SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices
Objectives: To quantify the microorganism burden of rehabilitation gym equipment surfaces as well as to assess the effectiveness of patient’s practice of hand hygiene and our current disinfection methods to reduce burden and transmission of microorganisms during rehabilitation sessions. Methods: A p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X23000402/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797869474348531712 |
|---|---|
| author | Sabrina Toh Foo Meow Ling Li Dun Li Calvin Loh Toylyn Lee Angeline Seah |
| author_facet | Sabrina Toh Foo Meow Ling Li Dun Li Calvin Loh Toylyn Lee Angeline Seah |
| author_sort | Sabrina Toh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To quantify the microorganism burden of rehabilitation gym equipment surfaces as well as to assess the effectiveness of patient’s practice of hand hygiene and our current disinfection methods to reduce burden and transmission of microorganisms during rehabilitation sessions. Methods: A prospective study of environmental contamination using microbiology culture in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Rehabilitation Gym. Results: For both the control and intervention group, the total aerobic bacterial count on the gym equipment after patient use is significant and increase up to 360 CFU per swab. In the control and intervention groups, the total aerobic bacterial counts on the gym equipment before patients’ use were negligible (<10 CFU per swab). The total aerobic bacterial count of the equipment remained negligible (<10 CFU per swab) after patient use and immediate disinfection. We detected discrepancies between the results of the total aerobic bacterial count after patient use between the control and intervention groups. Conclusions: Outpatient rehabilitation gyms are potential reservoirs of microorganisms, which may further contribute to the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. In this study, an intervention in which cleaning equipment was wiped with alcohol wipes was effective in reducing microorganism transmission in the rehabilitation gym environment and should be considered as part of our infection control strategy. The additional step of involving our patients in using hand rub before the start of their therapy sessions can provide additional benefit in reducing microorganism transmission only if patients adhere to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended 7 steps of proper hand rub. Good patient education on hand hygiene is equally as important as that for healthcare professionals to control environmental contamination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:13:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5894827bda2e4240b89a65d89f611ad3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2732-494X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:13:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5894827bda2e4240b89a65d89f611ad32023-03-16T07:24:48ZengCambridge University PressAntimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology2732-494X2023-02-013s13s1310.1017/ash.2023.40SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practicesSabrina Toh0Foo Meow Ling1Li Dun Li2Calvin Loh3Toylyn Lee4Angeline Seah5Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, SingaporeSingapore, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, SingaporeSingapore, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, SingaporeKhoo Teck Puat Hospital, SingaporeKhoo Teck Puat Hospital, SingaporeKhoo Teck Puat Hospital, SingaporeObjectives: To quantify the microorganism burden of rehabilitation gym equipment surfaces as well as to assess the effectiveness of patient’s practice of hand hygiene and our current disinfection methods to reduce burden and transmission of microorganisms during rehabilitation sessions. Methods: A prospective study of environmental contamination using microbiology culture in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Rehabilitation Gym. Results: For both the control and intervention group, the total aerobic bacterial count on the gym equipment after patient use is significant and increase up to 360 CFU per swab. In the control and intervention groups, the total aerobic bacterial counts on the gym equipment before patients’ use were negligible (<10 CFU per swab). The total aerobic bacterial count of the equipment remained negligible (<10 CFU per swab) after patient use and immediate disinfection. We detected discrepancies between the results of the total aerobic bacterial count after patient use between the control and intervention groups. Conclusions: Outpatient rehabilitation gyms are potential reservoirs of microorganisms, which may further contribute to the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. In this study, an intervention in which cleaning equipment was wiped with alcohol wipes was effective in reducing microorganism transmission in the rehabilitation gym environment and should be considered as part of our infection control strategy. The additional step of involving our patients in using hand rub before the start of their therapy sessions can provide additional benefit in reducing microorganism transmission only if patients adhere to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended 7 steps of proper hand rub. Good patient education on hand hygiene is equally as important as that for healthcare professionals to control environmental contamination.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X23000402/type/journal_article |
| spellingShingle | Sabrina Toh Foo Meow Ling Li Dun Li Calvin Loh Toylyn Lee Angeline Seah SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology |
| title | SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices |
| title_full | SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices |
| title_fullStr | SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices |
| title_full_unstemmed | SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices |
| title_short | SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices |
| title_sort | sg apsic1023 contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X23000402/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sabrinatoh sgapsic1023contaminationofthegeriatricmedicineoutpatientrehabilitationgymenvironmentandtheeffectivenessofourcurrentdisinfectionmethodswithpatienthandhygienepractices AT foomeowling sgapsic1023contaminationofthegeriatricmedicineoutpatientrehabilitationgymenvironmentandtheeffectivenessofourcurrentdisinfectionmethodswithpatienthandhygienepractices AT lidunli sgapsic1023contaminationofthegeriatricmedicineoutpatientrehabilitationgymenvironmentandtheeffectivenessofourcurrentdisinfectionmethodswithpatienthandhygienepractices AT calvinloh sgapsic1023contaminationofthegeriatricmedicineoutpatientrehabilitationgymenvironmentandtheeffectivenessofourcurrentdisinfectionmethodswithpatienthandhygienepractices AT toylynlee sgapsic1023contaminationofthegeriatricmedicineoutpatientrehabilitationgymenvironmentandtheeffectivenessofourcurrentdisinfectionmethodswithpatienthandhygienepractices AT angelineseah sgapsic1023contaminationofthegeriatricmedicineoutpatientrehabilitationgymenvironmentandtheeffectivenessofourcurrentdisinfectionmethodswithpatienthandhygienepractices |