RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Contaminated textiles in hospitals contribute to endogenous, indirect-contact, and aerosol transmission of nosocomial related pathogens. Copper oxide impregnated linens have wide-spectrum antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Our aim was to determine if replacing non-biocidal linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens would reduce the rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in a long-term care ward. METHODS: We compared the rates of HAI in two analogous patient cohorts in a head injury care ward over two 6-month parallel periods before (period A) and after (period B) replacing all the regular non-biocidal linens and personnel uniforms with copper oxide impregnated biocidal products. RESULTS: During period B, in comparison to period A, there was a 24% reduction in the HAI per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.05), a 47% reduction in the number of fever days (>38.5°C) per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.01), and a 32.8% reduction in total number of days of antibiotic administration per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.0001). Accordingly there was saving of approximately 27% in costs of antibiotics, HAI-related treatments, X-rays, disposables, labor, and laundry, expenses during period B. CONCLUSIONS: The use of biocidal copper oxide impregnated textiles in a long-term care ward may significantly reduce HAI, fever, antibiotic consumption, and related treatment costs.
Assuntos
Lesões Encefálicas/reabilitação , Cobre/farmacologia , Infecção Hospitalar/prevenção & controle , Desinfetantes/farmacologia , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Negativas/prevenção & controle , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Positivas/prevenção & controle , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Antibacterianos/economia , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Roupas de Cama, Mesa e Banho/microbiologia , Lesões Encefálicas/complicações , Lesões Encefálicas/tratamento farmacológico , Lesões Encefálicas/patologia , Infecção Hospitalar/complicações , Infecção Hospitalar/tratamento farmacológico , Infecção Hospitalar/economia , Feminino , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/efeitos dos fármacos , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Negativas/complicações , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Negativas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Negativas/economia , Bactérias Gram-Positivas/efeitos dos fármacos , Bactérias Gram-Positivas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Positivas/complicações , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Positivas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções por Bactérias Gram-Positivas/economia , Hospitais , Humanos , Assistência de Longa Duração/economia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
This small sample study attempted to define the problems families faced when their child was dying. The longitudinal approached allowed us to identify patterns of parental response and to identify patterns of nursing intervention that the parents found helpful. The results of the study have helped us teach other nurses how to more successfully work with these families.