Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-22-2023
JOURNAL
Trials
VOLUME NUMBER
24
ISSUE NUMBER
1
PAGE NUMBERS
133
ISSN
1745-6215
Embargo Period
4-2-2023
ANZSRC / FoR Code
3107 Microbiology| 3801 Applied economics| 4203 Health services and systems| 4205 Nursing
Avondale Research Centre
Lifestyle Medicine and Health Research Centre
Reportable Items (HERDC/ERA)
C1
Abstract
Background
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a common, costly, yet largely preventable complication impacting patients in healthcare settings globally. Improving routine cleaning and disinfection of the hospital environment has been shown to reduce the risk of HAI. Contaminated shared medical equipment presents a primary transmission route for infectious pathogens, yet is rarely studied. The CLEEN study will assess how enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment affects the rate of HAIs in a tertiary hospital setting. The initiative is an evidence-based approach combining staff training, auditing and feedback to environmental services staff to enhance cleaning and disinfection practices.
Methods
The CLEEN study will use a stepped wedge randomised controlled design in 10 wards of one large Australian hospital over 36 weeks. The intervention will consist of 3 additional hours per weekday for the dedicated cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment on each ward. The primary outcome is to demonstrate the effectiveness of improving the quality and frequency of cleaning shared medical equipment in reducing HAIs, as measured by a HAI point prevalence study (PPS). The secondary outcomes include the thoroughness of equipment cleaning assessed using fluorescent marker technology and the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.
Discussion
Evidence from the CLEEN study will contribute to future policy and practice guidelines about the cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment. It will be used by healthcare leaders and clinicians to inform decision-making and implementation of best-practice infection prevention strategies to reduce HAIs in healthcare facilities.
Trial registration
Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12622001143718.
Link to publisher version (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07144-z
Peer Review
Before publication
Grant Number
GNT2008392
Grant Link
https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/NHMRC%20Grant%20Data%202022.xlsx
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Browne, K., White, N., Tehan, P., Russo, P. L., Amin, M., Stewardson, A. J., Cheng, A. C., Graham, K., O'Kane, G., King, J., Kiernan, M., Brain, D., & Mitchell, B. G. (2023). A randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of improving the cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment on healthcare-associated infections: the CLEaning and Enhanced disiNfection (CLEEN) study. Trials, 24(1), Article 133. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07144-z
Comments
Used by permission: the author(s).