Highlights
- •Bath basins are potential reservoirs of microorganisms linked to health care–associated infections.
- •There were no standardized procedures for patient bathing.
- •Standardized procedures for use, storage, and disposal of bath basins are lacking.
Background
Patient bathing basins are a potential source of health care–acquired infections.
This descriptive study was designed to describe current patient bathing procedures
and the cleaning and storage of disposable bath basins after use.
Methods
After instrument validation, a 20-item questionnaire designed by the researchers was
delivered electronically to infection prevention professionals working in acute care
facilities in the United States. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and
percentages were used to analyze the data.
Results
A total of 344 participants completed the survey. Of those responding, most were employed
in facilities with ≤300 beds and accredited by the Joint Commission. Many of the facility
staff assisting patients with bathing were nursing aides. Participants reported varying
bathing procedures in their facilities.
Conclusions
A collaborative approach is needed to ensure standard and efficient procedures that
focus on quality, safety, and patient satisfaction. A mechanism to continually evaluate
patient bathing practices should also be developed to address evolving changes in
the health care system.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 29, 2018
Footnotes
Conflicts of interest: None to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc.. All rights reserved.
