Perceptions of Patients, Health Care Workers, and Environmental Services Staff Regarding Ultraviolet Light Room Decontamination Devices

Abstract

Background: Mobile ultraviolet C (UV-C) room decontamination devices are widely used in health care facilities; however, there is limited information on the perceptions of patients, health care workers (HCWs), and environmental services staff (EVS-staff) regarding their use for environmental decontamination.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was administered to participants in 4 medical/surgical units of a tertiary care hospital where UV-C devices were deployed for a 6-month period. Survey questions assessed perceptions regarding the importance of environmental disinfection, effectiveness of UV-C decontamination, willingness to delay hospital admission in order to use UV-C, and safety of UV-C devices.

Results: Questionnaires were completed by 102 patients, 130 HCWs, and 47 EVS-staff. All of the HCWs and EVS-staff and 99% of the patients agreed that environmental disinfection is important to reduce the risk of exposure from contaminated surfaces. Ninety-eight percent of the EVS-staff, 89% of the HCWs, and 96% of the patients felt that the use of UV-C as an adjunct to routine cleaning increased confidence that rooms are clean. Ninety-four percent of the EVS-staff, 85% of the HCWs, and 90% of the patients expressed a willingness to delay being admitted to a room in order to have UV-C decontamination completed. Seventy-nine percent of the EVS-staff, 76% of the HCWs, and 86% of the patients had no concerns about the safety of UV-C devices.

Conclusions: Patients, HCWs, and EVS-staff agreed that environmental disinfection is important and that UV-C devices are efficacious and safe. Educational tools are needed to allay safety concerns expressed by a minority of HCWs and EVS-staff.

Keywords: Health care–associated infections; Hospital disinfection; Patient room disinfection; UV-C disinfection; Ultraviolet-C light decontamination.