Hand hygiene adherence is influenced by the behavior of role models.

OBJECTIVE: Proper hand hygiene (HH) reduces nosocomial infections. Therefore, factors that influence HH behavior of healthcare workers are of great interest. We hypothesized that strict HH adherence by supervisor role models would improve the HH behavior of junior staff. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Pediatric and cardiac intensive care units of a tertiary care children's hospital. SUBJECTS: Two critical care fellows and four nurse orientees. INTERVENTIONS: First, we observed and recorded HH adherence of the fellows and nurse orientees and their respective supervising attending physician or nurse preceptor during daily patient care. Subsequently, we paired the same fellows and nurse orientees with a different supervisor who maintained strict HH adherence, and again noted HH adherence. We used measures of HH opportunities and HH adherence consistent with guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: HH adherence by fellows and nurse orientees at baseline was 22% of 200 HH opportunities, and improved to 56% of 234 opportunities as a result of role modeling--an average increase of 34% points (95% confidence interval, 18.7-51; p < 0.01 by linear regression), representing a HH adherence rate greater than 1.5 times that of the baseline. The control senior practitioners' HH adherence rate was 20% of 180 opportunities compared with the study senior practitioners' HH adherence of 94% of 187 opportunities--an average difference of 72% points higher compared with the control senior practitioners (95% confidence interval, 56-88.3; p < 0.01 by linear regression). CONCLUSIONS: HH adherence of junior practitioners improved under the supervision of adherent role models. These results suggest that HH behavior of senior practitioners plays a crucial influence on other staff. Senior healthcare practitioners should consider the important role they may play in reinforcing or weakening a culture of patient safety and proper HH.

Prenatal exposure to methyldopa leading to hypertensive crisis and cardiac failure in a neonate.

A 2-week-old infant with normal intracardiac anatomy presented to the emergency department in a hypertensive crisis with acute cardiac failure. Despite extensive evaluation, no underlying disease was found. The patient's hypertension and cardiac dysfunction resolved after 1 week of supportive care in the PICU, and she was discharged within 2 weeks of presentation. The patient's history revealed transplacental exposure to the α-adrenergic agonist methyldopa for 10 weeks before delivery. Her age at presentation and the self-limited nature of cardiac sequelae with complete resolution of cardiac dysfunction suggest withdrawal effects from this exposure. Whereas the rebound hypertensive effects of α-adrenergic agonists are well established in the adult population, this report shows an unusual adverse outcome of in utero exposure to methyldopa.

Prospective randomized trial of ketorolac after congenital heart surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Ketorolac is a potent nonsteroidal analgesic agent used to treat postoperative pain. It produces excellent analgesia without the sedating side effects of opioid analgesics. Routine use of ketorolac after cardiac surgery is limited by concerns of bleeding complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of bleeding complications of ketorolac for treatment of pain after congenital heart surgery in infants and children. DESIGN: Prospective randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Pediatric cardiac intensive care unit in tertiary teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy infants and children, median age 10 months (range 2.5-174), who underwent congenital heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass were randomized in the trial. INTERVENTION: Pain control was performed with ketorolac and opioid analgesics in one arm of the study and opioid analgesics alone in the other arm. OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome evaluated was bleeding complications measured by chest-tube drainage and wound and gastrointestinal bleeding. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were randomized to each treatment arm. In the ketorolac group, the median chest-tube drainage was 13.3 (range 4-22) mL/kg/d, no patient had significant wound bleeding, and 1 (0.03%) patient had gastrointestinal bleeding. In the control group, the median chest-tube drainage was 16.5 (range 3-24) mL/kg/d, 1 (0.03%) patient had wound bleeding, and no patient had gastrointestinal bleeding. CONCLUSION: Ketorolac can be used to treat pain after congenital heart surgery without an increased risk of bleeding complications.