An intervention that included the formation of a dedicated daily disinfection team and standardized process implementation for clearing Clostridium difficile rooms achieved consistent C. Difficile room disinfection, according to a study published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
The study included the implementation of three interventions during a 21-month period at a Veterans Affairs hospital. The impact of the interventions was determined by obtaining cultures from the rooms after disinfection. The interventions included were:
• Fluorescent markers to provide monitoring and feedback on thoroughness of cleaning facility-wide
• Addition of an automated ultraviolet radiation device for adjunctive disinfection of C. Difficile rooms
• Enhanced standard disinfection of C. Difficile rooms, including a dedicated daily disinfection team and implementation of a process requiring supervisory assessment and clearance of terminally cleaned C. Difficile rooms
The prevalence of positive cultures in C. Difficile rooms was reduced by 14 percent with the first intervention; 48 percent with the second intervention; and 89 percent with the third intervention.
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