Compliance with contact precautions: Not so much
Elaine Larson's group has a new study in the American Journal of Infection Control that examines compliance with contact precautions at 3 hospitals in New York City. She found that 15% of patients who had indications for contact precautions were actually not isolated. For patients who were isolated, hand hygiene by healthcare workers on room entry was very low at 22% and on room exit at 59%. Compliance with gowns was 71% and with gloves 72%.
With the compliance levels demonstrated here it seems unlikely that these hospitals could be successfully preventing infections. I am increasingly convinced that effective infection prevention hinges on high levels of compliance with very basic practices. It's not rocket science.
With the compliance levels demonstrated here it seems unlikely that these hospitals could be successfully preventing infections. I am increasingly convinced that effective infection prevention hinges on high levels of compliance with very basic practices. It's not rocket science.
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