Association between contact precautions and delirium at a tertiary care center

Associations between delirium and SARS-CoV-2 pandemic visitor restrictions among hospitalized patients

OBJECTIVES

Delirium is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but environmental and behavioral factors may decrease the risk of developing delirium and thus must be considered. To investigate trends in delirium prevalence and examine associations of visitor restrictions with delirium diagnoses among all patients hospitalized during and prior to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective epidemiological assessment.

METHODS

The medical records of all patients (n = 33,141) hospitalized within a three-hospital academic medical center system in a large Midwestern metropolitan area from March 20, 2019, through March 19, 2021, were analyzed.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of delirium during COVID-19 was 11.26% (confidence interval [CI]: 10.79%, 11.73%) compared to 9.28% (CI: 8.82%, 9.73%) before COVID-19. From our adjusted logistic regression analyses, we observed that the odds of delirium among non-isolated patients were significantly higher during COVID-19 visitor restrictions (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.354; 95% CI: 1.233, 1.488; P < 0.0001) than before. The odds of delirium among isolated patients were not significantly higher during COVID-19 visitor restrictions (aOR: 1.145; 95% CI: 0.974, 1.346; P = 0.1006) than before.

CONCLUSIONS

Medically isolated patients remained at high risk of developing delirium both prior to and during COVID-19 era visitor restrictions. However, non-medically isolated patients had a significantly increased risk of delirium during the social isolation of visitor restrictions compared to prior to visitor restrictions.

Exploring staff perspectives on caring for isolated hospitalised patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Strict isolation of COVID-19 patients to prevent cross infection may inadvertently cause serious adverse outcomes including psychological harm, limitations to care, increased incidence of delirium, deconditioning and reduced quality of life. Previous research exploring the staff perspective of the effect of isolation on patients is limited. The aim of this study is to understand staff perceptions and interpretations of their experiences of the care and treatment of isolated patients and the impact of isolation on patients, families, and staff.

METHOD

This qualitative, exploratory study is set in a major metropolitan, quaternary hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Data was collected in focus groups with clinical and non-clinical staff and analysed using content analysis. The hospital ethics committee granted approval. Each participant gave informed verbal consent.

RESULTS

Participants included 58 nursing, medical, allied health, and non-clinical staff. Six main themes were identified: 1) Communication challenges during COVID-19; 2) Impact of isolation on family; 3) Challenges to patients' health and safety; 4) Impact on staff; 5) Challenging standards of care; 6) Contextual influences: policy, decision-makers and the environment.

CONCLUSION

Isolating patients and restricting visitors resulted in good pandemic management, but staff perceived it came at considerable cost to staff and consumers. Innovative communication technology may facilitate improved connection between all parties. Mental health support is needed for patients, families, and staff. Further research using a co-design model with input from patients, families and staff is recommended to determine appropriate interventions to improve care. Preventing the spread of infection is essential for good pandemic management, but the cost to consumers and staff must be mitigated. Preparation for future pandemics must consider workforce preparedness, adapted models of care and workflow.

Evaluation of Patients' Adverse Events During Contact Isolation for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Using a Matched Cohort Study With Propensity Score

IMPORTANCE

Although contact isolation has been widely recommended for multidrug-resistant organisms, contact isolation has raised some concerns that it may bring unintended patient harms.

OBJECTIVE

To compare adverse events between a contact isolation group with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and a matched comparison group using a relatively large data set from full electronic medical records (EMR) and propensity score-matching methods.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective, matched cohort study was conducted at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) in Korea, a tertiary, university-affiliated hospital that has 1337 inpatient beds. Participants included a total of 98 529 hospitalized adult patients (aged ≥18 years) during 2015 to 2017.

EXPOSURES

Contact isolation in a single or shared double room.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

As adverse contact isolation-related outcomes, falls and pressure ulcers were included. All relevant EMR data were extracted from the SNUBH clinical data warehouse. Risk factors for adverse events were included in the propensity score model based on literature reviews, such as Braden scale score and Hendrich II fall risk score. A fine stratification and weighting (FSW) and a 1:10 nearest neighbor (NN) propensity score matching as a sensitivity analysis were adopted to compare adverse events between the 2 groups for the observation period from the study entry date and the exit date. Time-to-event analyses with a Cox proportional hazard model were conducted in December 2021.

RESULTS

For comparison of outcomes in wards, 177 patients (mean [SD] age, 67.38 [14.12] years; 98 [55.4%] female) with VRE and 93 022 patients (mean [SD] age, 56.44 [16.88] years; 49 462 [53.2%] female) without VRE were included and no difference was found in basic characteristics from the FSW (VRE contact isolation [n = 172] vs comparison [n = 69 434]) as well as from the 1:10 NN (VRE contact isolation [n = 168] vs comparison [n = 1650]). Among 177 patients with VRE contact isolation, 8 pressure ulcers and 3 falls occurred during their hospital stays; incidence rates of adverse events were 2.5 and 0.9 per 1000 patient-days, respectively (pressure ulcer incidence rate from the FSW: 2.53 per 1000 patient-days [95% CI, 1.09-4.99 per 1000 patient-days]; pressure ulcer incidence rate from the 1:10 NN: 2.54 per 1000 patient-days [95% CI, 1.10-5.01 per 1000 patient-days]; fall incidence rate from the FSW: 0.87 per 1000 patient-days [95% CI, 0.18-2.54 per 1000 patient-days]; fall incidence rate from the 1:10 NN: 0.87 per 1000 patient-days [95% CI, 0.18-2.55 per 1000 patient-days]). The hazard ratios for adverse events showed no statistically significant differences for both groups: 1.42 (95% CI, 0.67-2.99) for pressure ulcer and 0.66 (95% CI, 0.20-2.13) for fall from the FSW.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cohort study, no association was found between the likelihood of adverse events and contact isolation using propensity score-matching methods and closely related covariates for adverse events.

An evaluation of interventions to improve outcomes for hospitalized patients in isolation: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Isolation is effective in preventing transmission of infectious disease. However, it has been shown to have negative effects including increased anxiety and poor physical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To summarize the effects of interventions to improve safety and outcomes for patients in isolation DESIGN: Systematic review (PROSPERO protocol registration - CRD42020222779).

SETTING

Acute hospital PARTICIPANTS: Intervention studies including patients in preventative or protective isolation in a single room.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Global Health, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, and Excerpta Medica database were searched from 1996-October 2020. Two independent reviewers screened references and assessed risk of bias. One reviewer extracted data and was checked by another. Main outcomes were Quality of Life and mortality.

RESULTS

We identified 16,698 references and included 6 studies with different study designs. Average age ranged from 4-71 years. Samples sizes were small (range 10-49 participants) apart from one non-randomized controlled trial including >600 participants. Interventions were music therapy (n = 3), psychological counseling (n = 2) and exercise training (n = 1). One study reporting on Quality of Life and found no change after exercise. None of the studies reported on mortality. Due to heterogeneous results no meta-analyses were performed.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a lack of high-quality evidence for effective comprehensive interventions to manage adverse effects associated with isolation. Future studies should investigate the effect of multi-component interventions using rigorous methods to improve outcomes for hospitalized isolated patients.

Coping Strategies Used by Older Adults to Deal with Contact Isolation in the Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many older adults have experienced contact isolation in a hospital setting which leads to separation from relatives, loss of freedom, and uncertainty regarding disease status. The objective of this study was to explore how older adults (55+) cope with contact isolation in a hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to improve their physical and psychological wellbeing. The realist evaluation approach was used to formulate initial program theories on coping strategies used by (older) adults in an isolation setting. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews with older patients (n = 21) were analysed. This study revealed that both emotion-focused coping strategies as well as problem-focused coping strategies were used by older adults during contact isolation. The study also uncovered some new specific coping strategies. The results have useful implications for hospital staff seeking to improve the wellbeing of older adults in contact isolation in hospitals. Problem-focused coping strategies could be stimulated through staff performing care in a person-centred way. Trust in staff, as part of emotion-focused coping strategies, could be stimulated by improving the relationship between patients and staff.

Anticholinergic Burden Does Not Influence Delirium Subtype or the Delirium-Mortality Association in Hospitalized Older Adults: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Anticholinergic burden (ACB) is associated with an increased risk of delirium in the older population outside of the acute hospital setting. In acute settings, delirium is associated with increased mortality, and this association is greater with full syndromal delirium (FSD) than with subsyndromal delirium (SSD). Little is known about the impact of ACB on delirium prevalence or subtype in hospitalized older adults or the impact on mortality in this population.

OBJECTIVES

Our objectives were to determine whether ACB moderates associations between the subtype of delirium experienced by hospitalized older adults and to explore factors (including ACB) that might moderate consequent associations between delirium and mortality in hospital inpatients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a cohort of 784 older adults with unplanned admission to a North London acute medical unit between June and December 2007. Univariate regression analyses were performed to explore associations between ACB, as represented by the Anticholinergic Burden Scale (ACBS), delirium subtype (FSD vs. SSD), and mortality.

RESULTS

The mean age of the sample was 83 ± standard deviation (SD) 7.4 years, and the majority of patients were female (59%), lived in their own homes (71%), were without dementia (75%), and died between hospital admission and the end of the 2-year follow-up period (59%). Mean length of admission was 13.2 ± 14.4 days. Prescription data revealed an ACBS score of 1 in 26% of the cohort, of 2 in 12%, and of ≥ 3 in 16%. The mean total ACBS score for the cohort was 1.1 ± 1.4 (range 0-9). Patients with high ACB on admission were more likely to have severe dementia, to have multiple comorbidities, and to live in residential care. Higher ACB was not associated with delirium of either subtype in hospitalized older adults. Delirium itself was associated with increased mortality, and greater associations were seen in FSD (hazard ratio [HR] 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-3.01) than in SSD (HR 1.58; 95% CI 1.2-2.09); however, ACB had no impact on this relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

ACB was not found to be associated with increased delirium of either subtype or to have a demonstrable impact on mortality in delirium. Prior suggestions of links between ACB and mortality in similar populations may be mediated by higher levels of functional dependence, greater levels of residential home residence, or an increased prevalence of dementia in this population.

Association of Visitor Contact Precautions With Estimated Hospital-Onset Clostridioides difficile Infection Rates in Acute Care Hospitals

IMPORTANCE

Visitor contact precautions (VCPs) are commonly used to reduce the transmission of Clostridioides difficile at health care institutions. Implementing VCPs requires considerable personnel and personal protective equipment resources. However, it is unknown whether VCPs are associated with reduced hospital-onset C difficile infection (HO-CDI) rates.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the association between VCPs and HO-CDI rates using simulation modeling.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This simulation study, conducted between July 27, 2020, and August 11, 2020, used an established agent-based simulation model of C difficile transmission in a 200-bed acute care adult hospital to estimate the association between VCPs and HO-CDI while varying assumptions about factors such as patient susceptibility, behavior, and C difficile transmission. The model simulated hospital activity for 1 year among a homogeneous, simulated adult population.

INTERVENTIONS

No VCP use vs ideal use of VCPs under different hospital configurations.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The rate of HO-CDI per 10 000 patient-days according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's definition of HO-CDI.

RESULTS

With use of the simulation model, the baseline rate of HO-CDI was 7.94 10 000 patient-days (95% CI, 7.91-7.98 per 10 000 patient-days) with no VCP use compared with 7.97 per 10 000 patient-days (95% CI, 7.93-8.01 per 10 000 patient-days) with ideal VCP use. Visitor contact precautions were not associated with a reduction of more than 1% in HO-CDI rates in any of the tested scenarios and hospital settings. Independently increasing the hand-hygiene compliance of the average health care worker and environmental cleaning compliance by no more than 2% each was associated with greater HO-CDI reduction compared with all other scenarios, including VCPs.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this simulation study, the association between VCPs and HO-CDI was minimal, but improvements in health care worker hand hygiene and environmental cleaning were associated with greater reductions in estimated HO-CDI. Hospitals may achieve a higher rate of reduction for HO-CDI by focusing on making small improvements in compliance with interventions other than VCP.

Mental health effects of infection containment strategies: quarantine and isolation-a systematic review and meta-analysis

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented number of people worldwide is currently affected by quarantine or isolation. These measures have been suggested to negatively impact on mental health. We conducted the first systematic literature review and meta-analysis assessing the psychological effects in both quarantined and isolated persons compared to non-quarantined and non-isolated persons. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase databases were searched for studies until April 22, 2020 (Prospero Registration-No.: CRD42020180043). We followed PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines for data extraction and synthesis and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for assessing risk of bias of included studies. A random-effects model was implemented to pool effect sizes of included studies. The primary outcomes were depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. All other psychological parameters, such as anger, were reported as secondary outcomes. Out of 6807 screened articles, 25 studies were included in our analyses. Compared to controls, individuals experiencing isolation or quarantine were at increased risk for adverse mental health outcomes, particularly after containment duration of 1 week or longer. Effect sizes were summarized for depressive disorders (odds ratio 2.795; 95% CI 1.467-5.324), anxiety disorders (odds ratio 2.0; 95% CI 0.883-4.527), and stress-related disorders (odds ratio 2.742; 95% CI 1.496-5.027). Among secondary outcomes, elevated levels of anger were reported most consistently. There is compelling evidence for adverse mental health effects of isolation and quarantine, in particular depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders, and anger. Reported determinants can help identify populations at risk and our findings may serve as an evidence-base for prevention and management strategies.

Impact of isolation on hospitalised patients who are infectious: systematic review with meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature exploring the impact of isolation on hospitalised patients who are infectious: psychological and non-psychological outcomes.

DESIGN

Systematic review with meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

Embase, Medline and PsycINFO were searched from inception until December 2018. Reference lists and Google Scholar were also handsearched.

RESULTS

Twenty-six papers published from database inception to December 2018 were reviewed. A wide range of psychological and non-psychological outcomes were reported. There was a marked trend for isolated patients to exhibit higher levels of depression, the pooled standardised mean difference being 1.28 (95% CI 0.47 to 2.09) and anxiety 1.45 (95% CI 0.56 to 2.34), although both had high levels of heterogeneity, and worse outcomes for a range of care-related factors but with significant variation.

CONCLUSION

The review indicates that isolation to contain the risk of infection has negative consequences for segregated patients. Although strength of the evidence is weak, comprising primarily single-centre convenience samples, consistency of the effects may strengthen this conclusion. More research needs to be undertaken to examine this relationship and develop and test interventions to reduce the negative effects of isolation.

Impact of isolation on hospitalised patients who are infectious: systematic review with meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature exploring the impact of isolation on hospitalised patients who are infectious: psychological and non-psychological outcomes.

DESIGN

Systematic review with meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

Embase, Medline and PsycINFO were searched from inception until December 2018. Reference lists and Google Scholar were also handsearched.

RESULTS

Twenty-six papers published from database inception to December 2018 were reviewed. A wide range of psychological and non-psychological outcomes were reported. There was a marked trend for isolated patients to exhibit higher levels of depression, the pooled standardised mean difference being 1.28 (95% CI 0.47 to 2.09) and anxiety 1.45 (95% CI 0.56 to 2.34), although both had high levels of heterogeneity, and worse outcomes for a range of care-related factors but with significant variation.

CONCLUSION

The review indicates that isolation to contain the risk of infection has negative consequences for segregated patients. Although strength of the evidence is weak, comprising primarily single-centre convenience samples, consistency of the effects may strengthen this conclusion. More research needs to be undertaken to examine this relationship and develop and test interventions to reduce the negative effects of isolation.

Specific precautions: experiences of hospitalized patients

OBJECTIVE

To know the perception, meanings and repercussions of specific precautions for hospitalized patients.

METHODS

Qualitative study with qualitative clinical methodology according to the vulnerability theoretical reference. The semi-directed interview and the Bardin content analysis were used.

RESULTS

Identification of three thematic units: (1) guidelines received, in which there was lack of information and misunderstandings about the reason for precautionary implementation; (2) perceptions about private rooms, there with both positive and negative perceptions; and (3) stigma related to the isolation condition, given patients felt constraint for being in a unit of infectious diseases and fear of being separated from the others.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Situations of vulnerability were evidenced, both related to hospitalization and feelings aroused. The study can contribute to health services by broadening their vision beyond infection control.

The discontinuation of contact precautions for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus: Impact upon patient adverse events and hospital operations

BACKGROUND

Contact precautions for endemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) are a resource-intensive intervention to reduce healthcare-associated infections, potentially impeding patient throughput and limiting bed availability to isolate other contagious pathogens. We investigated the impact of the discontinuation of contact precautions (DcCP) for endemic MRSA and VRE on patient outcomes and operations metrics in an acute care setting.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, quasi-experimental analysis of the 12 months before and after DcCP for MRSA and VRE at an academic medical centre. The frequency for bed closures due to contact isolation was measured, and personal protective equipment (PPE) expenditures and patient satisfaction survey results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Using an interrupted time series design, emergency department (ED) admission wait times and rates of patient falls, pressure ulcers and nosocomial MRSA and VRE clinical isolates were compared using GEEs.

RESULTS

Prior to DcCP, bed closures for MRSA and/or VRE isolation were associated with estimated lost hospital charges of $9383 per 100 bed days (95% CI: 8447 to 10 318). No change in ED wait times or change in trend was observed following DcCP. There were significant reductions in monthly expenditures on gowns (-61.0%) and gloves (-16.3%). Patient satisfaction survey results remained stable. No significant changes in rates or trends were observed for patient falls or pressure ulcers. Incidence rates of nosocomial MRSA (1.58 (95% CI: 0.82 to 3.04)) and VRE (1.02 (95% CI: 0.82 to 1.27)) did not significantly change.

CONCLUSIONS

DcCP was associated with an increase in bed availability and revenue recovery, and a reduction in PPE expenditures. Benefits for other hospital operations metrics and patient outcomes were not identified.

Burden and Management of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Palliative Care

Palliative care includes comprehensive strategies to optimize quality of life for patients and families confronting terminal illness. Infections are a common complication in terminal illness, and infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are particularly challenging to manage in palliative care. Limited data suggest that palliative care patients often harbor MDRO. When MDROs are present, distinguishing colonization from infection is challenging due to cognitive impairment or metastatic disease limiting symptom assessment and the lack of common signs of infection. Multidrug-resistant organisms also add psychological burden through infection prevention measures including patient isolation and contact precautions which conflict with the goals of palliation. Moreover, if antimicrobial therapy is indicated per goals of care discussions, available treatment options are often limited, invasive, expensive, or associated with adverse effects that burden patients and families. These issues raise important ethical considerations for managing and containing MDROs in the palliative care setting.

Comparing a single-day swabbing regimen with an established 3-day protocol for MRSA decolonization control

OBJECTIVES

Success of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decolonization procedures is usually verified by control swabs of the colonized body region. This prospective controlled study compared a single-day regimen with a well-established 3-day scheme for noninferiority and adherence to the testing scheme.

METHODS

Two sampling schemes for screening MRSA patients of a single study cohort at a German tertiary-care hospital 2 days after decolonization were compared regarding their ability to identify MRSA colonization in throat or nose. In each patient, three nose and three throat swabs were taken at 3- to 4-hour intervals during screening day 1, and in the same patients once daily on days 1, 2 and 3. Swabs were analysed using chromogenic agar and broth enrichment. The study aimed to investigate whether the single-day swabbing scheme is not inferior to the 3-day scheme with a 15% noninferiority margin.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty patients were included, comprising 105 and 101 patients with results on all three swabs for decolonization screening of the nose and throat, respectively. Noninferiority of the single-day swabbing scheme was confirmed for both pharyngeal and nasal swabs, with 91.8% and 89% agreement, respectively. The absolute difference of positivity rates between the swabbing regimens was 0.025 (-0.082, 0.131) for the nose and 0.006 (-0.102, 0.114) (95% confidence interval) for the pharynx as calculated with McNemar's test for matched or paired data. Compliance with the single-day scheme was better, with 12% lacking second-day swabs and 27% lacking third-day swabs from the nostrils.

CONCLUSIONS

The better adherence to the single-day screening scheme with noninferiority suggests its implementation as the new gold standard.

Assessing patient and caregiver understanding of and satisfaction with the use of contact isolation

BACKGROUND

Contact isolation is a method used for limiting the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms when caring for patients. This policy has been linked to several adverse outcomes and less patient satisfaction. We assessed patient and caregiver understanding and satisfaction with the use of contact isolation.

METHODS

A prospective survey of >500 patients in contact isolation at our institution was performed during 2014. Participants responded to a series of statements relating to contact isolation, using a 5-point Likert scale. Responses were assessed for overall positivity or negativity and further compared according to floor type or designation.

RESULTS

Of the patients, 48.7% responded to the survey; 70 caregivers also responded. Patient and caregiver responses were similar and were positive overall. Most respondents felt safer because of the use of contact isolation and because it prevented infections. A smaller majority of respondents also thought the policy was adequately explained to them and adhered to by staff.

CONCLUSIONS

In the largest collection of respondents surveyed to date about contact isolation and its impact on them, the policy was viewed positively, both by patients and caregivers. There is still room for improvement in the area of patient education regarding the use of contact isolation.

Patient Isolation Precautions: Are They Worth It?

Isolation precautions are intended to minimize pathogen transmission and reduce hospital-acquired infections. More recently, the effectiveness of isolation precautions has been questioned because of increasing evidence of risks. These putative downsides are divided into a quantifiable monetary cost (i.e., a literal cost to the system) and clinically important but less easily quantifiable costs (i.e., "costs" to the patient). The authors also briefly review deisolation and alternatives to isolation. The present review is not arguing against appropriate isolation or precautions, simply that the authors consider both risks and benefits and disseminate up-to-date information. Their patient-focused goal is to mitigate risks for those who truly need isolating and to end isolation as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Reconsidering Contact Precautions for Endemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus

BACKGROUND

Whether contact precautions (CP) are required to control the endemic transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in acute care hospitals is controversial in light of improvements in hand hygiene, MRSA decolonization, environmental cleaning and disinfection, fomite elimination, and chlorhexidine bathing.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a framework for decision making around use of CP for endemic MRSA and VRE based on a summary of evidence related to use of CP, including impact on patients and patient care processes, and current practices in use of CP for MRSA and VRE in US hospitals.

DESIGN

A literature review, a survey of Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Network members on use of CP, and a detailed examination of the experience of a convenience sample of hospitals not using CP for MRSA or VRE.

PARTICIPANTS

Hospital epidemiologists and infection prevention experts.

RESULTS

No high quality data support or reject use of CP for endemic MRSA or VRE. Our survey found more than 90% of responding hospitals currently use CP for MRSA and VRE, but approximately 60% are interested in using CP in a different manner. More than 30 US hospitals do not use CP for control of endemic MRSA or VRE.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher quality research on the benefits and harms of CP in the control of endemic MRSA and VRE is needed. Until more definitive data are available, the use of CP for endemic MRSA or VRE in acute care hospitals should be guided by local needs and resources.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(10):1163–1172

Effects of contact precautions on patient perception of care and satisfaction: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Contact precautions decrease healthcare worker-patient contact and may impact patient satisfaction. To determine the association between contact precautions and patient satisfaction, we used a standardized interview for perceived issues with care.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study of inpatients, evaluated at admission and on hospital days 3, 7, and 14 (until discharged). At each point, patients underwent a standardized interview to identify perceived problems with care. After discharge, the standardized interview and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey were administered by telephone. Responses were recorded, transcribed, and coded by 2 physician reviewers.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 528 medical or surgical patients not admitted to the intensive care unit.

RESULTS

A total of 528 patients were included in the primary analysis, of whom 104 (20%) perceived some issue with their care. On multivariable logistic regression, contact precautions were independently associated with a greater number of perceived concerns with care (odds ratio, 2.05 [95% confidence interval, 1.31-3.21]; P < .01), including poor coordination of care (P = .02) and a lack of respect for patient needs and preferences (P = .001). Eighty-eight patients were included in the secondary analysis of HCAHPS. Patients under contact precautions did not have different HCAHPS scores than those not under contact precautions (odds ratio, 1.79 [95% confidence interval, 0.64-5.00]; P = .27).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients under contact precautions were more likely to perceive problems with their care, especially poor coordination of care and a lack of respect for patient preferences.

Advancing critical care: time to kiss the right frog

The greatest advances in critical care over the past two decades have been achieved through doing less to the patient. We have learnt through salutary experience that our burgeoning Master-of-the-Universe capabilities and the oh-so-obvious stratagems instilled in us from youth were often ineffective or even deleterious. This re-education process, however, is far from complete. We are now rightly agonizing over the need for better characterization of pathophysiology, earlier identification of disease processes and a more directed approach to therapeutic intervention. We need to delineate the point at which intrinsic and protective adaptation ends and true harmful pathology begins, and how our iatrogenic meddling either helps or hinders. We need to improve trial design in the heterogeneous populations we treat, and to move away from syndromic fixations that, while offering convenience, have generally proved counterproductive. Importantly, we need to discover a far more holistic approach to patient care, evolving from the prevailing overmedicalized, number-crunching perspective towards a true multidisciplinary effort that embraces psychological as well as physiological well-being, with appropriate pharmacological minimization or supplementation. Complacency, with an unfair apportion of blame on the patient for not getting better, is the biggest threat to continued improvement.

The potential regional impact of contact precaution use in nursing homes to control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

OBJECTIVE

Implementation of contact precautions in nursing homes to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission could cost time and effort and may have wide-ranging effects throughout multiple health facilities. Computational modeling could forecast the potential effects and guide policy making.

DESIGN

Our multihospital computational agent-based model, Regional Healthcare Ecosystem Analyst (RHEA).

SETTING

All hospitals and nursing homes in Orange County, California.

METHODS

Our simulation model compared the following 3 contact precaution strategies: (1) no contact precautions applied to any nursing home residents, (2) contact precautions applied to those with clinically apparent MRSA infections, and (3) contact precautions applied to all known MRSA carriers as determined by MRSA screening performed by hospitals.

RESULTS

Our model demonstrated that contact precautions for patients with clinically apparent MRSA infections in nursing homes resulted in a median 0.4% (range, 0%-1.6%) relative decrease in MRSA prevalence in nursing homes (with 50% adherence) but had no effect on hospital MRSA prevalence, even 5 years after initiation. Implementation of contact precautions (with 50% adherence) in nursing homes for all known MRSA carriers was associated with a median 14.2% (range, 2.1%-21.8%) relative decrease in MRSA prevalence in nursing homes and a 2.3% decrease (range, 0%-7.1%) in hospitals 1 year after implementation. Benefits accrued over time and increased with increasing compliance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our modeling study demonstrated the substantial benefits of extending contact precautions in nursing homes from just those residents with clinically apparent infection to all MRSA carriers, which suggests the benefits of hospitals and nursing homes sharing and coordinating information on MRSA surveillance and carriage status.

The effect of contact precautions on healthcare worker activity in acute care hospitals

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Contact precautions are a cornerstone of infection prevention but have also been associated with less healthcare worker (HCW) contact and adverse events. We studied how contact precautions modified HCW behavior in 4 acute care facilities.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Four acute care facilities in the United States performing active surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

METHODS

Trained observers performed "secret shopper" monitoring of HCW activities during routine care, using a standardized collection tool and fixed 1-hour observation periods.

RESULTS

A total of 7,743 HCW visits were observed over 1,989 hours. Patients on contact precautions had 36.4% fewer hourly HCW visits than patients not on contact precautions (2.78 vs 4.37 visits per hour; [Formula: see text]) as well as 17.7% less direct patient contact time with HCWs (13.98 vs 16.98 minutes per hour; [Formula: see text]). Patients on contact precautions tended to have fewer visitors (23.6% fewer; [Formula: see text]). HCWs were more likely to perform hand hygiene on exiting the room of a patient on contact precautions (63.2% vs 47.4% in rooms of patients not on contact precautions; [Formula: see text]).

CONCLUSION

Contact precautions were found to be associated with activities likely to reduce transmission of resistant pathogens, such as fewer visits and better hand hygiene at exit, while exposing patients on contact precautions to less HCW contact, less visitor contact, and potentially other unintended outcomes.