title: Effectiveness of short-term, enhanced, infection control support in improving compliance with infection control guidelines and practice in nursing homes: a cluster randomized trial.
abstract: In this prospective cluster randomized controlled trial we evaluated the impact of short-term provision of enhanced infection control support on infection control practice in nursing homes in South London. Twelve nursing homes were recruited, six each in intervention (300 residents) and control (265 residents) groups. Baseline observations of hand hygiene facilities, environmental cleanliness and safe disposal of clinical waste showed poor compliance in both groups. Post-intervention observations showed improvement in both groups. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in the compliance for hand hygiene facilities (P=0.69); environmental cleanliness (P=0.43) and safe disposal of clinical waste (P=0.96). In both groups, greatest improvement was in compliance with safe disposal of clinical waste and the least improvement was in hand hygiene facilities. Since infection control practice improved in intervention and control groups, we could not demonstrate that provision of short-term, enhanced, infection control support in nursing homes had a significant impact in infection control practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Lewisham, UK. guduru.gopalrao@nwlh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gopal Rao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeanes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Atere-Roberts
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D006796:Household Work / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011446:Prospective Studies