Hand hygiene & X-ray techs

A new study in Chest documents abysmal hand hygiene compliance by x-ray technicians in the ICU setting and high rates of contamination of the x-ray machine with nosocomial pathogens. It made me recall my days as a medicine resident in the ICU when the x-ray tech made early morning rounds and went from patient to patient throughout the ICU. The authors point out that x-ray techs are often not involved in the ICU's educational activities. Although it's a single center study, it does remind us of another thing to think about when we see transmission of nosocomial pathogens in the ICU.