Impact of a pulsed xenon disinfection system on hospital onset Clostridioides difficile infections in 48 hospitals over a 5-year period.

Background: The role of the environment in hospital acquired infections is well established. We examined the impact on the infection rate for hospital onset Clostridioides difficile (HO-CDI) of an environmental hygiene intervention in 48 hospitals over a 5 year period using a pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) disinfection system.

Methods: Utilization data was collected directly from the automated PX-UV system and uploaded in real time to a database.

Training Effectiveness of a Wide Area Virtual Environment in Medical Simulation.

Introduction: The success of war fighters and medical personnel handling traumatic injuries largely depends on the quality of training they receive before deployment. The purpose of this study was to gauge the utility of a Wide Area Virtual Environment (WAVE) as a training adjunct by comparing and evaluating student performance, measuring sense of realism, and assessing the impact on student satisfaction with their training exposure in an immersive versus a field environment.

Methods: This comparative prospective cohort study examined the utility of a three-screen WAVE where subjects were immersed in the training environment with medical simulators.

Assessing performance outcomes of new graduates utilizing simulation in a military transition program.

This multi-site, quasi-experimental study examined the performance outcomes of nurses (n = 152) in a military nurse transition program. A modified-performance instrument was used to assess participants in two high-fidelity simulation scenarios. Although results indicated a significant increase in scores posttraining, only moderate interrater reliability results were found for the new instrument.

Recollection of hypoxia symptoms between training events.

Introduction: The well-established technique of mask-off hypoxia training in a hypobaric training environment elicits symptoms that are correlated with in-flight symptoms reported by aircrew. Aircrew receive training on recognition of symptoms and response early in their flying career and accomplish refresher training on a 5-yr cycle. The symptoms reported after acute hypoxia represent cognitive and psychomotor impairment.