Veteran patient perceptions of a universal gloving intervention for health care-associated infection prevention: A qualitative study.

Background: Universal gloving by health care workers (HCW) for all patient care activities (beyond isolation and standard precautions) has been proposed to reduce health care-associated infection transmission, but patient perceptions of this approach are unclear. We interviewed patients who experienced a universal gloving intervention by HCW within Veterans Affairs inpatient acute care units to understand their perceptions of universal gloving.

Methods: We conducted interviews with 15 patients across 5 Veterans Affairs hospitals.

Use of human-centric and participatory design for modifying a daily environmental cleaning checklist: a quality improvement study.

A major tenet of healthcare environmental cleaning focuses on high-touch surfaces (HTSs). HTSs have high rates of contamination, yet cleaning compliance remains low, particularly in patient-occupied rooms. This quality improvement study aimed to use human-centric and participatory design to modify an HTS cleaning checklist and conduct initial trial and evaluation.

Diverse Sources and Latent Reservoirs of Community-Associated Clostridioides difficile Infection.

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a spore-forming, toxin-producing, anaerobic bacterium infecting the human gastrointestinal tract, causing diarrhea and life-threatening colitis. C.

Antiviral potential of spirulina in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus or Hepatis C virus infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Spirulina, a cyanobacterium or blue-green algae that contains phycocyanin, nutritional supplementation has been evaluated in patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) due to its antiviral properties. This supplementation may be beneficial in low resource settings when awaiting antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Spirulina supplement in antiviral-naïve HIV- and HCV-infected patients by assessing its immunological effect (Cluster of Differentiation 4 or CD-4 T-cell count) and disease progression (viral load).

Using a human-factors engineering approach to evaluate environmental cleaning in Veterans' Affairs acute and long-term care facilities: A qualitative analysis.

Background: Environmental cleaning is important in the interruption of pathogen transmission. Although prevention initiatives have targeted environmental cleaning, practice variations exist and compliance is low. Evaluation of human factors influencing variations in cleaning practices can be valuable in developing interventions to standardized practices.

Making a difference: APIC chapters introducing public health graduate students to the infection prevention profession.

Health care workforce recruitment into the field of infection prevention and control (IPC) is imperative to address attrition and maintain safe patient care. Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) Badger Chapter in Wisconsin strategically aligned with their state's academic master of public health program to introduce students to the IP profession and offered scholarships to Wisconsin's annual infection prevention and control conference. Four scholarships were awarded from 2021 to 2022.

Integrating infection control and environmental management work systems to prevent Clostridioides difficile infection.

Effective infection prevention and control within health care settings requires collaboration and coordination between infection control and environmental management teams. However, the work systems of these teams can be difficult to integrate despite their shared goals. We provide results from a qualitative study of Clostridioides difficile infection prevention in Veterans Affairs facilities regarding challenges in coordination between these teams and opportunities to improve coordination and maximize infection prevention activities.

Frontline perspectives of C. difficile infection prevention practice implementation within veterans affairs health care facilities: A qualitative study.

Background: In 2012, the veteran's affairs (VA) multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) Program Office launched a national Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) Prevention Initiative to address CDI as the most common cause of healthcare associated infections, mandating use of a VA CDI Bundle of prevention practices in inpatient facilities. We draw upon frontline worker perspectives to explore work system barriers and facilitators to the sustained implementation of the VA CDI Bundle using the systems engineering initiative for patient safety (SEIPS) framework.

Methods: We interviewed 29 key stakeholders at 4 participating sites between October 2019-July 2021.

"Our job is to break that chain of infection": Challenges environmental management services (EMS) staff face in accomplishing their critical role in infection prevention.

Objectives: Contaminated surfaces in healthcare settings contribute to the transmission of nosocomial pathogens. Adequate environmental cleaning is important for preventing the transmission of important pathogens and reducing healthcare-associated infections. However, effective cleaning practices vary considerably.

Longitudinal survey of antibiotic stewardship practices in Wisconsin nursing homes, before and after a policy change.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid mandated that nursing homes implement antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) by November 2017. We conducted surveys of Wisconsin nursing-home stewardship practices before and after this mandate. Our comparison of these surveys shows an overall increase in ASP implementation efforts, but it also highlights areas for further improvement.

Engaging veterans in identifying key elements of environmental cleaning and disinfection for preventing healthcare-associated infections: A qualitative study.

Background: Environmental cleaning and disinfection are important for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) via contaminated surfaces. Hospital cleanliness plays a large role in patient perception and satisfaction regarding their healthcare. However, patient perceptions of environmental cleaning procedures remain unclear.

Scientific justifications for the political decision-making on environmental remediation carried out after the Fukushima nuclear accident.

The Japanese government decided to implement environmental remediation after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (termed "1F" in Japan) accident on 11th March 2011. As the initial additional annual dose target was set to be 1 mSv or less as a long-term goal, we examined the decision-making process undertaken by the then leaders, particularly the Minister of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) who was responsible for the final decision. We found that technically based assessment of dose targets, health effects and risk-based approaches justified by scientific experts were not communicated to the then Minister and officials of the MOE before the remediation strategy was decided.

Integrating antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention and control programs using a team science approach.

Reduction of health care-associated infections is trending in the right direction after decades of work by those involved in infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship. With institutional priorities currently pivoting to meet the needs of COVID-19 patients, this may be an advantageous time to promote integration of facility-level antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention and control programs. We propose a team science framework as a tool to leverage the complementary expertise of stewardship and infection prevention and control professionals.

Implementing daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing in VA settings: The human factors engineering to prevent resistant organisms (HERO) project.

Background: Daily use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) has been shown to reduce risk of healthcare-associated infections. We aimed to assess moving CHG bathing into routine practice using a human factors approach. We evaluated implementation in non-intensive care unit (ICU) settings in the Veterans Health Administration.

Correlation of prevention practices with rates of health care-associated infection.

Objective: We examined Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) prevention practices and their relationship with hospital-onset healthcare facility-associated CDI rates (CDI rates) in Veterans Affairs (VA) acute-care facilities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: From January 2017 to February 2017, we conducted an electronic survey of CDI prevention practices and hospital characteristics in the VA.

An in-room observation study of hand hygiene and contact precaution compliance for Clostridioides difficile patients.

Using an innovative, covert, in-room observer method to evaluate infection control practices for patients with Clostridioides difficile infection, we found no difference between physician and nursing hand hygiene compliance and contact precaution usage. There was also no diurnal variation in hand hygiene practices, but decreased contact precaution usage at night. Conversely, hospital-wide data from overt observations collected over the same time period showed significantly higher hand hygiene compliance among nurses than physicians.

Methodology minute: A guide for infection preventionists for sizing up systematic reviews.

Systematic reviews have become a key strategy to identifying evidence-based practice guidelines in infection prevention. They are considered the highest level of evidence providing the most effective answers to practice questions. Infection preventionists need to become familiar with reading systematic reviews and learn to critically appraise the findings and implications for practice.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus co-colonization rates with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile in critically ill veterans.

A prospective study was conducted to identify risk factors for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, including co-colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile infection in patients admitted to the intensive care unit in 2 Veterans Affairs facilities. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile infection co-colonization were significant risk factors for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization. Further studies are needed to identify measures for preventing co-colonization of these major organisms in veterans.

Regional differences in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization rates in critically ill veterans.

Screening for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) has not been universally implemented within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A prospective study was conducted to identify the admission prevalence rate of VRE in patients admitted to the intensive care unit in 2 VA facilities. Significant regional differences were found between the 2 facilities.

Building global partnerships in infection prevention: a report from APIC Badger and the Nairobi Infection Control Nurses Chapter.

An international partnership between Wisconsin and Kenya was established after a serendipitous meeting with a newly formed infection control organization in Nairobi, Kenya, the Nairobi Infection Control Nurses Chapter (NICNC). Establishment of a sister chapter partnership between a Wisconsin Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology chapter (APIC Badger) and the NICNC provided an opportunity to share resources. Although there are many barriers to developing infection prevention and control programs in Kenya, some needs can be met through such partnerships.