Bare below the elbows in an academic medical center

Am J Infect Control. 2019 Aug;47(8):1030-1031. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2018.12.007. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Abstract

We investigated the compliance of health care personnel with a voluntary, institution-wide bare below the elbows (BBE) approach to inpatient care at an academic medical center. BBE compliance increased significantly across all provider types over a 2-year period. The overall compliance with BBE by health care personnel nearly doubled from 2016-2017, increasing significantly from 40% to 84%.

Keywords: Bundled prevention platform; Health care personnel attire; Health care–associated infections; Horizontal infection prevention; Hospital epidemiology; Infection control.

MeSH terms

  • Academic Medical Centers*
  • Bacterial Infections / prevention & control
  • Clothing*
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Guideline Adherence
  • Hand Disinfection
  • Health Personnel*
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods*