Bacterial Contamination on Obstetric Resident Surgical Scrubs

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study will determine if there is a difference in bacterial contamination (CFU/cm2) between obstetric resident surgical scrubs donned at home and those donned at the hospital.

Detailed Description
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An area of potential provider-to-patient contamination, and therefore intervention, is in health care worker attire and laundering practices. For providers who work in the operating room or labor & delivery suites, this uniform usually comprises hospital-issued surgical scrubs. To the best of our knowledge, no study has measured the difference in bacterial contamination on surgical scrubs vis-a-vis the two variables most directly affected by hospital policies for surgical attire: site of scrub laundering and site where scrubs were first put on. In addition, no study has measured the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms on surgical scrubs in the obstetric setting. Our primary objective is to measure the difference in bacterial contamination (CFU/cm2) between home-laundered/home-donned scrubs (home/home, group 1), hospital-laundered/home-donned scrubs (hospital/home, group 2), home-laundered/hospital-donned scrubs (home/hospital, group 3), and hospital-laundered/hospital-donned scrubs (hospital/hospital, group 4) in the obstetric setting. Our secondary objective is to determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms on surgical scrubs in the obstetric setting.

Official Title
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Bacterial Contamination on Obstetric Resident Surgical Scrubs: a Randomized Trial

Conditions
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Bacterial Contamination

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: method of laundering and donning scrubs


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: ob-gyn residents assigned to labor and delivery during the day on one of seven rotation blocks Exclusion Criteria: -
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Group 1<br>home laundered/home-donned | Other: method of laundering and donning scrubs<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Group 2<br>Hospital laundered/home-donned | Other: method of laundering and donning scrubs<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Group 3<br>Home laundered/hospital donned | Other: method of laundering and donning scrubs<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Group 4<br>Hospital laundered/hospital donned | Other: method of laundering and donning scrubs<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| difference in bacterial contamination between scrubs donned at home and those put on in the hospital, when location of laundering is considered (as determined by (CFU/cm2) | 4 days of randomization per subject | 4 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prevalence of antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus on surgical scrubs in the obstetric setting | 4 days of randomization per subject | 4 days |