title: Laundering habits of student nurses and correlation with the presence of Staphylococcus aureus on nursing scrub tops pre- and postlaundering.
abstract: Little is known about student nurse laundering practices. Student nurses swabbed their scrub tops after clinical and after laundering, and they completed a laundry survey; 13.5% of students wore the same scrub more than once, and few followed recommended guidelines by using hot water (20%) or bleach (5.6%) when laundering scrubs. After clinical shifts, 17% of swabs tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus; however, laundering eradicated it from 64.3% of positive samples. This was not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Simmons College, Boston, MA; Center for Hygiene and Health in the Home and Community, Simmons College, Boston, MA. Electronic address: scotte2@simmons.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goodyear
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nicoloro
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Simmons College, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Desta J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Marika
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Simmons College, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Killion
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Simmons College, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Duty
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D057886:Bleaching Agents; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007846:Laundering / Q000592:standards*; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013338:Students, Nursing
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D057886:Bleaching Agents
keywords: Infection control; Laundry; Scrubs; Staphylococcus aureus; Student nurse