Impact of Infection Control Education on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Procedural Staff

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Limited research exists on personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand hygiene practices in endoscopy.
• The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy provides guidelines for infection control in endoscopy suites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a practice change based on infection control guidelines.
• To assess the impact of education on staff knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding PPE and hand hygiene.
• To improve patient safety by reducing organism transmission.

Main Methods:

• A Midwestern hospital implemented a practice change incorporating World Health Organization's 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene and PPE education.
• Paired pre- and post-education surveys assessed staff knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• Direct observation documented PPE use and hand hygiene implementation during procedures.

Main Results:

• Staff demonstrated willingness to adopt proper PPE donning and doffing procedures.
• Observed technique for PPE use in the endoscopy suite improved post-education.
• Hand hygiene questionnaire results showed moderate improvement.

Conclusions:

• Education on PPE and hand hygiene, based on established guidelines, led to observable improvements in endoscopy staff practices.
• These enhanced practices hold clinical significance for reducing patient-to-staff organism transmission.
• Quality improvement initiatives in endoscopy infection control are crucial for patient safety.