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Bacterial contamination of healthcare workers' uniforms: A randomized controlled trial of antimicrobial scrubs
Author(s) -
Burden Marisha,
Keniston Angela,
Frank Maria G.,
Brown Carrie A.,
Zoucha Jeff,
Cervantes Lilia,
Weed Diane,
Boyle Kathy,
Price Connie,
Albert Richard K.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of hospital medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.128
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1553-5606
pISSN - 1553-5592
DOI - 10.1002/jhm.2051
Subject(s) - medicine , antimicrobial , randomized controlled trial , interquartile range , physician assistants , infection control , surgery , health care , nurse practitioners , microbiology and biotechnology , economics , biology , economic growth
BACKGROUND Healthcare workers' (HCWs) uniforms become contaminated with bacteria during normal use, and this may contribute to hospital‐acquired infections. Antimicrobial uniforms are currently marketed as a means of reducing this contamination. OBJECTIVE To compare the extent of bacterial contamination of uniforms and skin when HCWs wear 1 of 2 antimicrobial scrubs or standard scrubs. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING University‐affiliated, public safety net hospital PARTICIPANTS Hospitalist physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, housestaff, and nurses (total N = 105) working on internal medicine units. INTERVENTION Subjects were randomized to wear standard scrubs or 1 of 2 antimicrobial scrubs. MEASUREMENTS Bacterial colony counts in cultures taken from the HCWs' scrubs and wrists after an 8‐hour workday. RESULTS The median (interquartile range) total colony counts was 99 (66–182) for standard scrubs, 137 (84–289) for antimicrobial scrub type A, and 138 (62–274) for antimicrobial scrub type B ( P = 0.36). Colony counts from participants' wrists were 16 (5–40) when they wore standard scrubs and 23 (4–42) and 15 (6–54) when they wore antimicrobial scrubs A and B, respectively ( P = 0.92). Resistant organisms were cultured from 3 HCWs (4.3%) randomized to antimicrobial scrubs and none randomized to standard scrubs ( P = 0.55). Six participants (5.7%) reported side effects to wearing scrubs, all of whom wore antimicrobial scrubs ( P = 0.18). CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence that either antimicrobial scrub product decreased bacterial contamination of HCWs' uniforms or skin after an 8‐hour workday. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:380–385. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine