Infection Control Horizon Scanning Volume 3 Issue 5

Innovative products aim to ‘Design Bugs Out’

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: Nov 2011

In a nutshell: The Design Bugs Out (DBO) project aimed to bring designers and manufacturers together with clinical specialists, patients and frontline staff to help combat infections by making hospital furniture and equipment easier and quicker to clean. This report details the subsequent evaluation of four DBO products: a commode, bedside cabinet, patient chair and overbed table.

Length of publication: 24 pages

Evaluation of the OTEX Ozone Laundry System

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: Nov 2011

In a nutshell: OTEX is a patented commercial ozone laundry system.  It has been shown to be an effective method of disinfection including being effective against hardy environmental bacteria such as Clostridium difficile spores.  It was evaluated at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust; the majority of staff would recommend OTEX ozone laundered cloths to colleagues in the NHS.  The OTEX system also offers an opportunity for Trusts to support the drive within the NHS to reduce the NHS carbon footprint by 10% by 2015 from the 2007 level.

Length of publication: 25 pages

Timestrip® as a visual indicator of the dwell time of peripheral venous catheters

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: Nov 2011

In a nutshell: Timestrip® is a device which aims to give a visual indication of the dwell-time of in-situ peripheral cannulae to prevent the cannula dwell-time exceeding the usual recommended time period of 72 hours or less.  Timestrip® was evaluated over a five-week period at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Length of publication: 26 pages

Bio-Cav40 Ultrasonic Cleaning: potential to reduce healthcare associated infections?

Source: Department of Health 

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Date of publication: Nov 2011

In a nutshell: Bio-Cav40 Ultrasonic Cleaning is a cleaning technology that has been used in industry such as automotive, sporting, printing, marine, medical, pharmaceutical, electro-plating, engineering and weapons industries.  It can be used in healthcare to clean items such as wheelchairs, commodes, IV stands and furniture.

Length of publication: 23 pages

A bundle of care to reduce colorectal surgical infections: an Australian experience

Source: Journal of Hospital Infection, volume 78, issue 4, pages 297-301

For full text link here [NHS Athens account required]

Date of publication: Aug 2011

In a nutshell: Research in Australia to develop and evaluate a bundle of care designed to reduce surgical site infections in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. A care bundle involving an evidence-based checklist for the assessment and management of normothermia, normoglycaemia, oxygen delivery and antibiotic administration was implemented, and the impact on infection rates over a 12-month period was measured. Issues relating to staff compliance with individual  components of the care bundle are discussed.

Length of publication: 5 pages

Is closure of entire wards necessary to control norovirus outbreaks in hospital?

Source: Journal of Hospital Infection, volume 79, issue 1, pages 32-37

For full text link here [NHS Athens account required]

Date of publication: Sept 2011

In a nutshell: Research examining outcomes of the introduction of a new strategy for combatting a norovirus outbreak in hospital. The closure of affected ward bays instead of entire wards, along with the introduction of new cleaning procedures and testing, supported by a bigger infection control team, are described. The impact of this strategy was measured by comparing the severity of norovirus outbreaks in 2007-08 and 2009-10, before and after its introduction, including number of patients and staff affected and how well the outbreak was contained within the hospital.

Length of publication: 6 pages

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