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Background: Hospital housekeeping workers (HHW), also known as hospital janitorial staff, are individuals responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of hospital facilities. This study focuses on the perceptions of HIV/AIDS among HHWs and their role in controlling its spread. The aims included assessing their knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission, reducing stigma, and evaluating the impact of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) on their awareness and perception. Methods: Conducted at a Chennai tertiary care hospital from December 2022 to January 2023, this interventional study involved 25 HHWs. The research utilised a structured questionnaire for socio-demographic details and HIV/AIDS-related questions, implementing pre- and post-tests after health education. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics v20.0. The chi-square test was used to arrive at a 푝-value to test the significance between pre- and post-intervention test results. A 푝-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Conclusion: Post-intervention, the knowledge thatusing condoms reduces transmission very significantly increased to 100% (푝-value=<0.0000001), awareness that HIV/AIDS doesn’t transmit through touch very significantly improved to 88% (푝-value=<0.0000001), belief in hope for affected individuals rose very significantly to 96% (푝-value=<0.0000001) and understanding that mosquito bites don’t cause transmission very significantly increased to 88% (푝-value=<0.0000001). These findings emphasise the positive impact of health-education on HHWs. Empowering HHWs with the necessary knowledge to address fear-based stigma and boosting awareness is pivotal. Conducting effective and periodic awareness programs significantly enhances HHWs’ understanding of HIV/AIDS, and is a crucial step in eliminating occupational transmissions and stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete area-coverage path planners are essential for robots performing tasks like cleaning, inspection, and surveying. However, they often involve complex calculations, mapping, and determining movement directions, leading to high computational or processing overheads and the risk of deadlocks. This paper proposes an approach for cleaning, i.e., by linear wiping of generic and discontinuous surfaces in hospital settings using inhouse assembled mobile dual-arm (MDA) robotic system. The proposed framework introduces key features: (a) a less resource-intensive approach for MDA positioning and cleaning surface mapping, (b) Modified Glasius Bioinspired Neural Network through use of heuristics (GBNN+H) to optimize surface linear wiping while obstacle avoidance, and traversal across discontinuous surfaces. The advantages of the proposed algorithm are highlighted in simulation with GBNN+H significantly reduces the number of steps and flight time required for complete coverage compared to existing algorithms. The proposed framework is also experimentally demonstrated in a hospital setting, paving the way for improved automation in cleaning and disinfection tasks. Overall, this work presents a generic and versatile, applicable to various surface orientations and complexities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum Klotho, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP). Methods: 108 patients with CP (CP group) who admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to June 2023 were selected, and 92 patients with oral health who underwent ultrasonic tooth cleaning in our hospital during the same period were selected (control group), CP patients were divided into mild group (55 cases) and moderate to severe group (53 cases) according to the severity of CP. The levels of serum Klotho, FGF23, IGF-1, inflammatory factors interleukin (IL) -6, IL-1ẞ and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) in CP group and control group were detected, and the periodontal clinical indicators of probing depth (PD), attachment loss (CAL) and bleeding index (BI) in CP group were examined. The correlation between serum Klotho, FGF23, IGF-1 and periodontal clinical indicators and inflammatory factors were analyzed by Pearson method. The value of serum Klotho, FGF23 and IGF-1 in the diagnosis of CP were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The levels of serum FGF23, IL-6, IL-1ẞ and TNF-a in CP group were higher than those in control group (P < 0.05) and the levels of serum Klotho and IGF-1 were lower than those in control group (P < 0.05) The levels of serum FGF23, IL-6, IL-1B, TNF-α, PD, CAL and BI in moderate to severe group were higher than those in mild group (P < 0.05) and the levels of serum Klotho and IGF-1 were lower than those in mild group (P < 0.05) The level of serum FGF23 of CP patients was positively correlated with IL-6, IL-1B, TNF-α, PD, CAL and BI (P < 0.05) and the serum Klotho and IGF-1 levels were negatively correlated with IL-6, IL-1B, TNF-α, PD, CAL and BI (P < 0.05) The area under the curve of serum Klotho, FGF23 and IGF-1 in the diagnosis of CP was 0.819, 0.816 and 0.861, respectively, the area under the curve of the combined diagnosis of the three indexes was 0.978, which was higher than that of the single diagnosis of each index. Conclusion: The increase of serum FGF23 level, and the decrease of Klotho and IGF-1 levels in CP patients are related to the occurrence of periodontal inflammation and tissue destruction, the combined detection of serum Klotho, FGF23 and IGF-1 has high value in the diagnosis of CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the close contact between patient and clinician during ophthalmic examinations and the multiple opportunities for pathogen transmission, we identified and evaluated potential pathogen transmission routes through high-touch surfaces in an outpatient ophthalmology clinic. A circuit simulation was performed to replicate a patient's journey through an ophthalmology clinic with various stations. Fluorescent oil and powder were applied to the hands of Simulated Patient A who went through the circuit. Routine disinfection of surfaces in the slit lamp environment and hand hygiene by the ophthalmologist were conducted prior to Simulated Patient B going through the same circuit with untagged hands. Ultraviolet black light was used to identify fluorescent marker contamination after Simulated Patient B completed the circuit. Fluorescent marker contamination was found on the hands of all the simulated patients and staff, various items of the simulated patients, multiple equipment surfaces—particularly the ophthalmologist's working table and slit lamp environment—and miscellaneous objects like appointment cards and files. Fluorescent marker contamination on Simulated Patient B's untagged hands despite proper hand hygiene being performed prior suggests suboptimal surface disinfection following Simulated Patient A's circuit. Through this pilot study, we recognised the key role that ophthalmic high-touch surfaces play in fomite transmission and that thorough disinfection of high-touch surfaces is essential on top of proper hand hygiene. With the contact sequences delineated in this pilot study, specific cues for hand hygiene and surface disinfection may be implemented at suitable intervals during contact with high-touch surfaces. Environmental decontamination adjuncts could also be considered to reinforce surface disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are costly but preventable. A limited understanding of the effects of environmental cleaning on the riskiest HAI associated pathogens is a current challenge in HAI prevention. This project aimed to quantify the effects of terminal hospital cleaning practices on HAI pathogens via environmental sampling in three hospitals located throughout the United States. Surfaces were swabbed from 36 occupied patient rooms with a laboratory-confirmed, hospital- or community-acquired infection of at least one of the four pathogens of interest (i.e., Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis/faecium (VRE), and Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile)). Six nonporous, high touch surfaces (i.e., chair handrail, bed handrail, nurse call button, desk surface, bathroom counter near the sink, and a grab bar near the toilet) were sampled in each room for Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and the four pathogens of interest before and after terminal cleaning. The four pathogens of interest were detected on surfaces before and after terminal cleaning, but their levels were generally reduced. Overall, C. difficile was confirmed on the desk (n = 2), while MRSA (n = 24) and VRE (n = 25) were confirmed on all surface types before terminal cleaning. After cleaning, only MRSA (n = 6) on bed handrail, chair handrail, and nurse call button and VRE (n = 5) on bathroom sink, bed handrail, nurse call button, toilet grab bar, and C. difficile (n = 1) were confirmed. At 2 of the 3 hospitals, pathogens were generally reduced by >99% during terminal cleaning. One hospital showed that VRE increased after terminal cleaning, MRSA was reduced by 73% on the nurse call button, and VRE was reduced by only 50% on the bathroom sink. ATP detections did not correlate with any pathogen concentration. This study highlights the importance of terminal cleaning and indicates room for improvement in cleaning practices to reduce surface contamination throughout hospital rooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Conclusion Addressing physician burnout is critical for healthcare systems. As electronic health record (EHR) workload and teamwork have been identified as major contributing factors to physician well‐being, we aimed to mitigate burnout through EHR‐based interventions and a compassion team practice (CTP), targeting EHR workload and team cohesion.A modified stepped wedge‐clustered randomized trial was conducted, involving specialties with heavy InBasket workloads. EHR interventions included quick‐action shortcuts and recommended practice for secure chats. The CTP comprised 30‐s practice between physicians and their dyad partners. Survey and EHR data were collected over four assessment periods. Linear and generalized mixed‐effects models assessed intervention effects, accounting for covariates.Forty‐four physicians participated (20% participation rate). While burnout prevalence decreased from 58.5% at baseline to 50.0% at the end of the study, burnout reduction was not statistically significant after EHR (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.12 to 1.61, p = 0.21) or EHR + CTP (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.17 to 2.10, p = 0.42) interventions. Statistically significant greater perceived ease of EHR work resulted from both the EHR intervention (coefficient 0.76, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.29, p = 0.01) and EHR + CTP intervention (coefficient 0.80, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.35, p < 0.01). EHR + CTP increased perceived workplace supportiveness (coefficient 0.61, 95% CI −0.04 to 1.26, p = 0.07). Total number of InBasket messages/week increased significantly after EHR interventions (coefficient = 27.4, 95% CI 6.69 to 48.1, p = 0.011) and increased after EHR + CTP (18.5, 95% CI −3.15 to 40.2, p = 0.097).While burnout reduction was not statistically significant, EHR interventions positively impacted workload perceptions. CTP showed potential for improving perceived workplace supportiveness. Further research is needed to explore the efficacy of CTP with more participants. The interventions gained interest beyond our institution and prompted consideration for broader implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) have been increasingly reported from healthcare facilities. The spread of MDROs in hospitals further increases the financial burden on healthcare facility due to prolonged hospital stays and the need for more expensive investigations and treatment. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is known to be widely distributed in the healthcare facilities and accounts for a substantial proportion of the infectious disease burden. Hence, active surveillance for MRSA is carried out to identify colonized patients or Healthcare workers (HCWs) in a facility. This prospective study was conducted to study and compare the carriage of MRSA among doctors, nurses, General Duty Attendants (GDA) and Houseman/ House woman (HM/HW) working in cardiac unit of a tertiary care hospital. Screening was done by collecting swabs from hands and anterior nares. These specimens were processed by standard procedures for the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus and resistance to methicillin was determined using cefoxitin, 30µg disks as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The carriage rate of MRSA was found to be highest among HM/HW (13%) followed by nurses (8%) and GDA (7%). Out of 11 doctors screened, none was found to carry MRSA. A higher percentage carriage in HM/HW can probably be accounted to their close and prolonged contact with infected patients and involvement in activities like emptying urinary bags, floor mopping and other activities of environmental cleaning. Management of MRSA carriers include applying stringent hand hygiene, contact precautions and core strategies including isolating and cohorting patients, increased environmental cleaning, dedicated patient equipment and decolonization. Active surveillance including screening of HCWs can help in decreased risk of spread to their close contacts and further reduction of MRSA prevalence among patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient satisfaction is an essential component of quality improvement of hospital services and patient safety. The NQAS guidelines developed by NHSRC, implemented in government hospitals all over India provides a comprehensive and objective measure against set criteria. There are no published studies conducted on patient satisfaction in tertiary hospitals of Manipur with the NQAS guidelines as study tool, thus the present study. Objective: To assess patients’ satisfaction among inpatients of a tertiary hospital in Imphal West, Manipur. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 424 inpatients admitted in a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected by interview using a questionnaire of 18 attributes scored on a 5-point Likert scale, adapted from the NQAS guidelines. The individual attribute score and the overall score is calculated to identify the attribute with poor score that needs improvement. A score of ≥75% or <75% was used as cut off for satisfied/ unsatisfied patient satisfaction, respectively. Results: The overall satisfaction during the treatment as an in-patient was found to be 96%. The highest scoring attribute was regularity of doctors’ attention at 95.8%. The lowest scoring attribute was unavailability of all prescribed drugs from the hospital at 37%. Six out of 18 attributes assessed had a poor patient satisfaction score. Conclusions: Most of the patients were satisfied with the overall care received. Patients were found to be unsatisfied in the attributes pertaining to waiting time at the registration/admission counter, cleanliness of bathrooms & toilets, hospital food, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean Hospitals Day is an annual event held on October 20th to raise awareness of healthcare environmental hygiene (HEH) and engage healthcare facilities (HCFs) worldwide. HEH is crucial for infection prevention and control, but its implementation is low across all resource levels. Pathogens such as MRSA, VRE, norovirus, and others are often transmitted through the healthcare environment. The six technical domains of HEH include surfaces, air control, water control, device reprocessing and sterilization, laundry, and waste management. HCFs can use available national guidelines or facility-level guidelines for guidance on best practices. Improvements in HEH have been shown to reduce healthcare-associated infections and improve patient outcomes. A promotional toolkit and a self-assessment framework are available for HCFs to celebrate Clean Hospitals Day and improve their HEH programs. [Extracted from the article]

BACKGROUND: Cleaning staff in hospitals can spend an average of 10-20 min per day per patient room. Published literature shows a pattern of interactions between housekeepers and patients, and that they believe themselves to be a part of the patient care team. To date, no study about this phenomenon has been done in the United States or has framed them through the lens of patient care. OBJECTIVE: To describe the experiences and perceptions of hospital housekeeping staff in relation to patient care. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive. SETTING: A 625-bed tertiary, academic medical center in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Eight housekeeping staff participated, ranging from 40 to 62 years old, from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and worked at the study hospital from 4 months to 20 years. Interviews were conducted between September 2020-October 2020. Participants were recruited through flyers, email, and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews lasting 30 - 60 min. Data were analysed through thematic analysis using a 6-step framework that included data familiarization, generation of initial codes, search for themes, review of data, definition and naming of themes, and generation of a written report. Trustworthiness of the data was established through strategies such as reflective journaling, researcher triangulation and member-checking. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: 1) Here to take care of you 2) Difficulties & Coping: and 3) Perceptions of their role. These three themes provide insight into participants perceptions of patient interactions and the kind of connections they formed with patients as they went about their duties. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that there exists among housekeeping staff a respect for the humanity of patients, a duty to protect people from disease, and a longstanding practice of engaging in therapeutic connections with patients. As noted elsewhere, there remains a disparity between the importance of this role and the recognition and dignity afforded it. These results reveal an opportunity to expand our understanding of who we call a caregiver, and to improve how we recognize and support each member of the healthcare team.

This study examined the impact of patient-centered care, satisfaction with the hospital environment, and maternal information-seeking on maternal healthcare satisfaction in Tanzania. A total of 707 mothers who delivered at Chanika Hospital in Tanzania were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify factors related to maternal satisfaction. Only 9.9% of the participants reported that they "usually" or "always" felt involved in treatment decisions. High levels of satisfaction were found for hospital cleanliness (93.6%) and safety (94.9%). However, there was a significant gap in satisfaction regarding the adequacy of water quality for medical services, with only 8.1% expressing satisfaction. Limited use of digital platforms was observed in terms of information-seeking behavior for fetal development, with only 19.5% of the participants using the internet and 14.3% using mobile apps. Patient-centered experiences with healthcare providers, especially midwives, had a significant positive impact on maternal satisfaction (β = 0.11, p = 0.021). Other significant variables were satisfaction with the hospital environment (β = 0.25, p < 0.001) and satisfaction with hospital water (β = 0.13, p < 0.001). It is recommended that healthcare improvements focus on patient-centered experiences and water quality for drinking and medical services to improve patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective surface cleaning in hospitals is crucial to prevent the transmission of pathogens. However, hospitals in low- and middle-income countries face cleaning challenges due to limited resources and inadequate training. Methods: We assessed the effectiveness of a modified TEACH CLEAN programme for trainers in reducing surface microbiological contamination in the newborn unit of a tertiary referral hospital in The Gambia. We utilised a quasi-experimental design and compared data against those from the labour ward. Direct observations of cleaning practices and key informant interviews were also conducted to clarify the programme's impact. Results: Between July and September 2021 (pre-intervention) and October and December 2021 (post-intervention), weekly surface sampling was performed in the newborn unit and labour ward. The training package was delivered in October 2021, after which their surface microbiological contamination deteriorated in both clinical settings. While some cleaning standards improved, critical aspects such as using fresh cleaning cloths and the one-swipe method did not. Interviews with senior departmental and hospital management staff revealed ongoing challenges in the health system that hindered the ability to improve cleaning practices, including COVID-19, understaffing, disruptions to water supply and shortages of cleaning materials. Conclusions: Keeping a hospital clean is fundamental to good care, but training hospital cleaning staff in this low-income country neonatal unit failed to reduce surface contamination levels. Further qualitative investigation revealed multiple external factors that challenged any possible impact of the cleaning programme. Further work is needed to address barriers to hospital cleaning in low-income hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental services (EVS) workers are essential to preventing the spread of disease in hospitals. However, their exposure to hazardous chemicals and drugs is understudied. This scoping review will synthesize literature on hazardous chemical exposures and adverse health outcomes among EVS workers to identify research gaps and trends for further investigation. The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure complete and accurate reporting. The scoping review included 25 studies on occupational exposure to chemicals among EVS workers in hospitals. Most studies focused on exposure to cleaning products, which led to dermal, respiratory, and ocular symptoms, oxidative stress, and inflammation. While personal protective equipment (PPE), training, education, and policies have the potential to enhance safety, further research is required to examine the long-term impacts of exposure and the cost-effectiveness of interventions. Future studies should utilize longitudinal approaches and self-reported data collection methods, such as diaries and interviews, to comprehensively assess exposure risks and develop effective interventions and policies. Future research is needed to understand the potential health risks faced by EVS workers from exposure to chemicals in hospitals. Longitudinal studies with objective exposure assessments and larger sample sizes should be conducted. Policies and interventions must be developed and implemented to improve safe work practices and reduce negative health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate telenursing for caregivers (CGs) to treat and prevent pressure injury (PI) in bedridden patients (BPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. Methods: Purposive sampling of 70 CGs [intervention group (i-group): n = 35 and control group (c-group): n = 35)] using an embedded approach was conducted from August 2020 to February 2021. The QUAN data were concurrently collected via online semi-structured interviews (OSIs) and video in-depth interviews (VIIs), then analysed using multivariate analysis of variance and thematic analysis. Results: The QUAN data showed that CGs treating and preventing PI in BPs has a significant and positive effect (p < 0.01). The qual data illustrates that telenursing for CGs treating and preventing PI in BPs is associated with training and education, skin cleaning, repositioning, monitoring, and assessment of PI during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion and implications: Telenursing for CGs treating and preventing PI in BPs is valuable to the professional consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telenursing can reduce the CG burden, instructing them how to visually examine, clean, monitor, and risk assess the skin of BPs to prevent PIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hospital environment is increasingly becoming an important reservoir for multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, posing serious challenges to efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study aimed to investigate the role of hospital waste as a potential source of MDR ESBL-producing bacteria. Samples were collected from multiple sources within a hospital and its vicinity, including surface swabs, houseflies, and sewage samples. The samples were subsequently processed in a microbiology laboratory to identify potential pathogenic bacteria and confirmed using MALDI-TOF MS. Bacteria were isolated from 87% of samples, with the predominant isolates being E. coli (30.5%), Klebsiella spp. (12.4%), Providencia spp. (12.4%), and Proteus spp. (11.9%). According to the double disc synergy test (DDST) analysis, nearly half (49.2%) of the bacteria were identified as ESBL producers. However, despite exhibiting complete resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, 11.8% of them did not test positive for ESBL production. The characterization of E. coli revealed that 30.6% and 5.6% of them carried blaCTX-M group 1 type-15 and blaNDM genes, respectively. This finding emphasizes the importance of proper hospital sanitation and waste management practices to mitigate the spread of AMR within the healthcare setting and safeguard the health of both patients and the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Standard Precautions (SPs) are the minimal infection prevention and control (IPC) measures that apply to all patient care activities at all times, regardless of whether the patient has a suspected or proven disease, in any place where healthcare service is provided. These evidence-based practices protect healthcare workers (HCWs) from infection while preventing the spread of infectious agents among patients, visitors, and the environment. Objectives: Assessed compliance of HCWs working in public hospitals in Addis Ababa to infection prevention and control SPs, and factors associated with noncompliance. Methods: In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, 422 HCWs were recruited from nine public hospitals in Addis Ababa using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, entered into a computer using Epi data, and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The association between the independent and the outcome variables was investigated using logistic regression. Odd ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as measures of the strength of the association between the outcome and the explanatory variables. A p-value below 5% was considered an indicator of statistical significance. Results: The level of knowledge of HCWs about IPC and SPs was 51.9% and 36.49% of the respondents were compliant with SPs. Receiving IPC Training [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.81, 95% CI 1.06, 3.09], knowing SPs [AOR = 3.46, 95% CI = 1.83, 6.54], presence of a mechanism in the hospital to enforce the IPC practices [AOR = 1.71 95% CI = 1.01, 2.89], and availability of cleaning and disinfection chemicals in the hospital [AOR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.15, 4.13] were significantly associated with the HCWs' compliance with SPs. Conclusion: Compliance with IPC standard precautions of HCWs in public hospitals of Addis Ababa is suboptimal. Working in medical units, less work experience, lack of training, poor knowledge, absence of a mechanism to enforce adherence, and inadequate resources are independent predictors for non-compliance of the HCWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of the health services offered are very important to guarantee access to quality health and promote well-being for all, at all ages, as recommended in the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. This study aims to assess the degree of satisfaction of users of the Occupational Health Service of the Tete Provincial Hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted. The data was collected between September 15th and December 20th, 2022, for 335 participants through a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the data. Overall satisfaction was 87.5% (293/335). Participants age, gender, marital status, and level of education were associated with overall satisfaction (p < 0.001). The factors that influence the satisfaction of users of the Occupational Health Service were the cleanliness of the hospital, opening hours, ease of care, speed and waiting time. The satisfaction of users of the Occupational Health Service of the Tete Provincial Hospital was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify the key infection processes and risk factors in Computed Tomography (CT) examination process within the standard prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 epidemic, aiming to mitigate cross-infection occurrences in the hospital. Method: The case hospital has assembled a team of 30 experts specialized in CT examination. Based on the CT examination process, the potential failure modes were assessed from the perspective of severity (S), occurrence probability (O), and detectability (D); they were then combined with corresponding risk prevention measures. Finally, key infection processes and risk factors were identified according to the risk priority number (RPN) and expert analysis. Results: Through the application of RPN and further analysis, four key potential infection processes were identified, including "CT request form (A1)," "during the scan of CT patient (B2)," "CT room and objects disposal (C2)," and "medical waste (garbage) disposal (C3)". In addition, eight key risk factors were also identified, including "cleaning personnel does not wear masks normatively (C32)," "nurse does not select the vein well, resulting in extravasation of the peripheral vein for enhanced CT (B25)," "patient cannot find the CT room (A13)," "patient has obtained a CT request form but does not know the procedure (A12)," "patient is too unwell to continue with the CT scan (B24)," "auxiliary staff (or technician) does not have a good grasp of the sterilization and disinfection standards (C21)," "auxiliary staff (or technician) does not sterilize the CT machine thoroughly (C22)," and "cleaning personnel lacks of knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control (C33)". Conclusion: Hospitals can publicize the precautions regarding CT examination through various channels, reducing the incidence of CT examination failure. Hospitals' cleaning services are usually outsourced, and the educational background of the staff employed in these services is generally not high. Therefore, during training and communication, it is more necessary to provide a series of scope and training programs that are aligned with their understanding level. The model developed in this study effectively identifies the key infection prevention process and critical risk factors, enhancing the safety of medical staff and patients. This has significant research implications for the potential epidemic of major infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is generally accepted that shoes and floors are contaminated with pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and Clostridium difficile, yet correlation to clinical infection is not well established. Because floors and shoes are low-touch surfaces, these are considered non-critical surfaces for cleaning and disinfection. The purpose of this review is to assess peer-reviewed literature inclusive of floors and shoe soles as contributors to the dissemination of infectious pathogens within healthcare settings. Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) methodology, PubMed and Medline were searched for articles assessing the presence of pathogens on or the transmission of pathogens between or from floors or shoe soles/shoe covers. Inclusion criteria are the human population within healthcare or controlled experimental settings after 1999 and available in English. Results: Four hundred eighteen articles were screened, and 18 articles documented recovery of bacterial and viral pathogens from both floors and shoes. Seventy-two percent (13/18) of these were published after 2015, showing increased consideration of the transfer of pathogens to high-touch surfaces from shoe soles or floors during patient care. Conclusions: There is evidence that floors and shoes in healthcare settings are contaminated with several different species of health-care–associated pathogens including MRSA, VRE, and Clostridium difficile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workers involved in hospital operating room cleaning face numerous constraints that may lead to musculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed to perform physical ergonomic assessments on hospital staff by combining a continuous assessment (RULA) based on inertial measurement units with video coding. Eight participants performed cleaning tasks while wearing IMUs and being video recorded. A subjective evaluation was performed through the Nordic questionnaire. Global RULA scores equaled 4.21 ± 1.15 and 4.19 ± 1.20 for the right and left sides, respectively, spending most of the time in the RULA range of 3–4 (right: 63.54 ± 31.59%; left: 64.33 ± 32.33%). Elbows and lower arms were the most exposed upper body areas with the highest percentages of time spent over a risky threshold (right: 86.69 ± 27.27%; left: 91.70 ± 29.07%). The subtask analysis identified 'operating table moving', 'stretcher moving', and 'trolley moving' as the riskiest subtasks. Thus, this method allowed an extensive ergonomic analysis, highlighting both risky anatomical areas and subtasks that need to be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Healthcare workers are at risk of infections due to needle-stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and through contact with blood and contaminated body fluids. This study aimed to investigate NSSIs and associated factors in healthcare workers. Methods: This single-center analytical cross-sectional study included healthcare workers who were admitted to "the Hospital Infections Control Committee" following NSSIs at University of Health Sciences Turkey, Istanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital, between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Demographic and epidemiological data, serological tests, and routine follow-up results were retrospectively collected from NSSI surveillance. Healthcare workers were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of stab wounds (injury or no injury). The age, sex, occupation, and working area of healthcare workers were compared. Results: A total of 232 (7%) experienced NSSIs among 3,312 healthcare workers. The NSSI was 35.0 [confidence interval (CI)=34.9-35.2] per 1000 person-years. Needle-stick and sharp injuries were most frequently observed in nurses (n=148, 63.8%). Nurses [odds ratio (OR)=5.97, CI=4.51-7.90, p<0.001], cleaning staff (OR=1.64, CI=1.13-2.37, p=0.009), medical waste personnel (0R=10.79, CI=2.88-40.46, p<0.001), and medical technicians/technologists (OR=1.92, CI=1.03-3.57, p=0.039) were at increased risk for NSSIs. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for assigning sufficient healthcare workers, prioritizing vaccination programs for high-risk groups, and providing regular hands-on training as crucial measures to prevent injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Bio-medical waste (BMW) comprises the waste which is generated from the health care system during the process of health care delivery. Inappropriate and inefficient management & disposal of BMW can lead to infectious hazards, malignancies, malformations and environmental (air, land &water) pollution-not only to current generation but also for future generations. In order to improve medical waste management, it is important to understand and evaluate the current practices in medical waste management, to identify the gaps and to address them. The present study had been taken up to assess the biomedical waste management in healthcare facility and to recommend measures for improvement based on the findings of the study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational, descriptive, hospital based study over a period of 1 month from 1st of April 2023 to 30th April 2023. The study group comprised of health care workers who included Doctors, Nurses, Laboratory Technicians and Housekeeping staff. Data was collected using a pre-designed, structured questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices on various aspects of BMW. RESULTS: 400 participants including 150 doctors of different specialties, 170 nurses, 30 laboratory technicians and rest were housekeeping staff 50. Analysis of the compiled results showed that doctors, nurses and Laboratory technician were having better knowledge, attitude and practice of the waste management rules and guidelines. The knowledge among housekeeping staff was found to be lacking. CONCLUSIONS &RECOMMENDATIONS: Repeated and comprehensive training programs should be arranged on BMWM. Functional Biomedical waste management Committee should supervise and monitor safe biomedical waste management. Biomedical waste audit is necessary to evaluate the patient care areas but also to find out the weak links and small hindrances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nosocomial infections have been acknowledged as a significant pathogen responsible for human illness due to the rise in the incidence of these infections that are mainly caused by resistant strains. As a result, it is important to prevent nosocomial infections. Therefore, in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection bacterial carriage appears to be of great importance and in healthy persons, three patterns of carriage are observed over time. The common ecological niches of microorganisms are the anterior nares and hands; hence, the present study aims to evaluate the surveillance of bacterial carriage from the hands and noses of healthcare workers that involve doctors, nurses, and housekeeping staffs and patients involving pregnant women or mothers. Materials and Methods: An observational prospective study was conducted for 1.5 years in which collection of swabs from both the hands and nose were taken and inoculated on mannitol salt agar, blood agar, and MacConkey agar and incubated at 37°C for 24 h following which biochemical reactions were performed from isolates and 160 nasal swabs and hand swabs were studied for bacterial growth. Results: The percentages of bacterial growth in the hands of mothers, doctors, housekeeping staff, and nurses were 17.5, 12.5, 52.5, and 25%, respectively, and in the nose were 7.5, 5, 32.5, and 12.5%, respectively. Total bacterial carriage in hand and nose swabs were 26.87 and 14.37%, respectively. Conclusion: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most common microorganism isolated and as a result to prevent its spread along with other nosocomial microorganisms, appropriate precautions should be taken as the spreading of these organisms can lead to drug resistance strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gastric cancer remains huge cancer threat worldwide. Detecting the recurrence of gastric cancer after treatment is especially important in improving the prognosis of patients. We aim to fit different risk models with different clinical variables for patients with gastric cancer, which further provides applicable guidance to clinical doctors for their patients. Methods: We collected the primary data from the medical record system in Lanzhou University Second Hospital and further cleaned the primary data via assessing data integrity artificially; meanwhile, detailed conclusion criteria and exclusion criteria were made. We used R software (version 4.1.3) and SPSS 25.0 to analyze data and build models, in which SPSS was used to analyze the correlation and difference of different items in the training set and testing set, and different R packages were used to run LASSO regression, Cox regression and nomogram for variable selection, model construction and model validation. Result: A total of 649 patients were included in our data analysis and model building. In LASSO regression selection, seven variables, pathological stage, tumor size, the number of total lymph nodes, the number of metastatic lymph nodes, intraoperative blood loss (IBL), the level of AFP and CA199, showed their correlation to the dependent variable. The multivariable Cox regression model fitted using these seven variables showed medium prediction ability, with an AUC of 0.840 in the training set and 0.756 in the testing set. Conclusions: Pathological stage, tumor size, the number of total lymph nodes, the number of metastatic lymph nodes, IBL, the level of AFP and CA199 are significant in identifying recurrence risk for gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Balikesir Health Sciences Journal / Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Balikesir Health Sciences Journal (BAUN Health Sci J) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background- Biomedical waste is a special category of waste, which carries potentially infectious or hazardous components. Inadequate and inappropriate knowledge of handling healthcare waste may have serious health consequences and a significant impact on the environment as well. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was done at the Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, Narketpally. A validated questionnaire (Annexure 1) was distributed among 100 participants, stratified equally among five categories i.e. Doctors, Resident doctors, Nursing staff, Lab technicians, and Housekeeping staff. The questionnaire had four sections, the first section had questions to assess knowledge, the second session had questions to assess awareness, the third session has questions to assess attitude and the fourth section assessed the practices. Results: The results of the data collected showed that 60% of Doctors had excellent knowledge and 20% of staff nurses had average or poor knowledge, 55% of lab Technicians have excellent awareness and 10% of Resident Doctors had average awareness, 90% housekeeping staff had excellent attitude while 10% resident doctors had average attitude, 75% of Resident Doctors had excellent practices while 15% Lab Technicians had average practices. Conclusion: The attitude and practices of the healthcare workers are to be improved, with more emphasis on staff nurses, lab Technicians, and housekeeping staff. Constant awareness sessions regarding biomedical waste disposal and handling should be enforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abandoning infants was a heritage of the Roman Empire. Foundling hospitals were established in Italy earlier and in greater number than in other countries; their goal was to prevent infanticides. The Foundling Hospital in Rome, established in the Santo Spirito Church in 1204, paved the way toward modern hospital care and child protection. The Order of the Holy Spirit was appointed by Pope Innocent III to care for foundlings, and set up a network of infant nurseries all over Europe. Poor unmarried pregnant women received obstetric services free of charge. Infants were admitted anonymously by the ruota, a baby hatch or turning wheel. The Order's rule regulated infants' admission, care, nutrition by wet nurses, and boarding out to foster families in the countryside. Chief physicians of the Santo Spirito Hospital were often Sapienza University professors and/or personal physicians to the Popes. Among them were Realdo Colombo, Andrea Caesalpino, Giovanni Lancisi, Giuseppe Flajani, Domenico Morichini, and Tommaso Prelà. They made major scientific progress in anatomy and surgery: descriptions of the pulmonary blood transit, embryonic formation, fetal circulation, malaria transmission from mosquitos, and surgery for congenital malformations such as hydrocephalus, anal atresia, and cleft lip. Per year, 800–1,000 exposed infants were admitted. Despite sufficient funding and meticulous regulation of care and nutrition, mortality in the hospital during the first month of life was around 70%; the causes were neglected surveillance, cleanliness, and artificial nutrition. The institution persisted for more than 700 years due to numerous connections with the Vatican. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long periods of working hours at the hospital, and exposure to residues of harmful substances such as anticancer drugs and others lead to excessive formation of free radicals in the body. The aim of this study was to evaluate peroxynitrite, folic acid, homocysteine, ceruloplasmin, and copper in hospital cleaning worker staff (janitors) exposed to residue of different types of substances such as patients’ blood, urine, and tools, as well as anticancer drugs in the work setting. This study was conducted among 40 subjects. Twenty subjects (from hospital cleaning staff) were considered hospital cleaning worker staff subjects, twenty other subjects were included as a healthy control group. The mean levels of peroxynitrite, folic acid, and ceruloplasmin in the hospital cleaning staff were (90.80± 23.93, 3.305±1.388, and 269.9±71.86) and in a healthy control group were (19.7±6.551, 6.232±1.738, and 129.88±37.98) µmol/L, respectively, which are statistically high significant. In contrast, the mean serum levels of homocysteine in two groups were (10.84±4.695 and 8.21±1.31) µmol/L, respectively, which are statistically significant. The average copper content was also found in both groups, although it was statistically insignificant and measured (129.34±.26.51) µg/dL in the hospital cleaning staff group and (133.91±11.25) µg/dL in the control group. These findings suggest that long-term exposure to residues of various types of substances in the work setting may cause an induced oxidative stress that results in a number of diseases including cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Enfermagem Brasil is the property of Atlantica Editora and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Due to the type of activities and the long-term exposure to chemicals, hospital cleaning workers require the necessary knowledge about the chemicals used and proper safety culture. This study aimed to evaluate the safety culture and perception of hospital cleaning workers' warning signs of chemical hazards. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 with the participation of 68 cleaning workers with the mean age ± (SD) and work experience ± (SD) of 36.19 ± (7.619) and 9.21 ± (5.462), respectively, in four selected Tehran hospitals in Iran. After ensuring the confidentiality of the received information and completing the demographic information checklist, each participant completed Global Harmonization System (GHS) sign perception and the safety culture questionnaires in this survey. Data were analyzed using regression and Pearson correlation tests. Results This study showed that the participant's correct perception in nine cases (81.8%) of presented GHS signs was lower than the ANSI Z535.3 standard. Among the investigated signs, "Flammable substances" and "Harmful to the environment" signs had the highest, and "Skin irritant" signs had the lowest correct perception. In addition, it was found that 55 people (80.9%) had an overall positive attitude toward the safety culture. The levels of "Work environment" (83.8%) and "Information exchange" (76.5%) had the highest and lowest positive scores for safety culture. Furthermore, there is a direct and significant relationship between the overall score of safety culture and the overall perception of the symptoms of GHS (CC = 0.313, P = 0.009). Conclusion According to the obtained results, it is recommended to take the necessary measures to increase the employees' perception of the signs of chemical substances and improve their safety culture.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted long-term care and assisted living (LTC/AL) facilities in Canada, where infection prevention and control (IPAC) programs had been suboptimal. We aimed to identify barriers affecting healthcare workers' (HCW) adherence to IPAC practices during the pandemic in British Columbia in LTC/AL compared to acute care settings. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey of direct care providers and IPAC professionals across BC from August to September 2021, focused on knowledge and attitudes toward IPAC within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and barriers that affected respondents' abilities to follow IPAC practices throughout the pandemic. Results: The final analysis included 896 acute care respondents and 441 from LTC/AL. More LTC/AL respondents reported experiencing the following barriers: following IPAC guidance was of lower priority compared to other tasks (29.1% vs. 14.7%, FDR = 0.001) and not their responsibility (28.0% vs. 11.2%, FDR = 0.001); limited supplies for personal protective equipment (PPE) (49.0% vs. 33.6%, FDR = 0.001), hand hygiene products (42.2% vs. 28.8%, FDR = 0.001), and cleaning/disinfection products (44.1% vs. 30.3%, FDR = 0.001); deficits in IPAC leadership support (46.2% vs. 38.9%, FDR = 0.012), IPAC education and training (46.9% vs. 32.0%, FDR = 0.001), and patient care knowledge for managing COVID-19 infections (46.6% vs. 36.0%, FDR = 0.001). Conclusions: This survey found that barriers to HCWs' adherence to IPAC practices during the COVID-19 pandemic were different in LTC/AL settings compared to acute care. Improvement efforts should focus on strengthening IPAC programs in LTC/AL, particularly enhanced IPAC staffing/leadership, increased training and education, and improving access to PPE, hand hygiene, and cleaning products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection transmission in healthcare is multifaceted and by in large involves the complex interplay between a pathogen, a host and their environment. To prevent transmission, infection prevention strategies must also consider these complexities and incorporate targeted interventions aimed at all possible transmission pathways. One strategy to prevent and control infection is environmental cleaning. There are many aspects to an environmental cleaning strategy. We believe the key to successfully reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections through the environment, is to design and implement a multimodal intervention. This paper aims to provide an overview of important considerations for designing a meaningful and sustainable environmental program for healthcare facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The importance of hospital cleaning for controlling healthcare-associated infection (HAI) has taken years to acknowledge. This is mainly because the removal of dirt is inextricably entwined with gender and social status, along with lack of evidence and confusion over HAI definitions. Reducing so-called endogenous infection due to human carriage entails patient screening, decolonisation and/or prophylaxis, whereas adequate ventilation, plumbing and cleaning are needed to reduce exogenous infection. These infection types remain difficult to separate and quantitate. Patients themselves demonstrate wide-ranging vulnerability to infection, which further complicates attempted ranking of control interventions, including cleaning. There has been disproportionate attention towards endogenous infection with less interest in managing environmental reservoirs. Quantifying cleaning and cleanliness: Finding evidence for cleaning is compromised by the fact that modelling HAI rates against arbitrary measurements of cleaning/cleanliness requires universal standards and these are not yet established. Furthermore, the distinction between cleaning (soil removal) and cleanliness (soil remaining) is usually overlooked. Tangible bench marking for both cleaning methods and all surface types within different units, with modification according to patient status, would be invaluable for domestic planning, monitoring and specification. Aims and objectives: This narrative review will focus on recent history and current status of cleaning in hospitals. While its importance is now generally accepted, cleaning practices still need attention in order to determine how, when and where to clean. Renewed interest in removal and monitoring of surface bioburden would help to embed risk-based practice in hospitals across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Timely detection of cleaning failure is critical for quality assurance within Sterilising Service Units (SSUs). Rapid Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) testing provides a real time and quantitative indication of cellular contaminants, when used to measure surface or device cleanliness. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of an ATP algorithm and to whether it could be used as a routine quality assurance step, to monitor surgical instruments cleanliness in SSUs prior to sterilisation. Methods: Cleanliness monitoring using rapid ATP testing was undertaken in the SSUs of four hospitals located in the western (Amazonia) region of Brazil. ATP testing was conducted (Clean Trace, 3M) on 163 surgical instruments, following manual cleaning. A sampling algorithm using a duplicate swab approach was applied to indicate surgical instruments as (i) very clean, (ii) clean, (iii) equivocal or (iv) fail, based around a 'clean' cut-off of 250 Relative Light Units (RLU) and a 'very clean' <100 RLU. Results: The four cleanliness categories were significantly differentiated (P≤0.001). The worst performing locations (hospitals A & C) had failure rates of 39.2% and 32.4%, respectively, and were distinctly different from hospitals B & D (P≤0.001). The best performing hospitals (B & D) had failure rates of 7.7% and 2.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The ATP testing algorithm provides a simple to use method within SSUs. The measurements are in real time, quantitative and useful for risk-based quality assurance monitoring, and the tool can be used for staff training. The four-tiered approach to the grading of surgical instrument cleanliness provides a nuanced approach for continuous quality improvement within SSU than does a simple pass/fail methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing adequate Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Health Care Facilities (HCFs) has many benefits, including achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). However, there is a significant shortage of statistics on the status of WASH in Healthcare Facilities (WinHCF), resulting in roadblocks in developing improvement strategies. Further, there is a lack of detailed comparison of WASH components covered in available tools against the standards. The present study aims to dissect the national and international tools for WASH assessment in HCFs to suggest comprehensive WASH indicators. The databases like PubMed, Scopus, ScopeMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar were used to extract the available tools. The assessment process, methodology, and components of national and various international tools were compared and synthesized. A total of seven tools, namely WASH FIT 2, Facet, SARA, SPA, TOOL BOX-II, CDC and Kayakalp, were compared on eight components: water, sanitation, hand hygiene, healthcare waste, environmental cleaning and hygiene, infrastructure, workforce management, policy and protocols. Although most tools have covered the same indicators, the methodology and definitions differ. Few of the tools fail to capture the basic indicators defined by Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP). The critical indicators of policy and protocols are only covered in WASH FIT 2, Kayakalp, and TOOL BOX-II. Likewise, most tools fail to capture the indicator of cleaning, IPC practices and climate resilience. The present review also highlighted the limitations of selected tools regarding definitions, methodology and implementation. Hence, based on the review findings, a comprehensive short tool has been developed to monitor WASH in HCF of India. It comprises all the essential fundamental indicators identified from various tools, and recommended by the JMP service ladder with proper definitions. This tool can be helpful for hospital staff and managers for the routine monitoring of WASH in HCFs and improve the quality of care and IPC practices in HCFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospital cleaners are the unsung heroes in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of hospital cleaners towards COVID-19 and determine factors associated with good practices. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Lebanon between the 1st and 14th November 2020. Using a snowball sampling technique, data were collected through an online survey that was sent to governmental and private hospitals. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic characteristics and KAP of hospital cleaners towards COVID-19. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: A total of 453 cleaners completed the survey, of whom 54.3% were females. Most participants had a good level of COVID-19 knowledge (98%) and good preventive practices (89.7%). Regarding attitude, 90.7% had a positive attitude toward health facilities, 78.8% toward cleaning and disinfection, and 73.5% toward health authorities. Sociodemographic characteristics, including younger age, higher levels of education, working in private hospitals, and having more than 3 years of experience, were positively associated with good preventive practices. Our results also showed that participants who had good knowledge about COVID-19, COVID-19 prevention and treatment, cleaning and disinfection processes, and COVID-19 risk factors had a higher likelihood of positive preventive practices. Finally, a positive attitude toward health facilities, health authorities, and cleaning and disinfection was positively associated with good practices. Conclusion: The surveyed cleaners have a high level of knowledge and expressed positive attitudes toward health facilities and health authorities, as well as good preventive practices. Understanding the determinants of cleaning performance is critical in tailoring interventions to improve hospital cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The frequency of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which can affect up to 15% of hospitalized patients and 9%-37% of patients referred to intensive care units (ICUs), is a significant issue for the healthcare system.1 Healthcare organizations must prioritize HAI prevention.2-5 Effective infection prevention and control (IPC) depends on healthcare workers knowledge of infection control (IC) practices, and poor knowledge and awareness among HCWs have been associated to deteriorating healthcare delivery results. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of infection control practices followed by nurses in their day to day procedures in Government General Hospital Vijayawada. Material & Methods: Study Design: A prospective hospital based descriptional study. Study area: Government general Hospital Vijayawada. Study Period: February 2023 - July 2023. (6 months) Study population: Staff nurses who are working in all wards of Government General Hospital Vijayawada. Sample size: The study consisted of 91 subjects. Sampling method: Simple random technique. Study tools and Data collection procedure: A direct method approach was employed, consisting of a cross-sectional survey through questionnaire in Google sheets. The survey questionnaire was distributed among a representative sample of nurses across various departments within the hospital. The survey encompassed questions related to knowledge of IPC guidelines, hand hygiene practices, personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization, environmental cleaning routines, and perceptions of organizational support for IPC. Results: With regard to indications for hand rub, 51.6 % staff nurses opted and agreed that when your hands are not visibly soiled which is the correct answer and 27.5 % answered instead of traditional handwashing (20 sec), 16.5% answered that instead of surgical hand washing (3min), remaining 4.4% answered when your hands are visibly soiled. Overall KAP status of the study population was excellent in 53.8%. 46.2% of the study population were having good KAP status. No subjects were in the group of average or poor KAP status. Conclusion: The largest difficulty in any hospital is infection prevention and control, and nurses' knowledge and understanding of this topic must be improved if it is to be successful. To increase understanding and compliance with IC practices, a multimodal strategy should be used, including training, feedback, and ongoing education programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study that analyzes impact of nosocomial infection in patient during treatment and cost of hospitalization of the patient. Topics discused include measures for reduction of associated costs and nosocomial infection, impact of reduced infection on reduction and saving in medical costs associated with work process of patient isolation, and study of patients in intensive care units (ICU) due to the infection.

Background: Due to the type of activities and the long-term exposure to chemicals, hospital cleaning workers require the necessary knowledge about the chemicals used and proper safety culture. This study aimed to evaluate the safety culture and perception of hospital cleaning workers' warning signs of chemical hazards. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 with the participation of 68 cleaning workers with the mean age ± (SD) and work experience ± (SD) of 36.19 ± (7.619) and 9.21 ± (5.462), respectively, in four selected Tehran hospitals in Iran. After ensuring the confidentiality of the received information and completing the demographic information checklist, each participant completed Global Harmonization System (GHS) sign perception and the safety culture questionnaires in this survey. Data were analyzed using regression and Pearson correlation tests. Results: This study showed that the participant's correct perception in nine cases (81.8%) of presented GHS signs was lower than the ANSI Z535.3 standard. Among the investigated signs, "Flammable substances" and "Harmful to the environment" signs had the highest, and "Skin irritant" signs had the lowest correct perception. In addition, it was found that 55 people (80.9%) had an overall positive attitude toward the safety culture. The levels of "Work environment" (83.8%) and "Information exchange" (76.5%) had the highest and lowest positive scores for safety culture. Furthermore, there is a direct and significant relationship between the overall score of safety culture and the overall perception of the symptoms of GHS (CC = 0.313, P = 0.009). Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it is recommended to take the necessary measures to increase the employees' perception of the signs of chemical substances and improve their safety culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cleaning is considered a female-dominant occupation. Women cleaning workers present a high risk of suffering impaired health probably as a result of performing low-skilled tasks. However, to date, no studies have been found that examine the health status of female cleaning workers in Spain. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to 1) determine the level of perceived health in a sample of female cleaning workers, 2) evaluate the main psychosocial risks they face, 3) explore the relationship between perceived health and psychosocial risk factors, and 4) compare the perceived health of those women who present some psychosocial risk factor and those who do not. METHODS: This is a multi-centered cross-sectional study carried out in the service sector of a Spanish company. The final sample was composed of 455 female cleaning workers. Sociodemographic variables, perceived health status and psychosocial risk factors were assessed. RESULTS: Women presented a high perception of health status. The main psychosocial risk was lack of acknowledgement by their superiors, which affected 25.2% (n = 111) of the sample. Moderate negative correlations (r=–.222 to –.442; p <.01) were identified between perceived health and evident psychosocial risks. Those women who presented some psychosocial risk (n = 174; 38.3%) had a worse state of perceived health in all variables studied. CONCLUSION: Presence of psychosocial risk had a relationship with a worse health perception. This article highlights the need to orient preventive actions in the psychosocial field. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a new situation to renew the health promotion between cleaning workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distinct protocols can be used to clean the hospital environment. This study used the ATP tool to evaluate cleaning protocols composed of either a quaternary ammonium compound plus biguanide (QACB) or bleach only. No statistical difference was found (p = 0.450) between QACB and bleach protocols, both being effective in hospital ward cleaning. So, it is possible to conclude that the use of QACB or bleach protocols ensures appropriate cleaning in health care, promoting a safe environment for patient use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the plaque-removal efficacy of ultra-soft singleheaded, triple-headed, and T-shaped toothbrushes and the subjective perceptions of users. Methods: In this randomized, single-blind, crossover study, 30 healthy adult participants were randomly divided into three groups of 10, who tested the three types of toothbrushes in differing order, with a 1-week washout period between the tests. Dental plaque scores were recorded before and after toothbrushing, and questionnaires on subjective perceptions after toothbrushing were collected. Results: The participants included 16 female participants and 14 male participants (average age: 29.4 ± 6.7 years). All three toothbrush types were effective in reducing dental plaque by 36-46%; however, the cleaning effect of the ultra-soft single-headed toothbrush was inferior to that of the triple-headed and T-shaped toothbrushes, the difference being statistically significant. The users’ subjective perceptions suggested that the ultrasoft single-headed toothbrush was significantly superior to the other two toothbrush types. Plaque scores for the lower posterior tooth surfaces were higher than those for the upper posterior tooth surfaces, particularly on the left side, for both the ultra-soft single-headed and T-shaped toothbrushes. Conclusion: Healthcare practitioners should identify the type of toothbrush bristles used by individuals and provide appropriate oral health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latina women breastfeed at high rates immediately postpartum but also frequently introduce formula. Formula negatively affects breastfeeding, and maternal and child health. The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) has been shown to improve breastfeeding outcomes. A BFHI-designated hospital must facilitate lactation education for clinical and non-clinical personnel. Housekeepers, often the sole hospital employees sharing the linguistic and cultural heritage of Latina patients, have frequent patient interactions. This pilot project at a community hospital in New Jersey investigated Spanish-speaking housekeeping staff's attitudes and knowledge regarding breastfeeding before and after implementing a lactation education program. After the training the housekeeping staff overall had more positive attitudes toward breastfeeding. This may, in the short-term, contribute to a hospital culture more supportive of breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam mopping is an eco-friendly solution for cleaning and disinfecting floors, avoiding harsh chemicals or harmful UV lights. Currently, commercial steam mopping systems are manually operated, which is laborious and unsafe. This work presents the design methodology of a novel, eco-friendly autonomous steam mopping robot named 'Snail' for cleaning and disinfecting typical indoor floors, namely tile, carpet, concrete, vinyl, sealed wood, and rugs. Our work is mainly focused on (1) the mechanical system design, including the locomotion, steam dispenser, and mopping unit, (2) the hardware and software architecture, and (3) the motion control system's design for smooth maneuverability and mitigating friction forces. A high-gain friction estimator is proposed, whose output is exploited by the motion controller to follow the desired path and compensate for the traction-based locomotion disturbances due to extensive mop contact with a rough-textured floor, such as carpet. The proposed autonomous steam mopping robot's efficiency is validated with different floors with zig-zagging cleaning patterns, setting a minimum of 100 °C as the disinfecting steam criterion. Using the proposed motion control algorithm, we validate the smooth maneuverability, assuring the robot traverses with a given speed and follows the trajectory even on a rough carpeted floor. The cleaning efficiency is tested by removing hard stains, consuming less water, and faster wet floor drying. The robot used only one liter of water to clean a 5  m 2  floor area, and the drying time was found to be four times faster than normal water mopping. The proposed steam mopping robot design is ideal for cleaning and disinfecting hospitals and eldercare centers, where hygiene is crucial, and promoting going green, avoiding harsh chemicals, and mitigating current cleaner labor concerns, including the risk of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Occupational exposure to various types of cleaning agents may increase the risk of adverse respiratory health among cleaners. This study investigated the relationship between exposure to cleaning and disinfecting agents, using a job‐task and exposure intensity metric, and respiratory outcomes among cleaners. Methods: A sample of 174 cleaners was selected from three public hospitals in Durban. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and occupational information, and spirometry, including post‐bronchodilator measures, was conducted according to the American Thoracic Society guidelines and skin prick testing were performed. Exposure metrics for job tasks and chemical exposures were created using frequency and employment‐lifetime duration of exposure. Multivariate analysis regression models used job task and exposure intensity metrics. Results: Doctor‐diagnosed asthma prevalence was 9.8%. Breathlessness with wheeze (22.4%) was the prevalent respiratory symptom. Positive responses to skin prick testing were seen in 74 (43.2%). There was a statistically significant increased risk for shortness of breath with exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds (odds ratio [OR]: 3.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–10.5) and breathlessness with exposure to multipurpose cleaner (OR: 0.34; CI: 0.12–0.92). The losses in percent‐predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) ranged from 0.3%–6.7%. Results among the bronchodilator‐positive (8.6%) showed lung function losses twofold greater when compared to the total study population with percentage predicted FEV1 (−22.6 %; p < 0.000). Conclusion: Exposure to certain cleaning and disinfectant agents adversely affects respiratory health, particularly lung function. This effect, while seen generally among cleaning workers, is more pronounced among those with pre‐existing reversible obstructive lung disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the existing system of janitorial services in the army hospitals, and to give recommendations for standardized policy formulation in military hospitals. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Hospitals, namely Hospital A, B and C, at Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Oct 2019 Jan 2020. Methodology: Responses from 401 Healthcare Administrators (HCAs), Nurses and Janitorial staff were collected through a validated questionnaire, and hospitals' documents/ SOPs, cleaning audit reports, feedback process documents, communication mechanisms and training schedules were reviewed. Results: Out of 401 respondents, the majority were females (54.4%, 5 were HCAs, 143 were Nurses, and 70 were Janitorial staff). The availability of SOPs was associated with cleaning functional areas of hospitals (p=0.001). Awareness of the risk of infection among healthcare workers was associated with Hepatitis B vaccination (p=0.03). Knowledge of hospital areas regarding cleanliness among hospital workers was linked to providing cleanliness training according to job requirements (p=0.001). Conclusion: Hospital A performed admirably in most areas but was found to need more human resources, with staff shortages, high turnover, and a lack of adherence to SOPs. To achieve optimum performance, existing and emerging technology must be integrated with sanitary worker preparation and career development; costs must be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that with the depletion of conventional oil and gas reserves and an increase in the global demand for hydrocarbons, the focus of the industrial sector is gradually shifting towards the resources of the Arctic, which have tremendous potential for development. However, the current industrial policy has to take into account the concept of sustainable development, or harmony between economy, ecology, and society. Therefore, the extraction of raw materials must obey the principles of the circular economy, which aims to generate closed-loop cycles that maximize the use of the resources extracted and minimize waste generation so as not to destroy fragile ecosystems. It is necessary to drill wells for the discovery of a hydrocarbon deposit on the shelf, which entails the generation of a tremendous amount of complex waste., The use of disposal methods for drilling cuttings, which must be disposed of economically and with environmental reliability, is required to solve the problem. This study compares two methods of disposing of drilling waste. Statistical modeling results and a review of the literature show that the most effective method from both economic and environmental points of view is the thermomechanical cleaning of cuttings on site. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of both methods. It also evaluates drilling waste management prospects and opportunities for Russian offshore fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]