Time spent by infection control professionals undertaking healthcare associated infection surveillance: A multi-centred cross sectional study

doi:10.1016/j.idh.2016.03.003

Infection, Disease & Health

Volume 21, Issue 1, May 2016, Pages 36-40

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idh.2016.03.003 Get rights and content

Highlights

•
There is limited contemporary information on how infection control professionals (ICPs) in hospitals utilise their time.
•
Australian ICPs spent 36% of their time undertaking surveillance.
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The efficiency of undertaking surveillance should be considered, weighing investment against the likely improvement.

Abstract

Background

There is limited contemporary information on how infection control professionals (ICPs) in hospitals utilise their time, with even less providing any specific data on time taken to undertake HAI surveillance. HAI surveillance is a critical component of any infection control program.

Methods

An anonymous online web-based survey was used to conduct a cross-sectional study of infection control units in public and private Australian hospitals. Participants were asked demographic information and time spent undertaking infection control activities, including surveillance.

Results

Forty infection control units, responsible for providing services to 138 hospitals completed the survey. The percentage of time spent undertaking HAI surveillance activities by members of the infection control units was 1675 h or 36.0% (95% CI 34.3%–37.8%; range 17%–61%) of all contracted infection control professionals time (4653 h). Of the time spent undertaking HAI surveillance, 56% was spent collecting data, 27% collecting data on compliance with infection control activities and 17% feeding HAI data back to clinicians and management. There was no difference in the proportion of time spent undertaking HAI surveillance between public and privately funded hospitals or infection control units led by a credentialed ICP. Infection control units with a form of electronic surveillance dedicated more time to surveillance, compared to units that did not use such a system. Demands for surveillance increased with larger number of hospitals beds.

Conclusion

The costs of undertaking HAI surveillance and collecting data can be considerable. The efficiency of undertaking surveillance should be considered, weighing investment against the likely improvement in infection rates and patient quality of life.

Section snippets

Background

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, United States) define surveillance as the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data essential to the planning, implementation and evaluation of public health practice, closely integrated with the timely dissemination of these data to those who need to know [1]. Surveillance is a critical component of any infection prevention and control program and is the foundation for providing a mechanism for an effective

Methods

A pseudonymous online web-based survey was used to conduct a cross-sectional study of infection control units in public and private Australian hospitals in 2014. Infection control co-ordinators of infection control units were invited to participate via combination of post (addressed to the infection control co-ordinator/manager) and email using an online moderated forum (AICA List). Participation was voluntary. Each invitation contained a unique identification code to identify any duplicate

Overview

Forty-nine hospital infection control units from across Australia completed the survey. Of the 49 responses received, details on the number of hours spent on a range of infection control activities was completed by 40 infection control units. These 40 infection control units were responsible for providing services to 138 hospitals (70% publicly funded hospitals) or 16,260 overnight beds. The mean age of respondents was 49 years, 95% were female. The total number of contracted infection control

Discussion

The results from this study provide insight into how much time Australian ICPs spend undertaking HAI surveillance. This is the first such study providing a national picture in Australia and one of a limited number internationally [5]. The findings suggest that Australian ICPs spend significantly less time undertaking HAI surveillance, compared to those working in the United States, 46.7% (95%CI 45.7–47.7) Vs 36.0% (95% CI 34.3%–37.8%) in our study [5].

We identified only 6.0% of ICP time is

Conclusion

In the international literature, there are limited data on how ICPs spend their time, with even less providing specific data on time taken to undertake HAI surveillance. HAI surveillance is a critical component of any infection control program. This study estimates that 36% of ICP time is spent undertaking HAI surveillance in Australian hospitals. There is ongoing debate in Australia about HAI surveillance and the next steps to take. Our findings will be useful for the planning of national and

Competing interests

Three of the authors (BM, AG and DM) have an editorial affiliation with Infection, Disease and Health. These authors play no role in the review or decision making process whatsoever.

BM and LH are members of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality (ACSQHC) in Healthcare Technical Working Group. LH is a member of the ACSQHC healthcare associated infection advisory committee.

No financial support was provided for the conduct of this study. The Australian College of Infection Prevention and

Non-competing interests

The authors have no further non-competing interests to declare.

Author contributions

All authors provided input into the design of the study. BM was responsible for data collection and data analysis. LH assisted with data management. BM and AG lead the manuscript preparation. All authors read, provided critical review and approved the final manuscript.

Provenance and peer review

Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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Research paperTime spent by infection control professionals undertaking healthcare associated infection surveillance: A multi-centred cross sectional study

Highlights

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Section snippets

Background

Methods

Overview

Discussion

Conclusion

Competing interests

Non-competing interests

Author contributions

Provenance and peer review

Healthc Infect

Am J Infect Control

Am J Infect Control

Healthc Infect

J Hosp Infect

Am J Infect Control

Am J Infect Control

Am J Infect Control

J Hosp Infect

J Hosp Infect

Epidemiology

Research paper
Time spent by infection control professionals undertaking healthcare associated infection surveillance: A multi-centred cross sectional study