Survey of EMS Personnel Reveals Lackluster Hand Hygiene Practices
Researcher Josh Bucher, MD, of the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., and colleagues, conducted a survey of emergency medical service (EMS) responders that revealed just 13 percent reported washing their hands before coming in contact with patients.
The study, "Emergency Medical Service Provider Hand Washing Practices" (poster #122), presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), held Oct. 14-17 in Seattle, also found that 52 percent of the survey respondents said that they wear gloves for every patient contact. Only 33 percent of emergency medical providers said they cleaned their hands after performing invasive procedures, and only 13 percent of respondents said they cleaned their stethoscope between patients.
Â
Source: American College of Emergency Physicians
Tackling Health Care-Associated Infections: SHEA’s Bold 10-Year Research Plan to Save Lives
December 12th 2024Discover SHEA's visionary 10-year plan to reduce HAIs by advancing infection prevention strategies, understanding transmission, and improving diagnostic practices for better patient outcomes.
Point-of-Care Engagement in Long-Term Care Decreasing Infections
November 26th 2024Get Well’s digital patient engagement platform decreases hospital-acquired infection rates by 31%, improves patient education, and fosters involvement in personalized care plans through real-time interaction tools.
The Leapfrog Group and the Positive Effect on Hospital Hand Hygiene
November 21st 2024The Leapfrog Group enhances hospital safety by publicizing hand hygiene performance, improving patient safety outcomes, and significantly reducing health care-associated infections through transparent standards and monitoring initiatives.
The Importance of Hand Hygiene in Clostridioides difficile Reduction
November 18th 2024Clostridioides difficile infections burden US healthcare. Electronic Hand Hygiene Monitoring (EHHMS) systems remind for soap and water. This study evaluates EHHMS effectiveness by comparing C difficile cases in 10 hospitals with CMS data, linking EHHMS use to reduced cases.
