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The dangers of gown or glove removal errors by hospital workers

| May 1, 2019 | Firm News, Medical Malpractice

Many things can have impacts on how big of infection risks are present at hospitals. This includes how hospital workers act when it comes to their gowns and gloves after patient interactions. A recent small study points to errors not being uncommon on this front.

The study looked at 125 workers who worked in ICU environments at a Chicago hospital.

The researchers observed how these workers removed gowns, gloves and similar protective gear. It found that nearly two-fifths of the workers (39 percent) made multiple errors regarding such removal, based on CDC guidelines. This was despite the large majority of these individuals having taken donning and doffing training sometime within the past five years. The research found that contamination likelihood was higher among the individuals who made errors.

The study also tested the workers for whether they had any multidrug-resistant organisms on them or their clothes after patient encounters. Over a third of the workers showed such contamination after such an interaction.

There are various measures hospitals could take to try to reduce the chances of safety gear removal errors by doctors and nurses. Examples include putting up signs and other visible reminders in patient rooms to promote proper removal processes.

What would you most like to see Indiana hospitals do on this front?

How strong and effective of infection and contamination prevention policies and practices hospitals have has significant impacts on patient safety. When patients suffer infections due to hospitals failing to act as vigilantly as they should in this regard, skilled medical malpractice attorneys can provide harmed patients with guidance on possible routes for pursuing financial relief.

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