An international survey of cleaning and disinfection practices in the healthcare environment

N Kenters; T Gottlieb; J Hopman; S Mehtar; M L Schweizer; E Tartari; ISAC working group Infection Prevention and Control; E G W Huijskens; A Voss

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2018.05.008

An international survey of cleaning and disinfection practices in the healthcare environment

J Hosp Infect. 2018 Oct;100(2):236-241. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.05.008. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Authors

N Kenters¹, T Gottlieb², J Hopman³, S Mehtar⁴, M L Schweizer⁵, E Tartari⁶; ISAC working group Infection Prevention and Control; E G W Huijskens⁷, A Voss⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: n.kenters@gmail.com.
² Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
³ Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
⁴ Unit of Infection Prevention and Control, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Iowa, USA.
⁶ Infection Control Programme and WHO Collaborating Centre of Patient Safety, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁷ Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
⁸ Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

PMID: 29772262
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.05.008

Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial resistance has become an urgent global health priority. Basic hygiene practices and cleaning and disinfection of the hospital environment are key in preventing pathogen cross-transmission.

Aim: To our knowledge no studies have assessed the worldwide differences in cleaning and disinfection practices in healthcare facilities. The electronic survey described here was developed in order to evaluate differences in healthcare facility cleaning practices around the world.

Methods: The International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC, formerly ISC), Infection Prevention and Control work group developed a survey with 30 multiple-choice questions. The questions were designed to assess the current cleaning practices in healthcare settings around the world.

Findings: A total of 110 healthcare professionals, representing 23 countries, participated in the online survey. In 96% of the facilities a written cleaning policy was present. Training of cleaning staff occurred in 70% of the facilities at the start of employment. Cleaning practices and monitoring of these practices varied.

Conclusions: The survey enabled assessment and recognition of widely differing global practices in approaches to environmental cleaning and disinfection. Development of guideline recommendations for cleaning and disinfection could improve practices and set minimum standards worldwide.

Keywords: Cleaning and disinfection; Environment; Hospital; Monitoring.

MeSH terms

Decontamination / methods*
Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control*
Disinfection / methods*
Global Health
Health Facilities*
Health Policy
Humans
Inservice Training
Organizational Policy
Surveys and Questionnaires