The Use of Mobile Phones for Frontline Health-Care Workers to Manage Depression

2021 ◽  
pp. 501-517
Author(s):  
Christine W. Musyimi ◽  
Yihuan Lai ◽  
Victoria N. Mutiso ◽  
David Ndetei
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Care Workers

scholarly journals Are mobile phones of health care workers portals of pathogenic organisms causing hospital acquired infections in intensive care units? A mini systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-214
Author(s):  
M. Mukhtar-Yola ◽  
B. Andrew
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Background: Health care workers at the bedside of critically ill babies freely carry their mobile phones in between procedures and handling  patients. Concerns are rising as this may contribute to nosocomial infections with pathogenic bacteria. Aim: To determine if mobile phones of health care workers in Intensive care units carry potentially pathogenic bacteria leading to hospital acquired infections. Design: Systematic review.Data sources: Electronic databases (Medline via ovid, CINAHL, Web of science) and hand Searching of references and citations were done to identify studies. Screening and inclusion criteria were used to identify studies with a cross-sectional or cohort design. The search was limited to journal articles published between 2008-2015 and to English language. Quality assessment was done using the National Institute of Health tool for observational studies. Data was extracted on to excel sheets and analysed using SPSS version 22.Results: Six studies with a cohort (1) or cross-sectional design (5) involving 1, 131 health care workers were reviewed. The overall quality of the studies was fair, and a narrative synthesis was done. The colonization rate of the mobile phones ranged between 46.3 % and a 100% with 13-50% carrying potentially pathogenic multidrug resistant microorganisms. Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycine resistant enterococci, acinobacter and coagulase negative staphylococci were reported across all studies and were recognized as leading causes of morbidity and mortalityin the ICU. Conclusion: Mobile phones Of HCW are portals of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, which could result in morbidity and mortality.Although no causal relationship could be established, strong associations have been reported. Guidelines by hospital infection control committees are needed on restriction, care and routine cleaning of mobile phones as well as further research. Key words: Health care worker, Intensive care unit, Hospital Acquired Infections, mobile phones

Healthcare Workers’ Mobile Phones as a Possible Vehicle of Nosocomial Pathogens and the Role of Different Disinfectants in their Decontamination

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-36
Author(s):  
Rana E. Elgabeery ◽  
Radwa A. Eissa ◽  
Sohair M. Soliman ◽  
Naglaa F. Ghoname
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Colony Count ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
University Hospitals ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Before And After

Background: As Mobile Phones (MPs) aren’t cleaned routinely and have been touched during patient’s examination, they may become contaminated with hospital pathogens. Objectives: Screen MPs of Health care workers (HCWs) for pathogens and verify the effect of disinfectants in their decontamination. Methods: A questionnaire was submitted by 160 HCWs in Tanta University Hospitals. Samples were taken from their MPs and subjected to pour plate counting before and after disinfection. Standard identification and antibiotic susceptibility of isolates were done. Results: Colony count was greater in MPs used while caring for patients or inside restroom, and was less in regularly cleaned MPs. All tested disinfectants reduced the colony count significantly. Pathogens were isolated from 84.38% of samples and 36.25% of them were Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs). Conclusion: Using MPs at critical care areas and restroom may contribute to their contamination with pathogens. Regular disinfection of MPs can reduce this contamination.

scholarly journals FluMob: Enabling Surveillance of Acute Respiratory Infections in Health-care Workers via Mobile Phones

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Oo Lwin ◽  
Chee Fu Yung ◽  
Peiling Yap ◽  
Karthikayen Jayasundar ◽  
Anita Sheldenkar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Acute Respiratory Infections ◽  
Care Workers

scholarly journals Pathogenic microbes contaminating mobile phones in hospital environment in Northeast India: incidence and antibiotic resistance

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Vanlalbiakdiki Sailo ◽  
Puja Pandey ◽  
Subhajit Mukherjee ◽  
Zothan Zami ◽  
Ralte Lalremruata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Drug Susceptibility ◽  
Cefuroxime Axetil ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Gram Negative Organisms

Abstract Background The present study attempts to identify and determine the pattern of drug susceptibility of the microorganisms present in mobile phones of health care workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs in a hospital environment. Mobile phones of 100 participants including both genders were randomly swabbed from nine different wards/units and the bacterial cultures were characterized using VITEK 2 system. Results Forty-seven mobile phones were culture positive and a total of 57 isolates were obtained which consisted of 28 Gram-positive organisms and 29 Gram-negative organisms. The predominating organisms were Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus hominis. Among all the isolates from the mobile phones of HCW and non-HCWs, five isolates had ESBL and three isolates had colistin resistance. Incidentally, MRSA was not found on the mobile phones tested. The isolated organisms showed 100% susceptibility to linezolid, daptomycin, vancomycin, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin and tigecycline, while high resistance was shown against benzylpenicillin (75.0%), cefuroxime and cefuroxime axetil (56.5%). Non-HCWs’ mobile phones were more contaminated as compared to HCWs (P = 0.001) and irrespective of individuals’ gender or toilet habits, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms were present on the mobile phones. Conclusion This study reports for the first time that the mobile phones of non-health care workers harbour more bacterial diversity and are more prone to cause transmission of pathogens. This study can serve to educate the public on personal hand hygiene practices and on maintaining clean mobile phones through antiseptic measures.

scholarly journals PREVALENCE AND TYPE OF MICROORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM PHONES USED BY MEDICAL STAFFS/STUDENTS, WORKING/STUDYING IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER

2021 ◽  
pp. 54-56
Author(s):  
ANUSHA CAROLINE SAROJ S. ◽  
R. PREETHY ◽  
ROSY VENNILA
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Contamination Rate ◽  
Tertiary Care Center ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Standard Culture

Objective: To find out the prevalence and type of microorganisms isolated from mobile phones used by health care workers, students working/studying in a tertiary care center as well as to find the rate of contamination of the hands of the individual. Methods: Swabs moistened with sterile saline was used to swab on phone surfaces and was incubated using standard culture and identification methods. The respective user was instructed to imprint their fingers of both hands on plates of culture media. These were incubated and processed as per standard culture methods. Results: The most common isolated microorganisms in both groups were Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) and MSSA. Among Mobile phones of HCW, the highest contamination rate was noted in physicians 70% followed by Intensive care doctors 60%, and Nurses. Finger impression growth rate was observed high among Nurses 70% followed by Intensive care doctors 60% and physicians 40%. Conclusion: There is found to be a moderate contamination rate of mobile phones and fingers with pathogenic bacteria as well as normal flora of skin isolated from health care workers. Mobile phones and hands of Health care workers serve as a potential reservoir for hospital-acquired infections as multi-drug resistant pathogenic bacteria. In order to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections, there should be an implementation of handwashing practices.

scholarly journals Involvement of Mobile phones as a source for Nosocomial infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 126-129
Author(s):  
Priyanka Shukla ◽  
Bushra Khalid ◽  
Shadma Yaqoob ◽  
Sharique Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Nosocomial Infections ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Biochemical Tests ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Communication Devices

Background: Mobile phones are communication devices for communication nowadays and have emerged as a need of our life. Mobile phones also act as a reservoir for microorganisms. Human skin, wallets, bags, environment and food items are major sources of contamination for mobile phones. Medical students, healthcare workers and other non-teaching staff nowadays use mobile phones for communication in the workplace. Mobile phone contamination spreads from surfaces to hands. Aims and Objective: Our study was aimed to investigate the contamination of mobile phones by pathogens among health care workers. The objective of this study was to document for the role of mobile phones as sources in nosocomial infections. Materials and Methods: The study was done in Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Era’s Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, including teaching staffs from hospital and college, health care workers in all laboratories and wards. A total of 200 swab samples from various mobile phones of medical and technical staff of various wards, Outpatient Department Treatment, laboratories was collected after taking informed written consent from them. Culture was done on Blood Agar, MacConkey Agar, and Sabouraud’s dextrose agar. After overnight incubation, colonies were identified by Gram’s stain and Biochemical tests. Results: Highest mobile phone users are medical students, residents followed by teaching faculty. Smart phones or touch screen mobiles were used by maximum ie.90.5%. Among the isolated bacteria, Bacillus (39.5%), CONS (19%), E.coli (15.5%), Klebsiella (10.5%), Pseudomonas (5.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (4%), Enterococcus (2.5%). No growth was seen in 3.5%mobile phone sample cultures. Not a single fungal pathogen was isolated. Conclusion: The findings is the present study suggests that the mobile phones used by medical staff and health care workers act as source of transmission vehicles for pathogenic microorganisms.

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