Few healthcare workers followed all CDC recommendations for the removal of personal protective equipment after patient care, according to a report published in the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Here are four insights:
1. A trained observer watched healthcare personnel entering and exiting patient rooms.
2. Observations took place from Oct.13 to Oct. 31, 2014.
3. The CDC recommends that gloves should be removed first, followed by the "gentle" removal of the gown from the back while still in the patient's isolation room.
4. Of the 30 healthcare workers observed removing personal protective equipment, 17 removed the gown out of order, 16 wore their PPE out into the hallway and 15 removed their gown in a manner that was not gentle, which could cause pathogens from the gown to transfer to their clothes.
