Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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The emergency department is a fast-paced, high-volume environment, serving patients with diverse and evolving acuities. Personnel providing direct care are continually exposed to pathogenic microorganisms from patients and everyday surfaces, to which the organisms may spread. Indeed, hospital items-such as electronic devices, stethoscopes, and staff clothing-have demonstrated high rates of contamination. Despite this, policies governing the use, disinfection, and wear of various environmental surfaces remain relaxed, vague, and/or difficult to enforce. This study aimed to examine the bacterial contamination on 2 hospital uniform types in a large military hospital within the emergency department. ⋯ Re-evaluating organizational factors (such as uniform policies) that increase the propensity for pathogenic contamination are critical for mitigating the spread and acquisition of multidrug-resistant organisms in the emergency department.