Multisite Evaluation of Toothbrushes and Microbial Growth in the Hospital Setting.

Design: This observational, descriptive study was conducted to determine the prevalence of microbial growth on toothbrushes found in hospital patient rooms.

Methods: Toothbrush sampling was conducted in 136 acute care hospitals and medical centers from November 2018 through February 2022. Inclusion criteria for the units and patient rooms sampled were as follows: general adult medical-surgical units or critical care units; rooms occupied by adults 18 years or older who were capable of (1) mobilizing to the bathroom; (2) using a standard manual, bristled toothbrush; and (3) room did not have signage indicating isolation procedures.

Move to improve: the feasibility of using an early mobility protocol to increase ambulation in the intensive and intermediate care settings.

Background: Prolonged bed rest in hospitalized patients leads to deconditioning, impaired mobility, and the potential for longer hospital stays.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a nurse-driven mobility protocol to increase the percentage of patients ambulating during the first 72 hours of their hospital stay.

Design: A quasi-experimental design was used before and after intervention in a 16-bed adult medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU) and a 26-bed adult intermediate care unit (IMCU) at a large community hospital.