NCT01481935

Enhanced Room Cleaning in Intensive Care Units to Reduce Gown and Glove Contamination With Multi-drug-resistant Bacteria

Use of an Enhanced Room Cleaning Protocol in the Intensive Care Unit to Reduce Contamination of Disposable Isolation Gowns and Gloves With Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 190 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Maryland, Baltimore · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether extra cleaning of frequently-contaminated surfaces in intensive care rooms is effective in preventing contamination of disposable isolation gowns and gloves with multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Detailed description

Hospital infections are often caused by bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB). Hospital infections increase the cost of health care, length of hospital stay, and mortality compared to infections with antibiotic-susceptible organisms. Many of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria are transmitted by patient-to-patient contact. Healthcare workers are one possible vector of patient-to-patient transmission. Transient colonization of hands, clothing and protective equipment can leads to the colonization and infection of other patients. The surfaces of patient rooms are also frequently contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A number of recent studies have concluded that patient rooms are not cleaned thoroughly or frequently enough to keep commonly touched surfaces free of bacterial contamination. Given the frequency of contact between the healthcare worker and the patient's environment, bacteria that contaminate environmental surfaces while the patient is in the room are a significant potential reservoir for patient-to-patient transmission via the hands of healthcare workers. In this study, the investigators will examine rooms of intensive care unit patients colonized with MRSA or MDRAB. The investigators will randomize these rooms to receive either standard room cleaning plus a cleaning of high-touch surfaces ('enhanced cleaning') or to receive only standard room cleaning plus a sham cleaning of high-touch surfaces ('sham enhanced cleaning'). The investigators will then culture healthcare workers' disposable isolation gowns and gloves as they exit the enrolled room after routine patient care activities. The investigators will examine the cultures for the presence of MRSA or MDRAB to determine whether additional cleaning significantly reduces the proportion of healthcare workers with contaminated gloves and gowns, and therefore may reduce the risk of transmitting these bacteria to other patients. The results of this trial will help guide future efforts to decrease patient-to-patient transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Conditions

• Infection Control

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Enhanced cleaning of surfaces in ICU rooms	Using a paper towel pre-soaked with a commercially-available quaternary ammonium cleaning solution (Virex WetTask wipes, Kimberly-Clark, Irving, Texas), the following surfaces will be wiped clean by a study investigator if present: bed rail top bar, bed electronic control surfaces, moveable tray table top and control surfaces desktop and sides, IV poles, infusion pump control surfaces, nurse call button, patient telephone/remote control, sink console top, light switches and plates, supply cart top and drawer handles, ventilator control surfaces and desk, vital signs monitor control surfaces. Cleaning will occur once on the day of enrollment and follow-up.
OTHER	Sham enhanced cleaning of surfaces in ICU rooms	While holding a paper towel pre-soaked with a commercially-available quaternary ammonium cleaning solution (Virex WetTask wipes, Kimberly-Clark, Irving, Texas), a study investigator will mime the action of wiping the following surfaces in the room clean if present: bed rail top bar, bed electronic control surfaces, moveable tray table top and control surfaces desktop and sides, IV poles, infusion pump control surfaces, nurse call button, patient telephone/remote control, sink console top, light switches and plates, supply cart top and drawer handles, ventilator control surfaces and desk, vital signs monitor control surfaces. The sham cleaning will occur once on the day of enrollment and follow-up.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-08-01
• Primary completion: 2012-05-01
• Completion: 2012-05-01
• First posted: 2011-11-30
• Last updated: 2022-02-16
• Results posted: 2012-10-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States