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Neonatal Incubator Contamination
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| On Jan 16 2006 11:59AM tina.belton wrote: |
(Note - this is posted to raise awareness of this issue)
For those interested I can be contacted for further information.
Abstract
Contamination of staff hands is occurring by the practice of opening incubator doors using their hands. It is highly likely that this practice may have contributed to the outbreak of Serratia marcescens and cross colonization of MRSA as surveillance on the unit does not suggest an on-going problem.
Compliance with elbow method:
All members of staff will decontaminate their hands with alcohol hand rub after any activity or contact with equipment within the incubator that could potentially result in hands becoming contaminated (NICE, 2003).
100% of staff will use their elbow to open doors on neonatal incubators to prevent hand contamination prior to patient care (Jang et al 2001).
Compliance = Opening 14.2% (6/42) Closing 4.2% (2/47)
Environmental Sampling
Environmental sampling of incubators [reported in cfus: colony forming units]: all incubators contaminated: 12 plates heavy (60+ cfus), 10 plates moderate (30 � 60 cfus), 7 plates light (10 -30) & 3 plates scanty (1 � 10). Fifteen out of sixteen incubator doors were contaminated: 7 moderate (30 � 60 cfus), 3 light (10 -30), 5 scanty (1 � 10) & 1 no growth. Organisms isolated: across NU in ITU, HDU & SCBU
Skin flora (Coagulase negative Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococci, Cornybacterium & Staphylococcus aureus)
Potential Pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus - 5 bed spaces; unidentified Coliforms - 3 bed spaces; Klebsiella - 2 bed spaces; MRSA not identified.
Summary
The incubator provides a physical barrier between patient and staff and inappropriate access to the incubator is potentially putting neonates at unnecessary risk. It is recommended that the operating manual of all incubators indicate the need for an elbow door method for opening and closing. It is also recommended that all manufacturers and suppliers of incubators are made aware of the potential risks of inappropriate access through the use of the hands in order to share good practice.
Tina Belton
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
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 ICNA Community Network MeetingPlease note the next Community ICNA meeting is on the, Wednesday 6th September 2006 and will be held at Eastman Dental Hospital, London.
To download the agenda go to the CICNN page under 'Business and Special Interest Groups' (Member access required)
... More
The 36th Annual Infection Control ConferenceSeptember 25th to 27th 2006
The Brighton Centre
Brighton, England
This is THE Infection control conference of the year, focusing on prevention and control of infections in all areas of healthcare. The conference will provide a mixture of lectures, debates, concurrent sessions, workshops and networking.
Leading international Speakers who have already confirmed include Dr Seto Wing Hong and Stuart Emslie.
To be kept up to date with br... More
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