Clinical trial NCT01537835: Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Worker Uniforms
Official title: Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Worker Uniforms: A Study of Antimicrobial Uniforms on Occupationally Acquired Bacterial Contamination: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Worker Uniforms
Keywords: healthcare
worker
uniforms
bacterial
contamination
Lead sponsor: Denver Health and Hospital Authority
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Colorado, Denver
First posted: 2012-02-23
Enrollment: 109
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 90
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: Healthcare worker uniforms are frequently contaminated with bacteria known to cause infections in humans. These bacteria are acquired during the workday. A new technology of antimicrobial textiles have been developed and incorporated into the fabric of health care worker uniforms, reportedly with effectiveness rates of \> 99% but there is little literature describing the effectiveness of Healthcare worker (HCW) uniforms with antimicrobial properties in the clinical setting. Because of the potential benefit that such uniforms could offer HCWs and patients alike, further investigation into whether these fabrics are effective is warranted.

Up to 140 physicians, nurses, and midlevel providers who work at Denver Health on the general internal medicine wards will be invited to participate in this study. Participants will be randomized to wear either uniforms (scrubs) that have antimicrobial properties or standard scrubs provided by the hospital. At the end of an 8-hour workday, three areas on each uniform and each subject's wrist area will be cultured to assess for total bacterial colonization as well as for various resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and resistant gram-negative rods.

Primary Hypothesis: HCW uniforms with antimicrobial properties will have less bacterial contamination than standard uniforms (scrubs) at the end of an 8-hour workday.

Specific aim 1a. Demonstrate that antimicrobial uniforms will have less total bacterial contamination of sites swabbed compared to standard uniform after an 8-hour workday.

Specific aim 1b. Demonstrate that antimicrobial uniforms will have less antimicrobial-resistant bacterial contamination (specifically looking for MRSA, VRE, and resistant gram negatives) of sites swabbed compared to standard uniform after an 8-hour workday.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Physicians, nurses, and midlevel providers who work at Denver Health on the general internal medicine wards;
* Provider must be available for cultures at the end of the day, provider must be on service at Denver
* Health for the duration of the study, provider must be willing to avoid wearing white coats

Exclusion Criteria:

* Refusal to participate
* Known to be pregnant

Primary outcomes:
measure: Total Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Worker Uniform With Antimicrobial Properties Compared to Standard Healthcare Worker Uniform After an 8-hour Workday.
timeFrame: 8 hours
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Assess for Methicillin Resistent Staphylococcus Aureus, Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci, and Gram-negative Bacterial Contamination on Healthcare Worker Uniform With Antimicrobial Properties Compared to Standard Healthcare Worker Uniform.
timeFrame: 8 hours
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Denver
country: United States
facility: Denver Health and Hospital Authority
state: Colorado
Study officials:
affiliation: Denver Health and Housing Authority
name: Marisha A Burden, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Burden M, Cervantes L, Weed D, Keniston A, Price CS, Albert RK. Newly cleaned physician uniforms and infrequently washed white coats have similar rates of bacterial contamination after an 8-hour workday: a randomized controlled trial. J Hosp Med. 2011 Apr;6(4):177-82. doi: 10.1002/jhm.864. Epub 2011 Feb 10.
citation: Burden M, Keniston A, Frank MG, Brown CA, Zoucha J, Cervantes L, Weed D, Boyle K, Price C, Albert RK. Bacterial contamination of healthcare workers' uniforms: a randomized controlled trial of antimicrobial scrubs. J Hosp Med. 2013 Jul;8(7):380-5. doi: 10.1002/jhm.2051. Epub 2013 Jun 12.