American journal of infection control
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Am J Infect Control · May 2013
ReviewDisinfectants used for environmental disinfection and new room decontamination technology.
Environmental contamination plays an important role in the transmission of several key health care-associated pathogens. Effective and thorough cleaning/disinfecting of the patient environment is essential. Room decontamination units (such as ultraviolet-C and hydrogen peroxide systems) aid in reducing environmental contamination after terminal room cleaning and disinfection.
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Am J Infect Control · May 2013
ReviewAssessing the risk of disease transmission to patients when there is a failure to follow recommended disinfection and sterilization guidelines.
Medical devices that enter body tissues should be sterile, whereas devices that contact mucous membranes should be high-level disinfected between patients. Failure to ensure proper cleaning and sterilization or disinfection may lead to patient-to-patient transmission of pathogens. This paper describes a protocol that can guide an institution in managing potential disinfection and sterilization failures.
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Am J Infect Control · Apr 2013
Device-associated infection rates, device use, length of stay, and mortality in intensive care units of 4 Chinese hospitals: International Nosocomial Control Consortium findings.
Little data exist on the burden of device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI) in China. This study examined the DA-HAI rate and evaluated its association with device use (DU), length of stay (LOS), and mortality in intensive care units (ICUs) in 4 Chinese hospitals. ⋯ In the study ICUs, VAP and CLABSI rates were higher than CDC/NHSN's reported data, and LOS and mortality were increased. Compared with the CDC/NHSN and INICC data, the pooled DU ratio for MV was similar, and DU ratios for CL and UC use ratios were slightly higher.
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Am J Infect Control · Apr 2013
Support for mandatory health care worker influenza vaccination among allied health professionals, technical staff, and medical students.
Although policies mandating annual influenza vaccination among health care workers (HCWs) are recommended, little is known about which HCWs support mandatory vaccination. We surveyed non-physician, non-nursing HCWs to identify beliefs associated with supporting mandatory HCW vaccination. Although similarities were identified, some beliefs and concerns associated with supporting mandatory vaccination differed among HCW groups. Policy makers should understand these differences and address beliefs and concerns of all HCW groups when attempting to implement a mandatory influenza vaccination policy.
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Am J Infect Control · Apr 2013
Hand hygiene among patients: attitudes, perceptions, and willingness to participate.
Patient participation has been proven to increase hand hygiene compliance of health care workers. The objective of the study is to better understand patients' attitudes and perceptions toward hand hygiene, and to identify patients with the highest motivation to participate in hand hygiene. ⋯ Hand hygiene is considered important by most patients and family members and plays an influential role in their choice of a hospital or doctor. Persons with experience with health care-associated infections have the greatest motivation to participate in hand hygiene.