J Hosp Infect. 2022 Apr 9:S0195-6701(22)00102-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.03.014. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients are at risk of nosocomial COVID-19 infection. The role of accompanying persons/visitors as potential infection donors is not yet well-known, but the risk will be influenced by prevention measures recommended by infection control practitioners.
AIM: The aim of the study is to collect information about COVID-19 infection control strategies for patients and accompanying persons from infection control practitioners in German hospitals.
METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire was developed, ethically-approved, pre-tested and formatted as an online tool. We invited infection control practitioners in 987 randomly-selected German hospitals in March and April 2021 to participate. For statistical analysis, the hospitals were categorised as small (0-499 beds) or large (≥500 beds).
FINDINGS: 100 surveys were completed (response rate: 10%). More large (71%) than small hospitals (49%) let patients decide freely whether to wear medical or FFP2 masks. Most hospitals reported spatial separation for COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 cases (38%) or additionally for suspected COVID-19 cases (53%). A separation of healthcare teams for these areas existed in 54% of the hospitals. Accompaniment bans were more prevalent in large (52%) than in small hospitals (29%), but large hospitals granted more exemptions.
CONCLUSION: The possibility to separate areas and teams seemed to depend on the hospital’s structural conditions, therefore impairing the implementation of recommendations. Accompaniment regulations differ between hospital sizes and may depend on patient numbers, case type/severity and patient’s requirements. In the dynamic pandemic, it can be difficult to stay up to date with findings and recommendations about infection control.
PMID:35413422 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhin.2022.03.014
