Background: Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have become important strategies for addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Despite the increasing number of international publications identifying the important roles played by nurses as part of ASPs in low- and middle-income countries, this topic is yet poorly researched. This study aimed to identify priority research gaps in the Brazilian context concerning nurses' performance in ASPs from the perspective of nursing professionals and explore the main themes among the ideas generated by these nurses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrob Resist Infect Control
September 2024
Environmental cleaning is essential to patient and health worker safety, yet it is a substantially neglected area in terms of knowledge, practice, and capacity-building, especially in resource-limited settings. Public health advocacy, research and investment are urgently needed to develop and implement cost-effective interventions to improve environmental cleanliness and, thus, overall healthcare quality and safety. We outline here the CLEAN Group Consensus exercise yielding twelve urgent research questions, grouped into four thematic areas: standards, system strengthening, behaviour change, and innovation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis
December 2024
Background: Limited information exists on carriage of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) by health workers (HWs) in primary care settings. This study aims to determine the prevalence of MDRO carriage among HWs in primary care and to identify associated risk factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across all 12 primary care units in São Caetano do Sul-SP, Brazil, from October to December 2023.
Objective: To report on the adaptations made to the original Nominal Group Technique (NGT), allowing it to be applied to the virtual format, preserving all its key elements.
Method: An experience report on the adaptations and adjustments made to the original NGT to the virtual format using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), using digital tools that are available free of charge or are low cost and easy to use.
Results: The NGT was carried out entirely virtually and underwent adaptations in each of its four stages through the incorporation of specific digital resources.
Background: Infection prevention competencies are critical for successful job performance, career progression and robust performance of infection prevention and control programs.
Aim/objective: Identify competency assessment tools available to infection preventionists and describe their characteristics, validation processes and reliability.
Methods: A scoping review was conducted on five databases and grey literature from 1999 to 2022.
Objectives: to adapt, validate the content and assess the reliability of the instrument National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Task Load Index, translated into Brazilian Portuguese.
Methods: a methodological study, divided into five steps: translation; synthesis; back-translation; assessment of the Portuguese version by an expert committee; pre-test and content validity of the final version by health professionals working in inpatient units. The Content Validity Index (CVI) (minimum 0.
This article explores stakeholders' perceptions of the challenges for developing a One Health agenda to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Brazil, including the development and implementation of the Brazilian National Action Plan (BR-NAP). The data originate from 27 interviews conducted with human, environmental, and animal health stakeholders, including academics, managers, and policymakers involved in developing the BR-NAP. Through thematic analysis, we identified three interconnected themes: governance, the health system, and technical and scientific challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2023
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing threat to global health. The risks and sanitary consequences of AMR are disproportionately experienced by those living in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). While addressing antibiotic use has largely been documented in hospital settings, the understanding of social drivers affecting antibiotic prescribing and dispensing practices in the context of human and animal health in primary care (PC) in LMICs remains extremely limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The design of personal protective equipment (PPE) may affect well-being and clinical work. PPE as an integrated item may improve usability and increase adherence by healthcare professionals. Human factors design and safety may reduce occupational-acquired diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: This article analyzes experiences of antibiotic use and bacterial infections among Primary Health Care users of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) and the possible implications for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The aim is to map aspects that shape users' lay knowledge regarding antibiotics use and AMR.
Methods: This is an exploratory study, which consists primarily of individual in-depth interviews with 19 respondents.
Background: Patient engagement with transmission-based precautions can be an important strategy to prevent adverse events related to isolation. Most patient education is still highly prescriptive and is thus unlikely to help. Effective communication requires behavior change, leading to a meaningful dialog between the parties involved.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, including the proper use of protective personal equipment (PPE), in health care is complex and is influenced by many factors. Isolated interventions do not have the potential to achieve optimal PPE adherence and appropriate provision, leading to incomplete PPE implementation.
Objective: To map PPE implementation in health care with a focus on its barriers and facilitators.
Background: Face shields were widely used in 2020-2021 as facial personal protective equipment (PPE). Laboratory evidence about how protective face shields might be and whether real world user priorities and usage habits conflicted with best practice for maximum possible protection was lacking - especially in limited resource settings.
Methods: Relative protective potential of 13 face shield designs were tested in a controlled laboratory setting.
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is affected significantly by inappropriate antibiotic use, and is one of the greatest threats to human health. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is a programme of actions promoting responsible use of antimicrobials, and is essential for limiting AMR. Nurses have an important role to play in this context.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: to describe the experience of reopening a Brazilian higher education institution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: experience report of a step-by-set approach to reopening a nursing higher education institution in São Paulo, Brazil, from May 2020 to May 2021.
Results: the plan was created and operated by a group including students, professors, and technical-administrative workers.
Background: In healthcare implementation research, there is little discussion of researchers' experiences of using frameworks, including the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
Aim: To identify and discuss the benefits and challenges encountered and the lessons learnt from researchers' experiences of using the CFIR in different contexts and phases of research.
Discussion: This article synthesises the reflections of nursing and public health researchers on their experiences of using the CFIR across four separate healthcare-associated infection prevention and control implementation studies.
Objective: To identify the prevalence and incidence of tuberculosis in health workers.
Method: Systematic literature review, according to the protocol of the Joanna Briggs Institute and report following PRISMA guidelines. Primary studies containing data on the incidence or prevalence of active or latent tuberculosis infection in health workers were considered.
Objectives: To describe the characteristics of nosocomial cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between July 2018 and May 2020 in order to inform future interventions.
Methods: Nosocomial cases of EVD were identified during outbreak response surveillance, and a retrospective analysis of cases was conducted according to demographic characteristics and type of health facility (HF).
Results: Of 3481 cases of EVD, 579 (16.
Am J Infect Control
June 2022
Background: Strategies to improve adherence to standard and transmission-based precautions are essential to reduce the risk of health care-associated infections. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational strategy on precautions among nursing staff in primary health care settings.
Methods: A randomized nonblinded controlled trial was conducted with 100 nursing staff working in 28 primary health care units.