Studies Show Multiple Sources of Contamination in Hospitals
A string of recent studies have pointed to various sources of contamination that increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections in Indiana hospitals. First, one study found that doctors’ and nurses’ clothing were home to potentially deadly pathogens. This was followed by another study which found that hospital curtains had alarming amounts of germs on them. There have been other studies that have found that cell phones used by patients and patient visitors are also contaminated with potentially deadly bacteria.
The clothing study found that approximately 60% of doctors’ and nurses’ clothing contained potentially deadly disease- causing germs. Nurses’ clothing was found to be a little more prone to contamination with about 65% of nurses’ uniforms testing positive for pathogens, compared to 60% of doctors’ clothing. Fortunately, the risks of contamination through doctors’ and nurses’ clothing seem to reduce when these personnel change uniforms every day.
Another study analyzed samples of hospital curtains, and found that 95% of the curtains tested positive for disease-causing bacteria, including the deadly methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the vancomycin-resistant enterococcus organisms. The researchers installed 13 new curtains, and when they tested these after one week, they found that twelve of them were now contaminated with pathogens.
An earlier study found that 40% of all cell phones belonging to hospital patients or their visitors in hospitals contained dangerous disease-causing germs. About 21% of health-care workers’ phones were also contaminated by bacteria. Out of the 133 phones of patients and their visitors that were tested, seven tested positive for the deadly MRSA bacteria.
These studies indicate to Indiana medical malpractice attorneys that it may not be possible to completely eliminate external sources of bacteria in a hospital. However, doctors and nurses can reduce the risk of contamination and infections by making sure that they follow proper handwashing and hand hygiene practices.
