Project description:Background:Endoscopy related infections represent an important threat for healthcare systems worldwide. Recent outbreaks of infections with multidrug resistant micro-organisms have highlighted the problems of contaminated endoscopes. Endoscopes at highest risk for contamination have intricate mechanisms, multiple internal channels and narrow lumens that are especially problematic to clean. In light of raised awareness about the necessity for meticulous reprocessing of all types of endoscopes, a call for international collaboration is needed. An overview is presented on current practices for endoscope reprocessing in facilities worldwide. Method:An electronic survey was developed and disseminated by the International Society for Antimicrobials and Chemotherapy. The survey consisted of 50 questions aimed at assessing the reprocessing of flexible endoscopes internationally. It covered three core elements: stakeholder involvement, assessment of perceived risks, and reprocessing process. Results:The survey received a total of 165 completed responses from 39 countries. It is evident that most facilities, 82% (n = 136), have a standard operating procedure. There is, however a lot of variation within the flexible endoscope reprocessing practices observed. The need for regular training and education of reprocessing practitioners were identified by 50% (n = 83) of the respondents as main concerns that need to be addressed in order to increase patient safety in endoscope reprocessing procedures. Conclusion:This international survey on current flexible endoscope reprocessing identified a large variation for reprocessing practices among different health care facilities/countries. A standardised education and training programme with a competency assessment is essential to prevent reprocessing lapses and improve patient safety.
Project description:This article gives an overview on the principles of reprocessing of rigid and flexible endoscopes used in ENT units including structural and spatial requirements based on general and ENT-specific risks of infection associated with diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. The underlying legal principles as well as recommendations from scientific societies will be exemplified in order to give a practical guidance to the otorhinolaryngologist. Preliminary results of a small nation-wide survey on infection control standards based on data of 29 ENT practices in Germany reveal current deficits of varying degree concerning infection control management including reprocessing of endoscopes. The presented review aims to give support to the establishment of a structured infection control management program including the evaluation of results by means of a prospective surveillance.
Project description:Background/aimsEndoscopic channels are difficult to clean and can cause infection transmission. We examined the effectiveness of a newly developed channel-cleaning ball brush (BB), which is sucked into the endoscopic channel and scrapes and cleans the lumen as it passes through.MethodsThe upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopes used for patient examinations were randomly selected as the conventional brush (CB) or BB group. After manual cleaning, the presence or absence of carbohydrates, proteins, adenosine triphosphate, and hemoglobin was assessed.ResultsFifty-six and 58 endoscopes were cleaned with the CB and BB, respectively. Carbohydrate and protein were detected in one (1.8%) and two endoscopes (3.4%) in the CB and BB groups, respectively (p=1.000). Hemoglobin was observed in one (1.8%) and three endoscopes (5.2%) in the CB and BB groups, respectively (p=0.636). The adenosine triphosphate levels were 10.6±15.9 and 12.5±14.3 relative light units in the CB and BB groups, respectively (p=0.496). Twenty-seven (48.2%) and 19 (32.8%) endoscopes were positive for microbial cultures in the CB and BB groups, respectively (p=0.136).ConclusionThe efficacy of BB was not significantly different from that of CB in the endoscopic channel-cleaning process.
Project description:BackgroundEnforcing practice standards for cardiac monitoring in intensive care units (ICUs) has been shown to reduce misdiagnoses and inappropriate interventions. Continuous professional development (CPD) programs are committed to aligning clinical practices with recommended standards. The crucial initial phase in CPD development involves assessing the training needs of the targeted population.ObjectiveTo assess the training needs of ICU nurses in cardiac monitoring. The overarching goal was to formulate a focused Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program geared towards implementing standard practices in cardiac monitoring.MethodsThis study employed a generic qualitative approach with a descriptive design, utilizing interviews and focus groups from July to September 2018. Involving 16 ICU nurses. Content analysis was employed, encompassing transcription, fluctuant and iterative reading, unitization, categorization, coding, description, and interpretation.ResultsAll nurses recognized cardiac monitoring's importance in the ICU but reported barriers to its effective implementation which were related to factors that could addressed by a CPD as insufficient knowledge and skills. Training needs were identified in both clinical and technical aspects, with recommendations for practical and theoretical activities and e-learning strategies. Barriers related to organizational aspects (equipment and communication within the healthcare team) were also mentioned.ConclusionICU nurses presented clear and specific training needs related to cardiac monitoring as knowledge, skills, and competencies. Other organizational aspects were also reported as barriers. Addressing these learning needs through targeted CPD aligned with organizational initiatives can contribute to enhancing the quality of cardiac monitoring practices in ICUs.
Project description:IntroductionEndoscopy education in the US traditionally follows the apprenticeship model, in which educators often have little formal training in education, and the acquisition of procedural skills by trainees relies heavily on procedure volume and learning by doing. A growing appreciation of the need to formally educate endoscopy trainers has led to the development of mandatory training curricula in other countries, but the implementation of such courses in the US has been limited. This 1-hour workshop aimed to provide educators the rationale and skills to offer a more standardized approach to procedural training.MethodsWe implemented a 1-hour interactive workshop designed for both gastroenterology faculty and trainees. The four sections of the workshop focused on: (1) rationale for standardized approach, (2) verbal and physical preparation for training, (3) training using standardized language and avoidance of cognitive overload, and (4) providing feedback. Four interactive video cases followed by large-group discussion were included.ResultsA total of 13 gastroenterology faculty and trainees attended the workshop. Eight additional members of the gastroenterology faculty watched an online video of the workshop. Survey data revealed that the workshop was effective in helping faculty set goals with trainees (M pre = 2.4, M post = 3.6), identify standardized language to use during endoscopy (M pre = 3.1, M post = 3.8), and give feedback after sessions (M pre = 3.4, M post = 4.1).DiscussionA 1-hour lecture-based interactive workshop with video cases was an engaging and effective introduction to formal endoscopy education techniques. The format was easy to incorporate into faculty conferences and can help bridge the current gap in formal endoscopy faculty training.
Project description:BackgroundDespite endoscope reprocessing, residual droplets remain in gastrointestinal endoscope working channels. Inadequate drying of gastrointestinal endoscope working channels may promote microbial reproduction and biofilm formation, increasing the risk of infection in patients. This review was designed to provide the current status of gastrointestinal endoscope drying, emphasize the importance of gastrointestinal endoscope drying, and evaluate the effectiveness of different drying methods of gastrointestinal endoscope in reducing residual droplets and microbial growth risk.MethodsA systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting checklist. The PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, EBSCO, CNKI, CQVIP, and Wanfang Data databases were searched from 2010 to 2020 to identify eligible articles focused on methods of gastrointestinal endoscope drying and the status of endoscope drying. The following key points were analyzed: type of intervention, amount of residual droplets, major microbial types, and effectiveness of biofilm intervention. JBI quality assessment tool was used to determine bias risk for inclusion in the article.ResultsThis review included twelve articles. Two of the articles reported lack of drying of gastrointestinal endoscopes while the other ten reported residual droplets, microbial growth, and biofilm formation after different methods of drying. Four articles reported 0 to 4.55 residual droplets; four articles reported that the main microbial types were cocci and bacilli, most commonly Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus maltophilia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; and two reported that drying could effectively reduce biofilm regeneration. The type of intervention is as follows: automatic endoscopy reprocessor (AER), manual compressed air drying, and the Dri-Scope Aid for automatic drying and drying cabinet.ConclusionsWhile endoscope reprocessing may not always be effective, an automatic endoscope reprocessor plus the Dri-Scope Aid with automatic drying over 10 min or storage in a drying cabinet for 72 h may be preferred.
Project description:Severe cases infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), named by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Feb. 11, 2020, tend to present a hypercatabolic state because of severe systemic consumption, and are susceptible to stress ulcers and even life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment constitute an irreplaceable part in the handling of severe COVID-19 cases. Endoscopes, as reusable precision instruments with complicated structures, require more techniques than other medical devices in cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and other reprocessing procedures. From 2016 to 2019, health care-acquired infection caused by improper endoscope reprocessing has always been among the top 5 on the list of top 10 health technology hazards issued by the Emergency Care Research Institute. Considering the highly infective nature of COVID-19 and the potential aerosol contamination therefrom, it is of pivotal significance to ensure that endoscopes are strictly reprocessed between uses. In accordance with the national standard "Regulation for Cleaning and Disinfection Technique of Flexible Endoscope (WS507-2016)," we improved the workflow of endoscope reprocessing including the selection of chemicals in an effort to ensure quality control throughout the clinical management towards COVID-19 patients. Based on the experience we attained from the 12 severe COVID-19 cases in our hospital who underwent endoscopy 23 times in total, the article provides an improved version of endoscopic reprocessing guidelines for bedside endoscopic diagnosis and treatment on COVID-19 patients for reference.
Project description:BackgroundStandard hygiene precautions are an effective way of controlling healthcare-associated infections. Nevertheless, compliance with hand hygiene (HH) guidelines among healthcare workers (HCWs) is often poor, and evidence regarding appropriate use of gloves and gowns is limited and not encouraging. In this study, we evaluated the ability over time of a multimodal intervention to improve HCWs compliance with standard hygiene precautions.MethodsTrend analysis of direct observations of compliance with HH guidelines and proper glove or gown use was conducted in the medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of Umberto I Teaching Hospital of Sapienza University of Rome. The study consisted of two phases: a six-month baseline phase and a 12-month post-intervention phase. The multimodal intervention was based on the World Health Organization strategy and included education and training of HCWs, together with performance feedback.ResultsA total of 12,853 observations were collected from November 2016 to April 2018. Overall compliance significantly improved from 41.9% at baseline to 62.1% (p < 0.001) after the intervention and this improvement was sustained over the following trimesters. Despite variability across job categories and over the study period, a similar trend was observed for most investigations. The main determinants of compliance were job category (with nurses having the highest compliance rates), being a member of ICU staff and whether delivering routine, as opposed to emergency, care. HH compliance was modified by glove use; unnecessary gloving negatively affected HH behaviour while appropriate gloving positively influenced it.ConclusionsThe multimodal intervention resulted in a significant improvement in compliance with standard hygiene precautions. However, regular educational reinforcement and feedback is essential to maintain a high and uniform level of compliance.
Project description:Background:Standard Precaution (SPs) practices protect health-care workers prevent hospital-acquired infections. With Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) and early clinical exposure (ECE) implemented in the new curriculum, the first year medical students need to be aware of SPs, so as to protect themselves and the patients from these hazards. Aims & objective:To assess the knowledge of standard precautions among the medical students and find out association of knowledge with selected demographic variables. Methods and material:This cross-sectional study was done among first year medical undergraduate students of a medical college.Data was collected through google form with researcher-made questionnaire including questions on knowledge about SPs and socio-demographic variables of the study participant and their parents. Results:Response rate was 97.9%. Mean age of the participants was 19.13?±?0.858 years; 57.7% were girls.Although 80.3% had heard of SPs but as high as 83.1% were of the opinion that "SPs were only for protection of the health-care team", 23.2% felt that it should "only be used in patients diagnosed with infection". 96.5% knew that "hand hygiene should be performed while providing care to patients", 97.2% had knowledge about respiratory and cough hygiene practices, 14.1% of them felt that "PPE can be shared". 57% of the respondents answered that "needle should be recapped after giving injections". Conclusions:Students in early clinical years were found to have a varied level of knowledge of SPs and a lot of gaps in correct understanding of required facts. Continued medical education and skill-assessment to test their knowledge, must be incorporated into their teaching curriculum before ECE, so as to minimize the risk of preventable infections.
Project description:Background and aimsResidual fluid within endoscope working channels after reprocessing may promote growth of pathogens. Current reprocessing guidelines therefore recommend endoscope drying with administration of forced filtered air; however, the duration and modality of administered air are not specified. The new DriScope Aid device enables automated administration of filtered air at controlled pressure through all internal endoscope channels. We systematically compared, for the first time, the impact of manual drying and automated drying on retained working channel fluid and bioburden after reprocessing.MethodsWe assessed for residual working channel fluid after reprocessing and/or drying by using the SteriCam borescope. Drying was performed either manually (forced filtered air) or was automated (DriScope Aid) for either 5 or 10 minutes. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence testing was performed on working channel rinsates after drying, to evaluate for residual bioburden.ResultsSignificantly more fluid droplets were evident after manual drying (4.55 ± 6.14) than with automated device-facilitated drying for either 5 minutes (0.83 ± 1.29; P = .007) or 10 minutes (0 ± 0; P = .001). ATP bioluminescence values were higher for manual drying compared with automated drying at 48 hours (P = .001) and 72 hours (P = .014) after reprocessing.ConclusionsWe demonstrate significantly fewer water droplets and delayed ATP bioluminescence values within endoscope working channels after automated drying compared with manual drying. In particular, virtually no retained fluid was evident within endoscope working channels after automated drying for 10 minutes. These findings support recommendations for automation of as many reprocessing steps as possible. Automated drying may decrease the risk of transmission of infection related to endoscopy.