Hospital Infections: Doctors' Ties and Privacy Curtains Examined

Sep 29, 2011
Wendy A.M. Prosser

Neckties are a traditional symbol of authority - Photograph by Pumbaa80

Research suggests that both doctors' neckties and privacy curtains may contribute to the spread of hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA.

With concern increasing over the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), two studies suggest that the hospital environment can play an important role in their spread.

“Dressed Down” Doctors May Slow Spread of Infection

Male physicians wearing neckties may enjoy greater patient trust, but doctors in the UK may be abandoning these traditional symbols of authority.

Advice from the British Medical Association (BMA) has suggested that doctors should avoid wearing ties on ward rounds because they can increase the spread of disease. This guidance came in the wake of growing concerns over the problem of hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA.

The BMA’s Head of Science and Ethics, Vivienne Nathanson, said: “It’s up to individuals, but what we’re saying to doctors is that ties are a potential reservoir and they’re unnecessary. Doctors have to recognise the potential risk.”

It has been suggested that dangling ties may pick up bacteria if they brush against patients’ skin or wounds during examinations, and these bacteria might then be passed on to other patients. The risk may be worsened by the fact that doctors wear their ties outside hospital, and may not wash them frequently enough.

Doctors who still prefer to dress formally could consider wearing very short ties or bow ties, though there is evidence that these may cause similar problems to ordinary neckties.

Researchers Find Hospital Privacy Curtains Contaminated with Bacteria

Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Iowa have found that the privacy curtains that separate care spaces in hospitals and clinics are often contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria.

Speaking in Chicago at the 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Dr Michael Ohl encouraged health care providers to wash their hands immediately after drawing the curtain, before they touch their patient.

“There is growing recognition that the hospital environment plays an important role in the transmission of infections in the health care setting and it's clear that these [privacy curtains] are potentially important sites of contamination because they are frequently touched by patients and providers,” said Dr Ohl.

When Dr Ohl and his team examined 43 privacy curtains in the University of Iowa Hospitals, they detected various micro-organisms, including MRSA. Most of the curtains were contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria within one week of being hung, and many were left in place for longer than three weeks.

“We need to think about strategies to reduce the potential transfer of bacteria from curtains to patients,” Dr Ohl added. “The most intuitive, common sense strategy is (for health care workers) to wash hands after pulling the curtain and before seeing the patient. There are other strategies, such as more frequent disinfecting, but this would involve more use of disinfectant chemicals, and then there is the possibility of using microbial resistant fabrics. But handwashing is by far the most practical, and the cheapest intervention.”