Factors influencing self-reported adherence to standard precautions among Thai nursing students: A cross sectional study.

AIM: This study explored nursing students' compliance with standard precautions (SPs) and attitudes to SPs in Thailand, to identify factors that may increase adherence to SPs and infection prevention and control best practice. BACKGROUND: In the context of high rates of healthcare associated infections as in Thailand, effective strategies to promote high levels of clinician adherence to SPs is a priority. Nursing students are one group of healthcare workers who play a vital role in caring for patients and constitute the future nursing workforce. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey design was used. METHODS: A self-reported survey comprising the Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale and the Factors Influencing Adherence to Standard Precautions Scale were distributed to nursing students as a Thai paper-based survey. RESULTS: A total of '533 second' to fourth year nursing students from a tertiary nursing school in Bangkok, Thailand completed the survey. The average nursing student compliance to SPs was 68.5%. Most (91.2%) reported only using water for handwashing and 57.2% reported reuse of surgical masks. The fourth-year students had higher compliance (M=3.90, SD=1.12) on the 'prevention of cross infection from person-to-person' dimension while second-year students reported higher compliance on the 'disposal of sharps' (M=2.67, SD=0.57) dimension. 'Contextual Cues' was identified as the factor (M=3.41, SD=0.40) that had the greatest influence on adherence and 'Practice Culture' (M=1.84, SD=0.66) and 'Justification' (M = 1.35, SD.68 had the lowest influence. Fourth year students identified 'Leadership' (M=2.90, SD=0.49) as an important influence on adherence to SPs. CONCLUSIONS: To increase nursing students' adherence there needs to be greater emphasis on the importance of SPs in theoretical sessions and regular monitoring and feedback on hand hygiene performance and personal protective equipment use while students are on placements. More visible organizational leadership and promotion of high levels of adherence to SPs may assist students to translate their theoretical knowledge into practice.

Predictive factors of catheter-related bloodstream infection in patients receiving home parenteral nutrition.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and predictive factors of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) acquired through a central venous catheter for delivery of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) therapy among a patient population in Thailand. METHODS: This retrospective review was conducted with adult patients with intestinal failure who received HPN from October 2002 to April 2014, at Ramathibodi Home Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Referral Center in Bangkok. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients (45.8% male, mean age 56.2 ± 15.7 y) were included in the analysis. Incidence of CRBSIs was 1.47 per 1000 catheter days. Over the 12-y period, there were 21 CRBSIs among 10 patients. There were 26 pathogens isolated from these CRBSIs, mostly coagulase-negative staphylococci. Univariate Poisson regression analysis revealed that the incidence rate ratio of CRBSIs was significantly higher in patients who used an implanted port (compared with tunneled catheter), alcohol-based povidone-iodine solution as disinfectant (compared with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol), cyclic HPN infusion (compared with continuous HPN), and hospital-based compound HPN formulations (compared with 3-in-1 commercial formulations). Furthermore, longer duration of HPN (>250 d) was associated with CRBSIs. Multivariate analysis revealed that longer duration of HPN, cyclic HPN, and hospital-based compound HPN were significantly associated with CRBSIs. CONCLUSIONS: CRBSI is a significant complication in patients receiving long-term HPN. Individualized therapy with a multidisciplinary team in centers with HPN management expertise is required. Careful selection of the catheter type and HPN formulation for each patient is necessary to best meet patient requirements and minimize HPN-related complications. Strict compliance by patients and caregivers with evidence-based instructions together with supervision by well-trained HPN providers is the most effective strategy to prevent CRBSIs.

High coverage and safety of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccination among health care personnel in Thailand.

We aimed to report the coverage and safety of the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccination (Panenza; Sanofi Pasteur, Val de Reuil Cedex, France) among health care personnel (HCP) in a university hospital setting in Thailand. The hospital set up a system to vaccinate HCP and did surveillance of the adverse effects (AEs). During a 4-week period, 6,210 (78.7%) HCP were vaccinated. There were 82 reported nonserious AEs among 32 HCP. The most common AE was fatigue/uncomfortable feeling (24%).

Use of HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis in healthcare workers after occupational exposure: a Thai university hospital setting.

BACKGROUND: PostExposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is widely used after exposures to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to reduce the risk of infection in the healthcare setting. Few data are available on the safety and tolerability of Anti Retro Viral drugs (ARV) among Health Care Workers (HCWs) who are prescribed prophylaxis. OBJECTIVE: To collect information about the safety and compliance of taking ARV for HIV PEP among HCWs. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective review on registry data regarding occupational HIV exposures, the PEP regimens used, and the adverse events associated with PEP was performed. RESULTS: During a five year-period, 820 episodes with occupational blood or body fluid exposures were reported Nurses (27%) were the largest group at risk. The most common type of exposure was percutaneous injuries (82%). Only 125 (15%) HCWs had occupational exposures to HIV, 64 HCWs were prescribed HIV PEP and 32 (50%) HCWs did not complete the PEP regimen as initially prescribed. The commonly prescribed ARV was zidovudine (38%), lamivudine (33%), and indinavir (11%). Overall, 18 (28%) HCWs reported symptoms while on PEP such as nausea (89%), vomiting (55%), and dizziness (39%). None of the HCWs had HIV seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS: Adverse effects from HIV PEP were very common. Clinicians prescribing HIV PEP need to discuss with HCWs about PEP efficacy and side effects. Education efforts aimed at occupational exposure prevention are still important issues.

Iron status of one-year-old infants in a well baby clinic.

Seventy-two healthy infants (37 males, 35 females) attending a private well baby clinic were enrolled in the study. Their mean birthweights and body weights at one year of age were 3,079 grams and 10 kilograms, respectively. Blood samples were drawn approximately on their first birthday for evaluating the iron status. Complete blood count, hemoglobin (Hb) typing and DNA analysis for common carrier status of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathis were also determined. According to the infants of serum ferritin, the patients were classified into 4 groups: group 1, iron deficiency anemia (Hb <11 g/dl and ferritin <12 ng/L) in 1 infants (1.4%); group 2, iron deficiency without anemia (Hb >11 g/dl and ferritin <12 ng/L) in 5 infants (6.9%); group 3, borderline iron depletion (ferritin 12-30 ng/L) in 39 infants (54.2%); group 4, iron sufficiency (ferritin >30 ng/L) in 27 infants (37.5%). The iron deficiency state emerged as 8.3 per cent (6/72). There was no significant difference of levels of Hb and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) among the infants with iron deficiency without anemia, borderline iron depletion and iron sufficiency. The results also revealed that 25 out of 72 (34.7%) infants were carriers of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies. The carrier infants had significant lower Hb and MCV than those of the non-carrier infants with the p-values of 0.004 and 0.000, respectively; while their serum ferritin levels were not significantly different. Additionally, the association of carrier and iron deficiency state was further evaluated. The Hb and MCV among carrier infants with and without iron deficiency were not significantly different. Six infants with carrier state were found to have slightly decreased levels of Hb ranging from 10.3 to 10.9 g/dl with the ferritin ranging from 18.7 to 382.9 ng/L while the remainders had Hb of >11 g/dl. Therefore, 7 out of 72 (9.2%) infants had anemia (Hb <11 g/dl) which was caused by the carrier state of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies (n=6) and iron deficiency anemia (n=1). The risk factors of iron deficiency status were associated with feeding regimen including continuation of breast feeding until one year of age without adequate haem iron supplement, exclusive formula feeding, inadequacy of solid food supplement with only one meal per day and excluding haem iron from animal liver without substitution. The infants with risk factors had significantly lower levels of serum ferritin (mean 14.1 +/- 1.7 ng/L) than those without risk factors (mean 31.9 +/- 1.9 ng/L) with a p-value of 0.000. In conclusion, adequate haem iron supplement in 3 meals of solid food is essential for the prevention of iron deficiency status in one-year-old infants.