Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

INFECTION CONTROL & PATIENT SAFETY 38 Launderable Mattress Covers Reduce C. diff Infections in Study: 5 Things to Know By Shannon Barnet T wo long-term acute care hospitals evaluated how using launderable mattresses and bed deck covers affected the incidence of hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection in a recent study published in the American Journal of Infection Control. Here are five things to know about the study and its findings. 1. The two long-term acute care hospitals — one of which had 74 beds, the other 30 — began using launderable mattresses and bed deck covers on their beds starting in May 2013. 2. The covers were changed after every patient and washed in hot water, detergent and chlorine. 3. C. diff infection rates were compared between the 16 months before use of the launderable covers and the 14 months after the covers started being used. 4. At one of the hospitals, the use of bedcovers reduced the rate of C. diff infection by 47.8 percent, controlling for the rate of handwashing compliance and length of stay in days. 5. At the second hospital, the use of bedcovers reduced the rate of C. diff infection by 50 percent, controlling for the rate of handwashing compliance and length of stay in days. n Ebola Preparedness Still Lags, Despite Apparent Confidence Boost Among US Hospitals By Heather Punke N early all (92 percent) infection control leaders believe their hospital is better prepared now than a year ago to handle highly infectious diseases like Ebola, according to results from an Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology survey. However, more than half (55 percent) reported that the Ebola crisis did not spur their hospitals to provide more resources to infection prevention and control. APIC polled 15,000 of its members for the survey. Respondents include 981 infection preventionists in acute care hospitals in the U.S. e following are three additional findings from the survey: 1. Just 10 percent of respondents said their hospital added infection prevention personnel 2. Roughly a third (37 percent) said they received support for staff training programs on infection control measures 3. More than half (62 percent) reported they are still training staff on how to manage patients with Ebola "With the ongoing threat of emerging infectious diseases and antibiotic-resistant organisms, we remain concerned that many facilities are lagging behind in providing adequate support to protect patients and healthcare workers," said Susan Dolan, RN, president-elect of APIC and a hospital epidemiologist at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora. "We urge healthcare leaders to assess the needs of their infection prevention programs and dedicate the necessary staff, training and technology resources to this critical area." n Ensure your patient's satisfaction and protection with high-quality, clean linens, gowns and scrubs through our rental and laundry services. Infection Prevention Starts with ImageFIRST's Triple Bioshield Protection TM Find out how we can help. 800-392-7472 www.imagefirst.com

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