Reevaluating practice changes: return to standard precautions after an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella oxytoca.
Change in medical practice is usually made to solve immediate problems. The continued use of these changes should then be reevaluated. Following an outbreak of K. oxytoca in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), glove use for all patient contact was mandated. We evaluated the need for continued glove use after resolution of the outbreak. No change in colonization patterns was seen after returning to standard precautions, and, as a secondary benefit, financial savings resulting from decreased glove use was realized. Following implementation of any practice change, routine reevaluation will help to determine when that change is no longer needed or beneficial.
Giramonti
K M
KM
Division of Neonatology Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Albany, Medical Center, New York, USA.
Johnson-Robbins
L A
LA
Weatherwax
D L
DL
Horgan
M J
MJ
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D016635:Universal Precautions