Infection Control Procedures Research Articles

Correlation between biographic profile and compliance to key performance indicators (KPI) for infection control among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Objective: To find out how well Saudi Arabian healthcare workers followed infection control guidelines and determine whether there is a any relationship between the biographic profile of healthcare staff and their degree of compliance with infection control. Methodology: This descriptive-correlation study was conducted on healthcare workers from different Saudi Arabian hospitals. The study used a three-point Likert scale, and the rating scales used were “3” to indicate always, “2” to indicate sometimes, while “1” was used to indicate never. Results: Of 180 respondents, 62.8% were young adults, 73.3% were males, 68.3% were doctoral degree holders, 66.1% were licensed medical doctors, and 39.4% were advanced beginners. Saudi healthcare workers had an overall level of “high compliance” (mean=2.29). Chi-square test of independence (r2) revealed a statistically significant relationship between compliance to infection control practices and the following variables: age (p=0.0100), gender (p=0.0177), educational attainment (p=0.0001), and profession (p<0.0001). Conclusion: In Saudi Arabia, healthcare staff generally follow infection control procedures. Moreover, biographic profiles were significantly associated with the degree of infection prevention practice compliance by healthcare staff.

Knowledge regarding infection control procedures among dental students at the International University for Science and Technology, Syria

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness and knowledge of infection control procedures among dental students at the International University for Science and Technology, Syria. The study comprised of 121 subjects of 3rd ,4th, and 5th year dental students. A questionnaire was developed which included 10 questions related to dental instruments’ storage, handling the dental chair, Personal Protective Equipment’s, and knowledge about the sterilization technique. This questionnaire was distributed among the dental students to be directly answered. The collected data were demonstrated after descriptive statistics. More efforts are still needed to increase the level of awareness to infection control procedures among students due to the rising risk of infection transmission at dental clinics.

High Prevalence of blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-Producing Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Clinical Samples in Shahid Rajaei Hospital in Tehran, Iran

Background: Due to the increasing antibiotic resistance, treating infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae has become more challenging. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of blaOXA-48 and blaNDM producing carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical samples in Shahid Rajaei hospital in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Various clinical samples were collected from 1,186 patients admitted with open heart surgery in two wards (ICU and surgery) in Shahid Rajaei Heart Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were identified by standard microbiologic tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates were determined by disk diffusion and E-test methods. A modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM) was performed to detect the presence of carbapenemase. Antibiotic resistance genes were detected using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by primers targeting blaOXA-48, blaSPM, blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaNDM genes. Results: A total of 131 clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae were isolated and 45.8% (60/131) of them were resistant to carbapenem. Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates showed the highest resistance rate (100%) to ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefazolin, and cefepime and the maximum sensitivity to tigecycline (96.7%). The carbapenemase-encoding blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1 genes were detected in 96.7% and 66.7% of isolates, respectively. Eight different clusters of the isolates, considering a ≥ 80% homology cut-off, were shown with the same rep-PCR pattern. Clusters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H included 20, 11, 7, 6, 6, 3, 2, and 2 members, respectively. Conclusions: The RAPD-PCR method reveals the clonal relationship between isolates and may help improve infection control procedures.

Infection control measures at maternity and children hospital and data analysis

Nosocomial Infections are the infections that are neither at incubating state nor present at the time of admission. They are greatly associated with Surgical procedures and Invasive Medical Devices and hence OTs and ICUs are known as ‘Hot Zones’ and Gram Negative and Gram-positive organisms are responsible. Hence, regular surveillance of these areas remains the mainstay to monitor the raising trend of nosocomial infections. To find out the prevalence of Bacteria and Bacterial load in Pre and Post fumigation swabs from various areas of Maternity and Children hospital like OTs, Patient Ward, Labor ward and NICUs and to test the effectiveness of the standard disinfectants. The swabs were collected from different areas of MGM Maternity and Children Hospital, Kalamboli Mumbai The swabs were further processed and organisms were identified using standard Microbiological procedures. The standard disinfectants were tested using Kelsey-Sykes Capacity test, and they “Passed” the test. Out of the total Pre fumigation swabs collected, growth was seen in 15% of the swabs while in Post fumigation swabs 3% of growth was seen. In places like Minor OT, Septic OT, Labor Room, Waiting Room a higher value of Chi-square test statistics indicated a statistically significant association between fumigation and growth of microorganisms. Majorly non-pathogenic organism like Bacillus was isolated followed by CoNS and few . Hence this indicates significant reduction in growth of microorganisms in majority of the areas of post fumigation swabs indicating following of proper infection control procedures. This study describes the profile of Bacterial Load in high-risk areas of Maternity and Children Hospital. Pre and post fumigation swabs were tested from high-risk areas including Minor OT, Major OT, Septic OT, Female Ward, Recovery Room, PNC, NICU. Also, suggestions were made to incorporate air sampling methods for better assessments. The knowledge of these findings and appropriate corrective measures can greatly impact the health of neonates as well as the mothers.

Infection control in the community: recap on policy and procedure

Infection control has long been the focus of the attention of anyone working in healthcare, due to the risks posed to patients and staff if appropriate infection control procedures are not followed properly. This article explores a recap of important infection control measures and also outlines the Government's policy for tackling antimicrobial resistance, and its link to infection control procedures. The article covers the key points of the recent publication from NHS England on the topic of infection control.

Incidence and Microbiology of Hospital-Acquired Infections in COVID-19 Patients between the First and the Second Outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Retrospective, Observational Study.

With almost 638 million cases and over 6 million deaths worldwide, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents an unprecedented healthcare challenge. Although the management and natural history of COVID-19 patients have changed after the introduction of active therapies and vaccination, the development of secondary infections complicates hospital stay. This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study that explores the incidence and microbiology of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in two subsequent populations of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Demographic, pre-hospitalization baseline characteristics, therapeutic options and microbiology data about secondary infections were collected for a total of 1153 cases. The second population appeared to have a higher median age (73 vs. 63 years, respectively), comorbidities (median Charlson Comorbidity Index Score was 4 vs. 1, respectively) and incidence of secondary infections (23.5% vs. 8.2%) with respect to the first. A higher incidence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs), including difficult-to-treat resistant (DTR) Pseudomonas, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), was also observed. Both patients' characteristics and poor adherence to standard hygiene and infection control protocols may have contributed to the higher incidence of these events and may have impacted on the natural history of the disease. In-hospital mortality rates were similar, despite the introduction of active therapies against COVID-19 (24.7% vs. 23.5%, respectively). The incidence of HAIs may have contributed to the unchanged mortality and prompts for more effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection control procedures in COVID-19.

Dentist’s Experiences and Perceptions One Year into the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

The emergence of SARS‐CoV‐2 mobilized the dental profession to make dentistry safer. Enhanced infection control protocols intended to prevent exposure to SARS-CoV-2 will likely be compromised if infection control knowledge and practice are deficient. One year into the coronavirus pandemic, the aim of this online survey among dentists in Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil, was to assess their personal experiences with COVID-19, perceptions of risk, and infection control needs. A questionnaire designed in Google Surveys was conducted in Spanish or Portuguese from April 8 to May 24, 2021. Items included were dentists’ age, sex, professional profile, and personal experience with COVID-19. Collected in a Likert-type scale, perception items covered concerns, needs, procedures, impact, and immunization. Chi2 test was applied to analyze trends in perceptions versus demographics. Responses were obtained from 712 dentists (235 men and 477 women, 23 to 75 years old). Most knew someone with COVID-19, for 61% the case was a family member. Twenty percent (n=140) had suffered COVID-19. Percentages in total agreement were: “I work with fear of COVID-19” 27%; “We need to improve infection control education” 46%; “I sterilize dental handpieces” 51%; “I use aerosol generating procedures less” 26%; and “Once immunized, I’ll work without fear” 6%. Dentists continued to work with fear of SARS-CoV-2; they had partially applied enhanced infection control procedures. They perceived a need for infection control education. Infection control education and training needs remain to be addressed to make dental clinics safer for providers and their patients.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards Infection Control amongst Dental Assistants in Private Dental Clinics in Kelantan: A Cross Sectional Study

Dental assistant plays an important role in dental practice, performing both clinical and clerical duties to ensure the operation of dental clinic run smoothly and efficiently. As their daily tasks frequently involve the handling and cleaning of instruments contaminated with blood and saliva, they pose a significant risk to contracting infectious diseases due to the nature of their job[1]. A disparity exists in the educational qualifications of dental assistants working in various public and private dental facilities[2]. The knowledge related to infection control was questionable while the attitude and compliance towards practicing infection control measures need to be assessed. The study aimed to determine the mean score of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards infection control among dental assistants working in private dental clinics in Kelantan.
 
 A cross-sectional study was carried out among 89 dental assistants who worked in the private dental clinics at all districts in Kelantan. The knowledge, attitude, and practice towards infection control were assessed using a newly developed questionnaire. The questionnaire was content and face validated, with CVI and FVI scores of 0.9 and 0.99, respectively. The questionnaire was administered to the dental assistants as a Google form. The maximum scores of knowledges, attitude, and practice were 33, 25 and 210, respectively. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows Version 26.0.
 
 Result showed that the mean age was 28.7(SD=6.98). All of them were Malay and more than a third of respondents (34.8%) completed secondary school. The mean (SD) scores of knowledges, attitude, and practice towards infection control were 25.4(3.10), 23(2.25), and 176.2(14.77), respectively.
 This study revealed that dental assistants in private dental clinics have limited knowledge at certain aspects of infection control. It is recommended that continuous training should be done regularly to maximize and enhance the compliance of dental assistants towards implementing infection control measures in the dental clinics. As employers, the dentists are responsible to ensure that their employees have adequate knowledge and continuous training in infection control procedures.

Attitude of General Dental Practitioners and Specialists Toward Infection Control Measures in Prosthodontics Clinics in Tripoli, Libya

Background and objectives. Prosthodontics clinics require a high degree of concern regarding cross-infection of patients, personnel, unsterilized instruments, and equipment. Prosthodontics treatment undertaken in the clinics should be supplemented by the laboratory, and hence cross-infection chances have to be halted on both the fronts. The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes regarding infection control procedures in prosthodontics clinics among general dentists, and specialists in Tripoli, Libya. Methods. A questionnaire of 11 questions was created and randomly distributed to 150 general dentists and specialists working in Tripoli's private clinics and public health centers. The questionnaire was anonymous and consisted of questions related to vaccination status, attitude and awareness towards infection control in prosthodontics clinics. Out of which (123) questionnaires were filled, giving a response rate of 82%. The data were sorted, checked, tabulated, and statistically analyzed. Results. A total of 123 dentists (68.3%) were general practitioners and (31.7%) were specialists, (39.9%) were males, and (60.1%) were females. In this study there was a positive correlation between vaccination status and the qualification (P =0.044). As (89.7%) of the specialists stated that they had been vaccinated against Hepatitis B virus, while only (73.8%) of general dentists had been vaccinated. The study also showed statistical significance when qualification was cross‑tabulated against the responses for various questions, that is, disinfection of rubber bowl (P = 0.027), sterilization of dental cast (P = 0.032), sterilization of metal framework (P =0.009), bite registration and bite block sterilization before sending to the dental laboratory (P =0.005), custom trays sterilization (P =0.005), and sterilization of the handpiece between cases (P = 0.000). The study also revealed that while just 11.9% of general dentists disinfect the impression prior to sending it to the dental laboratory, 23.1% of specialists do so after rinsing the impression. Conclusion. The findings of this study suggest that there are insufficient attitudes toward infection control procedures in prosthodontics practice. Furthermore, the implementation of selective standard precautions, such as hand hygiene compliance, was widely practiced by the Tripoli dentists surveyed.

Washer disinfectors from Eschmann: enhancing your infection control procedure

Washer disinfectors from Eschmann: enhancing your infection control procedure

Awareness on current status of usage of ritonavir in the management of covid among dental students.

Ritonavir's pharmacodynamics raise questions regarding whether medication concentrations high enough to block the SARS-CoV-2 proteases can be obtained. Ritonavir may have a therapeutic benefit at any stage of the disease, although pharmacodynamic issues and the absence of clinical benefit data among hospitalized COVID-19 patients cast doubt on this claim. To study the awareness on current status of usage of ritonavir in the management of COVID among dental students. This study, which is survey-based, involved a sample of 100 individuals and was carried out on the website Survey Planet. The study included undergraduate and graduate dental students. The dental students were given a questionnaire containing 10 questions. Their responses were gathered. The number and percentage were used to summarize the data. Dental students from Chennai showed adequate knowledge of COVID-19 in the medical environment. Postgraduate students were more aware about the current status of usage of Ritonavir for COVID-19. This study demonstrates the urgent necessity for all health-care workers to regularly implement educational interventions and training program on infection control procedures for COVID-19.

Institutional Factors Associated with Infection Prevention and Control Practices Globally during the Infectious Pandemics in Resource-Limited Settings.

Healthcare-associated infections lead to considerable morbidity, a prolonged hospital stay, antibiotic resistance, long-term disability, mortality and increased healthcare costs. Based on the literature, some individual and socio-demographic factors including knowledge, age and length of service or work experience, gender and type of profession influence compliance with infection prevention and control procedures. In addition, organizational culture, which refers to the assumptions, values, and norms shared among colleagues, can influence an individual's thinking and healthcare workers' behavior, either positively or negatively. Infection control practices based on the perspective of patients, hospital management and healthcare workers may help develop a better understanding of the factors influencing compliance with infection prevention and control policies and guidelines.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Infection Prevention Control among Healthcare Workers in Selected Hospitals Located in Karongi district, Rwanda

Most hospitals have infection prevention and control committees but some of them are struggling to maintain and to apply infection prevention and control protocols due to lack of enough resources. Healthcare workers’ (HCWs) knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of infection prevention and control procedures are crucial for effective infection prevention and control (IPC). The study aimed to assess HCW’s KAP towards IPC in Rwanda. A cross-sectional hospital based study was directed in three hospitals in Karongi district from February to March 2022. Data were collected from 215 healthcare workers using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire using a stratified sampling technique. Data were collected, checked, coded, and entered into the Kobo Collect Toolbox before being transferred to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. The KAP Score was also calculated. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. We found that 50.7% of HCWs were males, 63.3% were between the ages of 18 and 58.2% had a secondary education. The overall 78.6% of HCWs demonstrated high level of knowledge, 79.5% with a positive attitude, and 63.3% with good IPC practice. The results revealed that being over 45 years old(AOR=3.1;95%,CI=(2.16-5.25; p=0.024) having university level(AOR=3.3); 95%CI=(1.56-7.56;p=0.035), working experience between 5-10years(AOR=1.7; 95%CI=(1.37-5.45); (p=0.003), having high level of knowledge (AOR=2.7;95%CI: (1.68–7.95; p=0.045)and positive attitude(AOR=2.3; 95%CI:(1.36-7.72); p=0.017) towards IPC were associated with IPC good practice. Improving institutional supplies such as hand hygiene supplies, PPE, water supply and other facilities can improve safe infection prevention and control.

Managing adult asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic: A 2022 review and current recommendations

This review aims to examine asthma management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relevant recommendations and articles were identified by respiratory professional societies and PubMed search using the terms "asthma" and "COVID-19", and examined for relevance and inclusion in this study. Recommendations for the management of asthma have remained similar but are now supported by new evidence between the years 2020 and 2022. Patients with well-controlled, mild-to-moderate asthma are unlikely to be at increased risk of acquiring COVID-19 or having worse outcomes from COVID-19. All asthma patients should receive COVID-19 vaccination. Spirometry can be performed with the usual strict infection control procedures unless there is a suspicion of COVID-19. Mask-wearing and other health measures remain important for asthma patients. While previous recommendations were largely based on expert opinion, the tremendous amount of literature published since the pandemic first emerged 2 years ago has helped guide respiratory professional bodies to update their recommendations. This study provides a timely review of the various recommendations and can be used to guide healthcare professionals in managing asthma patients, as the world prepares for a future with COVID-19 becoming endemic. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection in asthma patients and the ripple effects of COVID-19 remain uncertain and deserve ongoing study.

Radiation Therapy Decision Making Process and Operations for COVID-19 Positive Patients

Purpose/Objective(s)A challenging clinical dilemma during the COVID-19 pandemic is management of cancer patients who test positive for COVID. Given the need to balance the risk of disease progression with the risk of transmission to other patients and staff, radiation therapy for these patients requires careful consideration and modification of standard workflows. It is also critical to develop processes to mitigate radiation treatment interruption, which can affect patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to report the clinical operations and outcomes for COVID positive patients receiving radiation therapy during the pandemic at a tertiary cancer center including 2 network locations.Materials/MethodsDuring March 2020 to March 2022, the Radiation Oncology COVID committee (RO COVID) developed an integrated process to triage patients, provide treatment recommendations, and implement infection control procedures to safely deliver radiation therapy to COVID positive patients. Policies were created for each center with multidisciplinary input from infectious disease, radiation oncology, radiation therapy, and nursing. All COVID positive patients were presented to the RO COVID group and evaluated for clinical urgency, benefit with radiation, and life expectancy. If deemed necessary, a limited planned break or hypofractionated regimen was recommended to minimize staff exposure. We conducted a retrospective review of COVID positive patients with different primary malignancies treated through the COVID positive pathway.ResultsA total of 68 COVID positive patients were treated with the COVID positive pathway (HN 15, Breast 9, CNS 8, GU 8, GYN, 7, Thoracic 6, GI 5, HEME 5, PED 3, SARC 2). The median age was 57.1 years (IQR 45.8-63.4) and 47% were female. There were 39 patients (57%) who were asymptomatic and were tested for routine pre-radiation screening or due to concerns of COVID exposure. Twenty-three (34%) patients were treated with palliative intent and 8 (12%) were treated for an emergent indication (i.e., spinal cord compression, bleeding). Thirteen (19%) patients were receiving radiation treatment, had a treatment break (7-21 days), and then resumed their radiation course. All treatments were successfully completed without known nosocomial spread of COVID to staff or other patients. Among this heterogenous group of patients, 58 (85%) were alive with a median follow up of 2 months (IQR 0.5-7.5). COVID infection may have contributed to 3 out of 10 deaths (4% of total cohort). The remaining deaths were due to progression of disease or other non-COVID causes.ConclusionIn this study, COVID positive patients were safely treated with radiation therapy through a comprehensive decision making and clinical operations pathway taking into account evolving COVID guidelines for three different variant surges. Although limited in follow up, patient outcomes are promising with few COVID-related deaths and low overall mortality rates, even with hypofractionated regimens.

Identification and characterization of bacteria isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis in Jordan

Background Notable emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has become increasingly problematic worldwide. Most patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer from chronic persistent infections with frequent occurrence of acute exacerbations. Routine screening of bacterial strains, epidemiological characteristics, and resistance patterns are particularly useful for patient management and maintenance of infection control procedures Methods In this study, 43 pharyngeal samples were taken from patients with CF. Microbiological bacterial culture and identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testings, biofilm formation, including minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) and PCR for detecting resistance genes were performed. Results All samples were positive for bacterial growth. The predominant species were Staphylococcus aureus (41.86%; n = 18) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (39.53%; n = 17). 30% of isolated bacteria were multidrug-resistant, resisting high concentrations of tested antibiotics. Among the 42 biofilm-forming isolates, 23.8% (n = 10) were strong biofilm formers. The occurance of resistance genes varied with blaKPC detected in 71% (n = 17) of all Gram-negative isolates and mecA found in 61% (n = 11) of all S. aureus strains. Conclusions The majority of isolated bacteria were S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The high frequency of antimicrobial resistance, the presence of resistance genes, and biofilm formation highlight the challenge in treatment and infection control measures in patients with CF. KEY MESSAGES Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most prevalent pathogens found in patients with CF in Jordan. Detection of antimicrobial resistance genes in patients with CF confirms that antimicrobial resistance patterns must always be monitored. Biofilm formation significantly increases the tolerance of bacteria to antimicrobial agents.

A Blockchain-Based Life-Cycle Environmental Management Framework for Hospitals in the COVID-19 Context.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, many hospitals were built or renovated around the world to meet the challenges posed by the rising number of infected cases. Environmental management in the hospital life cycle is vital in preventing nosocomial infection and includes many infection control procedures. In certain urgent situations, a hospital must be completed quickly, and work process approval and supervision must therefore be accelerated. Thus, many works cannot be checked in detail. This results in a lack of work liability control and increases the difficulty of ensuring the fulfillment of key infection prevention measures. This study investigates how blockchain technology can transform the work quality inspection workflow to assist in nosocomial infection control under a fast delivery requirement. A blockchain-based life-cycle environmental management framework is proposed to track the fulfillment of crucial infection control measures in the design, construction, and operation stages of hospitals. The proposed framework allows for work quality checking after the work is completed, when some work cannot be checked on time. Illustrative use cases are selected to demonstrate the capabilities of the developed solution. This study provides new insights into applying blockchain technology to address the challenge of environmental management brought by rapid delivery requirements.

COVID-19 Serosurvey of Frontline Healthcare Workers in Western Australia

We aimed to study COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first wave in a setting of low community incidence prior to HCW vaccination. We performed a cross-sectional study of frontline HCWs in two tertiary hospitals in Western Australia with questionnaire and testing for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, using a screening assay followed by confirmatory assays for initial reactive results. 799 Frontline HCWs were enrolled in the study, working in the emergency department (n = 194, 24.2%), ICU (n = 176, 22.0%), respiratory ward (n = 20, 2.5%), COVID clinic (n = 37, 4.6%), and theatre (n = 222, 28%). 189 (23.6%) were doctors, 327 (41.0%) nurses, and 283 (35.4%) other. Contact with a known COVID-19-positive patient occurred at work for 337 (42.1%), and outside work for 10 (1.2%). Four were diagnosed with COVID-19 by PCR, acquired overseas in two cases and related to healthcare work in two cases (one acquired from a colleague and one possibly acquired from patient contact in the healthcare setting). Nine HCWs had reactive screening serology, and three had confirmed positive IgG (these three were PCR-positive cases). Infection control procedures in the setting of low community incidence were effective at preventing HCW acquisition of COVID-19 infection.

Assessment of Infection Control Practices in Bolan Medical Complex and Sandeman Provincial Hospital of Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan

Pakistan has a double burden of disease, with more than 40% of the population suffering from infectious diseases. Therefore, in order to lower the risk of dangerous, avoidable infections among patients and healthcare staff, effective hospital infection control programmes are crucial from both an economic and a therapeutic standpoint. The goal of the study was to locate any gaps in current infection control and preventive procedures. The two teaching hospitals Bolan Medical Complex and Sandeman Provincial Hospital in Quetta were the sites of this cross-sectional investigation. In the SAMPLE, 161 people participated. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 was used to analyse the data, which was gathered via data sheets and questionnaires. The findings revealed that the Infection Control Committee (ICC) member's view of health-associated infections (HAIs) was ultimately determined to be inconsequential (P=0.6), and their perception that the staff education level may be a contributing factor was also shown to be unimportant (P=0.1). The operation theatre, labour room, lab and blood bank, OPD, and wards at BMC were evaluated in reference to the steps taken there for infection control and prevention, and the results were observed 30, 25, 15, 14, and 15 accordingly. It was shown that the primary reason for the poor results was the negative perception of the ICC towards infection control and prevention. Therefore, it is necessary to alter how ICC is seen.

Physical and psychological workloads and their association with occupational fatigue among hospital service personnel

BackgroundPhysical and psychological workloads are a vital issue in the workplace. This study aimed to investigate the association between physical and psychological workloads and occupational fatigue among Iranian hospital service personnel. In Iran, hospital service personnel refers to a group of healthcare workers who undertake a range of duties, such as moving and carrying the hospital waste, transporting patients by wheelchair or gurney to the operating room, x-ray department, other wards, or other locations around the facility, performing cleaning tasks such as changing linens, mopping floors, and sterilizing equipment, and following infection control procedures to reduce the risk of spreading germs within the hospital setting.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 198 Iranian hospital service personnel. The response rate was 86%. The data were gathered using 1) The Persian version of the Job Content Questionnaire (P-JCQ) for assessing physical and psychosocial workloads and 2) The Persian version of the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (P-SOFI-20) for assessing fatigue dimensions.ResultsAccording to the P-JCQ, the physical and psychological workload intensities were high in 72.7% and 47% of the participants, respectively. Based on the P-SOFI, the participants’ mean scores of “physical fatigue” (21.73 ± 6.2), “psychological fatigue” (13.61 ± 5.76), and “fatigue due to shift work” (18.17 ± 5.6) were moderate, while the mean score of “general fatigue” was high (27.3 ± 6.98). The findings revealed that various types of fatigue are associated with age, gender, marital status, daily working hours, and psychological workload.ConclusionsPsychological workload was a determinant of occupational fatigue among Iranian hospital service personnel. Hence, an interventional program, including job enrichment, job rotation, and work-rest cycle, is recommended.