Simple One-Wipe System for Cleaning by Nurses is an Effective Strategy, Researchers Say

Contamination of the inanimate environment around patients constitutes an important reservoir of MRSA. Garvey, et al. (2018) describe the effect of introducing a universal disinfection wipe in all wards on the rates of MRSA acquisitions and bacteraemias across a large UK teaching hospital.

A segmented Poisson regression model was used to detect any significant changes in the monthly numbers per 100,000 bed days of MRSA acquisitions and bacteraemias from April 2013 through December 2017 across QEHB.

From April 2013 to April 2016, cleaning of ward areas and multi-use patient equipment by nursing staff consisted of a two-wipe system. Firstly, a detergent wipe was used, which was followed by a disinfection step using an alcohol wipe. In May 2016, QEHB discontinued the use of a two-wipe system for cleaning and changed to a one wipe system utilising a combined cleaning and disinfection wipe containing a quaternary ammonium compound. The segmented Poisson regression model demonstrated that the rate of MRSA acquisition/100,000 patient bed days was affected by the introduction of the new wiping regime (20.7 to 9.4 per 100,000 patient bed days; p <0.005).

Using a Poisson model the researchers demonstrated that the average hospital acquisition rate of MRSA/100,000 patient bed days reduced by 6.3 percent per month after the introduction of the new universal wipe.

The researchers suggest that using a simple one-wipe system for nurse cleaning is an effective strategy to reduce the spread and incidence of healthcare associated MRSA.

Reference: Garvey MI, et al. Wiping out MRSA: effect of introducing a universal disinfection wipe in a large UK teaching hospital. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. 2018;7:155