Infection Prevention, Break the Chain of Infection

Break The Chain
of Infection

Welch Allyn FlexiPort ^® EcoCuff ^™ Single Patient Use Blood Pressure Cuff allows assignment of a new cuff to each patient upon admission. Using a single patient use cuff model, one hospital reduced C. diff rates by 53%. With FlexiPort EcoCuff Single Patient Use Blood Pressure Cuffs, it’s not just possible — it’s simple.

Stop the spread. Start using SPU BP Cuffs now

Key Benefits

REDUCE RISK

Lower your risk of
cross-contamination with this
single-patient cuff solution.

Improve Financial
Outcomes

An affordable option to reduce costs associated with HAIs and those incurred with traditional cuff inventory and workflow.

ENHANCE PATIENT
SAFETY

A workflow where each patient gets a new disposable blood pressure cuff is a simple way to reduce risk associated with HAIs.

Research

“The high rate of BP cuff contamination (82.1%) observed in this study was not a surprise, as no other piece of hospital equipment was in more common use without adequate disinfection…”

Reference

C.J. Uneke et. al. (2011) The Potential for Transmission of Hospital-Acquired Infections by Non-critical Medical Devices: The Role of Thermometers and Blood Pressure Cuffs, World Health & Population 12 (3): 5-12.

A study in Singapore showed that most surfaces swabbed in an isolation room were contaminated, including the stethoscope. As a result, they concluded “Significant environmental contamination by patients with SAR-CoV-2 through respiratory droplets and fecal shedding suggests the environment as a potential medium of transmission and supports the need for strict adherence to environmental and hand hygiene.”

Reference

A hospital outbreak study carried out by scientists at the University of KwaZulu-Natal suggests all the cases originated from a single introduction, and that patients rarely infected other patients. Instead, the virus was mostly carried around the hospital by staff and on the surfaces of medical equipment. “We think in the main it’s likely to have been from [staff] hands and shared patient care items like thermometers, blood pressure cuffs, and stethoscopes,”

Reference

“Many different bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites may cause nosocomial infections… Clinicians and researchers should be aware of the risk of cross contamination of pathogens from inanimate surfaces in order to adopt appropriate infection control measures”.

Reference

“At the Japanese hospital… this investigation of contamination status using the gauze wiping method showed MRSA on 31.4% of blood pressure cuffs examined.”

Reference

SEE HOW TO ELIMINATE CROSS-CONTAMINATION RISK FACTORS AND PREVENT HAIs

Clinical Evidence

CDI: A COMMON CAUSE OF HAIs IN THE USA

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is recognized as the leading cause of gastroenteritis associated death and the most common cause of healthcare associated infections in the United States.

HAIs: A GROWING PROBLEM
WORLDWIDE

Hospital Acquired Infection or Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) is a growing problem worldwide. On a given day, about 1 in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection.

SARS-COV-2 AND HIGH TOUCHPOINTS

Two recent studies highlight the extent of SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination and mode of transmission. Multiple surface sites were found to be contaminated including the bed rail, light switch, and stethoscope.

SINGLE PATIENT USE BP CUFFS: BREAK THE CHAIN OF INFECTION

Using disposable blood pressure cuffs may reduce the spread of infection and associated complications. This paper highlights the alarming amount of bacterial colonization on presumed clean cuffs. In one hospital setting, 100% of blood pressure cuffs cultured from the OR, PACU, BSICU, and ER contained bacterial colonization.

BP CUFFS: POTENTIAL VECTORS OF PATHOGENS

This collection of 8 clinical studies highlights the importance of recognizing BP cuffs as potential vectors of pathogenic bacteria among patients and as a source of reinfection.

BP CUFFS AND ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS

This collection of clinical study abstracts highlights the association of infection with the blood pressure cuff. One study showed that with the introduction of single-patient blood pressure cuffs there was an associated decrease in nosocomial infection rates.

NON-CRITICAL MEDICAL DEVICES AND HAI TRANSMISSION

This study assesses the role of non-critical medical devices, including thermometers and blood pressure cuffs in HAI transmission in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Results showed that 62.1% of thermometers and 82.1% of blood pressure cuffs examined were contaminated.

SPHYGMOMANOMETER CUFFS:
POTENTIAL SOURCE OF INFECTION

This study identifies sphygmomanometer cuffs as a potential source of infection. The microbiological investigations found 85% of cuffs were contaminated with bacterial organisms. Blood pressure cuffs are a frequently used tool in clinical practice.

SPHYGMOMANOMETER CUFFS: <br />
POTENTIAL SOURCE OF INFECTION

BLOOD PRESSURE CUFFS: FRIEND OR FOE?

A study to assess the level of bacterial contamination of blood pressure cuffs in use on hospital wards was performed. Potential pathogens were isolated from 58% of cuffs, of which 33% had MSSA, 8% had MRSA and 33% had C. Diff.

Setting up an Isolation Room

Recent studies have implicated the use of medical devices such as sphygmomanometers, thermometers, stethoscopes, and reusable blood pressure cuffs in the spread of HAIs. Hillrom can help.

Disposable and dedicated medical devices and equipment can reduce the risk of cross-contamination and are a proven method of successfully reducing HAIs. Hillrom offers a range of products providing your facility with an easy, cost-effective solution, from disposable blood pressure cuffs to blood pressure devices and ECG’s – which can help reduce the risk of cross-contamination, one patient at a time.

A recent study investigating a specific outbreak in St. Augustine’s Hospital found that most spread appeared to be facilitated by staff and patient movement as well as through shared equipment including thermometers, stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs.

Reference:

Report into a nosocomial outbreak at Netcare St. Augustine’s Hospital Lessells R, Moosa Y, de Oliveira T. 15 May 2020. Available at: https://www.krisp.org.za/manuscripts/StAugustinesHospitalOutbreakInvestigation_FinalReport_15may2020_comp.pdf

“When [infections] are recognised, environmental control should be intensified, patient surrounds should be cleaned and disinfected twice daily, dedicated equipment should be used and unnecessary transfers avoided”

Reference:

Fernando, S et. al. (2017) Healthcare-acquired infections: prevention strategies. Internal Medicine Journal, 47: 1341-1351

A recent study showed that mild upper respiratory tract involvement in a SAR-CoV-2 infected patient resulted in extensive environmental surface contamination, including the stethoscope.

Reference:

Air, surface environmental, and personal protective equipment contamination by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) from a symptomatic patient Ong SWX, Tan YK, Chia PY, Lee TH, Ng OT, Wong MSY, Marimuthu K. JAMA. 2020;323:1610–1612.

In a study examining contamination rates of keyboards in teaching hospitals, 100 keyboards in 29 clinical areas were tested for bacterial contamination. Of those, 95% tested positive for microorganisms.

Reference:

Maureen Schultz, MSN, CIC; Janet Gill, BSN, CIC; Sabiha Zubairi, MT; Ruth Huber, MS, CIC; Fred Gordin, MD; Bacterial Contamination of Computer Keyboards in a Teaching Hospital, The University of Chicago Press and The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, INFECTION CONTROL AND HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGY CONCISE COMMUNICATIONS April 2003, Vol. 24 No. 4

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Download an Isolation Room Set Up Checklist Here

PRODUCT LIST

Monitoring

Cardiopulmonary

SPU Cuffs

SPU Stethoscope

Thermometer

* Please note some products listed may not be available in your country.
Always Read Labels and Instructions for Use.

Infection Prevention Solutions

On any given day, about one in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection.¹ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect more than 1.7 million U.S. patients annually and cause about 99,000 deaths.² The total cost to the healthcare system is estimated at $4.5 – $7.5 billion annually.³

A study in Singapore reported 11.9% patients with HAIs, primarily undetermined clinical sepsis, and pneumonia caused mainly by S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. One systematic review and meta-analysis regarding HAIs in Southeast Asian countries (Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) found an overall prevalence rate of 9.1% with the most common microorganisms being P.aeruginosa, the Klebsiella species, and Acinetobacter baumannii.⁴

With countries bringing in new regulation stating they will no longer reimburse for certain hospital-acquired infections, the implication for hospitals is they will have to absorb these additional treatment costs. With escalating expenses and decreasing reimbursement, the healthcare system is looking to medical device manufacturers to bring them technology that will help prevent infections and reduce costs. Hillrom has a solid reputation for providing innovative solutions to the healthcare industry for over 100 years. With safety and reliability at the forefront, Hillrom is prepared with products and services that will assist you in meeting the infection control crisis. As healthcare costs escalate, there is no better time to join forces with Hillrom for key products that will serve in this effort. The following information and resources will provide you with information in this fight against infection and the associated escalating costs.

Reference:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/progress-report/2018-Progress-Report-Executive-Summary-H.pdf
2. Klevens RM, Edwards JR, Richards CL, Horan TC. Estimating Health Care-Associated Infections and Deaths in U.S. 2002. Public Health Reports. 2007; 122: 160-166.
3. Stone PW, Larson E, Kawar LN. A systematic audit of economic evidence linking nosocomial infections and infection control interventions: 1990-2000. Am J Infect Control 2002; 30:145-52.
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6245375/

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