria grown from the materials collected from the participants’ hands – from the nail plate, from under the nail plate and from the skin around the nail plate. Results: In the case of the nail plate swab method, the highest percentage of pathogenic microorganisms grew on the nails covered with a regular varnish (21.7%, p < 0.05). A long-lasting (10 days on average) regular nail varnish was likely to result in ineffective hand disinfection (p < 0.001). In the test involving dipping the finger in tryptic soy broth combined with the technique of collecting swabs from under the nail plate, the highest percentage of pathogenic microorganisms was grown from the nail plate coated/extended with gel and then painted with a 14.8% hybrid varnish (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The risk of growing a pathogenic microorganism after hand disinfection due to nails coated with a conditioner or a hybrid varnish was similar to that of natural nails. A long-lasting regular nail varnish increases the risk of ineffective hand disinfection. Modeling and/or extending the nail plate with a LED/UV light curing gel, and then painting it with a hybrid varnish, also increases the risk of ineffective hand disinfection.
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Wstęp: Utrzymywanie przez pielęgniarki krótkich, niepomalowanych paznokci jest istotnym elementem skutecznej dezynfekcji rąk. Celem badania było sprawdzenie jakościowe czystości mikrobiologicznej pomalowanych paznokci po dezynfekcji dłoni, uwzględniające typ lakieru. Materiał i metody: Materiały pobrano od 188 pielęgniarek. Wyniki opracowano, biorąc pod uwagę typ lakieru nałożonego na płytkę paznokciową. Grupę kontrolną stanowiły 24 pielęgniarki z naturalnymi paznokciami. Wskaźnikiem skuteczności dezynfekcji rąk była liczba i rodzaj bakterii wyhodowanych z materiału pobranego od uczestniczek badania – z płytki paznokciowej, spod paznokcia oraz ze skóry wokół płytki. Wyniki: W badaniu techniką wymazu z płytki paznokciowej największy odsetek drobnoustrojów patogennych wyhodowano na paznokciach pokrytych zwykłym lakierem (21,7%, p < 0,05). Długi czas utrzymywania takiego lakieru na paznokciach (średnio 10 dni) mógł być przyczyną mniejszej skuteczności dezynfekcji rąk (p < 0,001). W badaniu techniką zanurzenia palca w bulionie tryptonowo-sojowym oraz techniką wymazu spod płytki paznokciowej największy odsetek drobnoustrojów patogennych wyhodowano z płytki paznokciowej pokrytej lub przedłużonej żelem, a następnie pomalowanej lakierem hybrydowym 14,8% (p < 0,05). Wnioski: Ryzyko wyhodowania po dezynfekcji rąk drobnoustroju patogennego z paznokci pomalowanych odżywką lub lakierem hybrydowym było podobne jak w przypadku paznokci naturalnych. Utrzymywanie zwykłego lakieru na paznokciach przez długi czas zwiększa ryzyko nieskuteczności dezynfekcji dłoni. Ryzyko to powiększa także modelowanie i/lub przedłużanie płytki paznokciowej żelem utwardzanym światłem LED/UV, a następnie malowanie jej lakierem hybrydowym.
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