Gamifying the Infection Control Curriculum: The Impact on Nursing Students’ Knowledge, Exam Performance, and Course Perception

Background: Unlike passive didactic teaching, the introduction of innovative active-learning approaches to university nursing curricula aims to address the educational content in an interactive learning environment, improving in turn the learning process and problem-solving skills indispensable for future infection control professionals. One such strategy is the use of educational games, which can motivate students and enhance the degree of their engagement. We appraised the effectiveness of introducing an interactive game based on a popular television quiz show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” for educational attainment, exam performance, and course perception in nursing students. Methods: A whole generation of second-year undergraduate nursing students (126 female and 27 male participants; age range, 19–41 years) from a public university in Croatia (University Centre Varazdin, University North) were divided into 2 groups by cluster randomization; one group had received additional hours of game play after core training curriculum in a “Hygiene and Epidemiology” course, while the other had not. Game play was accomplished by employing ‘edutaining’ interactive multimedia approach, and covered primarily hand hygiene, cough etiquette, the use of personal protective equipment, sterilization and disinfection, and safe injection practices. Quantitative results of multiple-choice exams were used to evaluate any differences in the knowledge level of respective groups. A satisfaction opinion survey was used to gauge attitudes of students attending the course. Statistical significance was defined as P < .05 (2-tailed). Results: The mean baseline examination score was 28.30±5.79 points for the game group and 24.65±5.94 points for the control group, demonstrating improved knowledge retention when the interactive game was introduced into the curriculum. The statistically significant improvement in knowledge was observed in the domains of personal protective equipment and safe injection practices. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall scores between male and female students. Students who were subjected to game play expressed more agreement on a Likert scale regarding course enjoyment and innovativeness, albeit they did not differ from control group when assessing the educational merit of the course. Conclusions: Introducing interactive games to university courses that cover infection control may boost student enjoyment and enhance long-term retention of information, as confirmed by this study. Nonetheless, extra care should be taken when specific games that have not been assessed objectively are implemented. Further research in this field will elucidate how this increased knowledge retention in infection control principles translates to quotidian practice, for the benefit of students and (ultimately) patients.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

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Effects of Education on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment for Reduction of Contamination: A Randomized Trial

SAGE Open Nursing ◽

10.1177/2377960820940621 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 237796082094062

Author(s):

Jeong Hwa Yeon ◽

Yong Soon Shin

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Education Program ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Contaminated Sites ◽

Contaminated Site ◽

Control Group ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Increased Risk ◽

And Control ◽

Experimental Group

Introduction Accurate doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the key practices of infection control because of increased risk of infection transmission caused by medical garments or environmental contamination. Objectives The study aimed to develop a reality-based education program and identify its effects on nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and contamination after PPE doffing. Methods Randomized control group pretest–posttest design. A total of 56 nurses were randomly assigned to experimental ( n = 28) and control ( n = 28) groups. The experimental group underwent a new reality-based education program to improve PPE use. Subsequently, participants were assessed on knowledge of and attitude toward PPE use, as well as number and area of contaminated sites after removing PPE and mask fitting test. Results There were no significant differences in knowledge and attitude to PPE use. The experimental group had significantly fewer contaminated sites than the control group (42 vs. 89), and a significantly lower mean contaminated site area (16.63 ± 24.27 vs. 95.41 ± 117.51 cm2). The tuberculosis mask fitting test success rates were 68% and 50% in the experimental and control groups, respectively, but the difference was not significant. Conclusion The reality-based education on use of PPE helps to reduce contamination and improve performance related to the use of PPE for infection control.

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Impact of Face-to-Face Teaching in Addition to Electronic Learning on Personal Protective Equipment Doffing Proficiency in Student Paramedics: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.26927 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Loric Stuby ◽

Ludivine Currat ◽

Birgit Gartner ◽

Mathieu Mayoraz ◽

Stephan Harbarth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Knowledge Retention ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Electronic Learning ◽

Online Platform ◽

Face To Face ◽

Learning Module ◽

E Learning

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has brought attention to the importance of correctly using personal protective equipment (PPE). Doffing is a critical phase which increases the risk of contamination of healthcare workers. Even though a gamified electronic learning (e-learning) module has been shown to increase adequate choice of PPE in prehospital personnel, it failed to enhance knowledge regarding donning and doffing sequences. Adding other training modalities such as face-to-face training to these e-learning tools is therefore necessary to increase prehospital staff proficiency and thus help reduce the risk of contamination. OBJECTIVE Our aim is to assess the impact of Peyton's 4-step approach in addition to a gamified e-learning module for teaching the PPE doffing sequence to first-year paramedic students. METHODS Participants will first follow a gamified e-learning module before being randomized into one of two groups. In the control group, participants will be asked to perform a PPE doffing sequence which will be video recorded to allow for subsequent assessment. In the experimental group, participants will first undergo face-to-face training performed by third-year students using Peyton’s 4-step approach before performing the doffing sequence, which will also be video recorded. All participants will then be asked to reconstruct the doffing sequence on an online platform. The recorded sequences will be assessed independently by two investigators, one of whom is a prehospital emergency medicine expert, the other assessor being an infection prevention and control specialist. The assessors will be blinded as to group allocation. Four to eight weeks after this first intervention, all participants will be asked to record the doffing sequence once again for subsequent skill retention assessment and to reconstruct the sequence on the same online platform to assess knowledge retention. Finally, participants belonging to the control group will follow face-to-face training. RESULTS The study protocol has been presented to the regional ethics committee (Req-2020-01340), which issued a declaration of no objection as such projects do not fall within the scope of the Swiss federal law on human research. Study sessions are scheduled in January and February 2021 in Geneva, and in April and June 2021 in Bern. CONCLUSIONS This study should help to determine whether face-to-face training using Peyton’s 4-step approach improves the application and knowledge retention of a complex procedure when combined with an e-learning module. CLINICALTRIAL International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID):

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478. Psychological Distress among Infectious Disease Physicians during the Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak in the Republic of Korea

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofaa439.671 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S305-S305

Author(s):

Se Yoon Park ◽

Bongyoung Kim ◽

Dong Sik Jung ◽

Sook In Jung ◽

Won Sup Oh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Text Message ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽

Republic Of Korea ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

The Republic

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate psychological distress among infectious disease (ID) physicians during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the Republic of Korea. Methods Using an online-based survey link sent via text message and email, we conducted a survey from April 21 to 25, 2020, targeting all ID physicians currently working in ID (n = 265). The questionnaire was based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, and information was collected on factors protecting against psychological distress and difficulties in relation to COVID-19. Results Of 265 ID physicians, 115 (43.3%) responded, showing burnout (97, 90.4%), depression (20, 17.4%), anxiety (23, 20.0%), and stress (5, 4.3%). There were no differences in terms of distress between ID physicians who were directly involved in the care of patients with COVID-19 or not (Table 1). Greater than 50% of physicians valued their work and felt recognized by others, whereas < 10% indicated that sufficient human and financial support and private time had been provided during the outbreak. The most challenging issues concerned a lack of human resources for COVID-19 treatment or infection control, a shortage of personal protective equipment or airborne infection isolation rooms, pressure for research, and lack of guidelines for COVID-19 management (Figure 1). Table 1. Figure 1. Difficulties in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Abbreviations: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 19; HCWs, healthcare workers; ICPs, infection control practitioners; IRB, Institutional Review Board; PPE, personal protective equipment Conclusion During the COVID-19 outbreak in the ROK, most respondents reported psychological distress. Preparing strategies for infectious disease outbreaks that support ID physicians is essential. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

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COVID-19 in schools: Infection control, personal protective equipment and the latest CPR advice

British Journal of Child Health ◽

10.12968/chhe.2020.1.3.129 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 129-132

Author(s):

Emma Hammett

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Educational Settings

There are a number of challenges in order to safely return more children to school. Emma Hammett provides an overview of the latest guidance on infection control, personal protective equipment and CPR for educational settings.

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Retrospective Study on Personal Protective Equipment During Pandemic Link to Outbreak of Carbpenem-Resistant Enterobacteriace

Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ash.2021.17 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (S1) ◽

pp. s9-s10

Author(s):

Kenisha Evans ◽

Jennifer LeRose ◽

Angela Beatriz Cruz ◽

Lavina Jabbo ◽

Teena Chopra

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Horizontal Transmission ◽

Control Measures ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Local Health ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Infection Control Measures ◽

The Impact

Background: In 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), had cost the lives of >35,000 patients, particularly the most virulent plasmid-mediated New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM). Although healthcare systems normally have strict surveillance and infection control measures for CRE, the rapid emergence of novel SAR-CoV-2 and COVID-19 led to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. As a result, routine infection practices, such as contact precautions, were violated. Studies have shown this depletion and shift in resources compromised the control of infections such CRE leading to rising horizontal transmission. Method: A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary healthcare system in Detroit, Michigan, to determine the impact of PPE shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic on NDM infection rates. The following periods were established during 2020 based on PPE availability: (1) pre-PPE shortage (January–June), (2) PPE shortage (July–October), and (3) post-PPE shortage (November–December). Rates of NDM per 10,000 patient days were compared between periods using the Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test. Isolates were confirmed resistant by NDM by molecular typing performed by the Michigan State Health Department. Patient characteristics were gathered by medical chart review and patient interviews by telephone. Results: Overall, the average rate of NDM infections was 1.82 ±1.5 per 10,000 patient days. Rates during the PPE shortage were significantly higher, averaging 3.6 ±1.1 cases per 10,000 patient days (P = .02). During this time, several infections occurred within patients on the same unit and/or patients with same treating team, suggesting possible horizontal transmission. Once PPE stock was replenished and isolation practices were reinstated, NDM infection rates decreased to 0.77 ±1.1 per 10,000 patient days. Conclusion: Control of CRE requires strategic planning with active surveillance, antimicrobial constructs, and infection control measures. The study illustrates that in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden of effective infection control requires much more multidisciplinary efforts to prevent unintentional lapses in patient safety. A swift response by the state and local health departments at a tertiary-care healthcare center conveyed a positive mitigation of the highest clinical threats and decreased horizontal transmission of disease.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

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A mask-based infection control method for screening endoscopy may prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission and relieve staff anxiety

SAGE Open Medicine ◽

10.1177/20503121211047060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 205031212110470

Author(s):

Yuji Nadatani ◽

Akira Higashimori ◽

Shingo Takashima ◽

Hirotsugu Maruyama ◽

Koji Otani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Medical Staff ◽

Fluorescent Dyes ◽

Control Method ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Health Checkup ◽

Screening Endoscopy ◽

Droplet Trajectory

Objectives: Endoscopy confers high risk for acquiring coronavirus disease 2019. Although guidelines recommend that medical staff use personal protective equipment, no infection control equipment have been established for patients. This study aimed to clarify the usefulness of two face masks we had designed for transnasal and transoral endoscopy. Methods: The efficacy of the masks was evaluated by simulating coughing in a mannequin with fluorescent dyes and mapping the droplet trajectory and number. The number of aerosols generated during endoscopy was clinically evaluated in the endoscopy room. Overall, 4356 screening endoscopies were performed with the patients wearing our masks at Medcity21, a health checkup facility, between June and December 2020; the effects of the masks on the patient’s condition were evaluated retrospectively. An 11-item paper-based survey was performed by the endoscopy staff 6 months after the adoption of the mask-based infection control method. Results: Use of both masks reduced the number of droplets released during the simulation. Clinically, the use of both masks did not affect the patients’ conditions during endoscopy and prevented an increase in the aerosols in the endoscopy room. This mask-based infection control method was favorably received, and all staff indicated that understanding the efficacy of our mask-based infection control reduced their anxiety regarding infection. Until December 2020, none of our staff had contracted SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: Our mask-based infection control method is easy to adopt, inexpensive, and effective; understanding its effectiveness may help ease the fear of infection among endoscopy staff.

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Personal Protective Equipment used for Infection Control in Dental Practices

International Journal of Research Foundation of Hospital and Health Care Administration ◽

10.5005/jp-journals-10035-1030 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 10-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

AP Pandit ◽

Neha Bhagatkar ◽

Mallika Ramachandran

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Low Cost ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Dental Equipment ◽

Dental Practices ◽

A Current ◽

Dental Professionals ◽

Total Market ◽

Dental Products

ABSTRACT The potential size of India's dental market is vast and is expected to become one of the largest single country markets for overseas dental products and materials. The total market for the dental equipment and materials is estimated to be around US$ 90 million annually. There are more than 1, 80,000 dental professionals in India, 297 dental institutes and over 5,000 dental laboratories. Thus, there is a huge potential for the market of personal protective equipment (PPE) used for infection control in dentistry. India's market for dental products is extremely dynamic, with a current estimated growth rate of between 25 and 30%. Overall, the dental market is expected to grow by 20%.1 The personal protective equipment used in the practice of dentistry in India. Since dentistry is predominantly a surgical discipline, it leads to exposure to the pathogenic microorganisms harbored in blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious material. Thus, the use of adequate and good quality PPE is imperative for infection control in dental practice. With the growing potential of India's dental market, the growth of the market for PPE is inevitable. But, it is equally important to raise the awareness among dental community about good quality products adhering to required standards to prevent the usage of low-cost, uncertified and sub-standard products that decrease the safety levels of personnel. The present study is conducted with a view to observe the personal protective equipment used for infection control in dental practices. How to cite this article Pandit AP, Bhagatkar N, Ramachandran M. Personal Protective Equipment used for Infection Control in Dental Practices. Int J Res Foundation Hosp Healthc Adm 2015;3(1):10-12.

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The challenge of infection control in patients' homes

British Journal of Community Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjcn.2021.26.4.168 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 168-174

Author(s):

Drew Payne ◽

Martin Peache

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Disease Management ◽

Hand Hygiene ◽

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Cross Infection ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Unique Challenge ◽

Clinical Equipment

Infection control is the responsibility of all nurses, but, traditionally, it has been seen as a priority only in hospitals. Infection control does not stop when a patient is discharged home, but should be practiced wherever clinical care takes place. Community nurses face a unique challenge as they work in patients' homes, and they must manage infection control in that unique environment. This article looks at practical ways to maintain infection control in patients' homes. It covers hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE), including the five moments of hand hygiene, appropriate hand hygiene, the use of all PPE and when gloves are required and when they are not. It also discusses managing clinical equipment, both that taken into the home and that left with a patient, including decontamination, safe storage of sharps and waste management. It touches upon what can be done in a patient's home to reduce the risk of contamination, as well as infectious disease management, including specimens and wound infection management. Lastly, it talks about cross-infection and why staff health is also important.

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An anaesthetic and intensive care perspective on infection control measures for the prevention of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2

British Journal of Hospital Medicine ◽

10.12968/hmed.2020.0538 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 81 (9) ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Hazel R O'Mahony ◽

Daniel S Martin

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Respiratory Viruses ◽

Control Measures ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Appropriate Use ◽

Airborne Transmission ◽

Infection Control Measures ◽

Current Guidance

Guidance regarding appropriate use of personal protective equipment in hospitals is in constant flux as research into SARS-COV-2 transmission continues to develop our understanding of the virus. The risk associated with procedures classed as ‘aerosol generating’ is under constant debate. Current guidance is largely based on pragmatic and cautious logic, as there is little scientific evidence of aerosolization and transmission of respiratory viruses associated with procedures. The physical properties of aerosol particles which may contain viable virus have implications for the safe use of personal protective equipment and infection control protocols. As elective work in the NHS is reinstated, it is important that the implications of the possibility of airborne transmission of the virus in hospitals are more widely understood. This will facilitate appropriate use of personal protective equipment and help direct further research into the true risks of aerosolization during these procedures to allow safe streamlining of services for staff and patients.

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