Perceived stress among staff in Saudi Arabian dental colleges before and after an accreditation process: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Accreditation processes are extensively employed to guarantee the quality of higher education institutions.However,this process can potentially generate a stressful atmosphere for staff,thus impacting their ability to perform optimally under pressure.AIM To examine the knowledge of the National Commission for Academic Assessment and Accreditation(NCAAA)and its effects on perceived stress among dental college staff before and after the program accreditation process.METHODS The present cross-sectional questionnaire-based study included 300 employees from three dental colleges.The same employees had to fill out the questionnaire 1 mo after the NCAAA process.RESULTS Approximately 51.33%of the included employees believed that NCAAA is essential to attract quality students to join the program before and after the program.A total of 44.67%felt that their stress was high before,and 31.33%had low stress levels before and after NCAAA.These findings were statistically significant(P≤0.05).CONCLUSION NCAAA raised the prestige of the institution and specific programmes and increased prospects to attract better students,staff,and money,according to the employees.In addition to their needed teaching,research,and other service responsibilities,this work requires a tremendous amount of faculty effort and may cause them stress.

Analysis of The Impact of The Healthcare Roundtable Model on the Major Disease Perceptions and Competencies of Cardiovascular Medicine Nursing Staff

Objective: To analyze the impact of the healthcare roundtable model on the major disease perceptions and competencies of cardiovascular nursing staff. Methods: Forty female nursing staff working in the hospital from April to June 2023 were selected and were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, with 20 in each group. For 60 days, the control group used the conventional learning and communication model and the observation group used the medical and nursing roundtable model. The cognitive scores of cardiovascular disease-related knowledge, competency scores, and satisfaction with the learning and communication model before and after the implementation of the model in both groups were compared. Results: After the implementation, the cognitive scores related to cardiovascular disease-related knowledge, competency scores, and satisfaction with the learning and communication model in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The healthcare roundtable model improved the knowledge and competence of cardiovascular internal medicine nursing staff in major diseases, and it is worth popularizing.

Research Progress on Career Development of Nursing Staff

There are few studies on career development as an exclusive concept in the field of nursing in China.Currently,research related to the career development of nursing staff primarily relies on inductive evaluation tools,and there is less systematic summarization of this research.This paper reviews the concept,evaluation tools,and influencing factors of nursing career development,aiming to provide a reference for future research in this area.

The Psychological Experience of the Nursing Staff of the Medical Oncology Department in Cameroon: Case of the YaoundéGeneral Hospital

Background: The world of cancer care is an emotional place, given the severity of the disease being treated, the heavy workload, the suffering of patients, and the high number of deaths. The nursing staff who work there may be exposed to constant stress from these factors. This study aimed to explore the psychological experience of the nursing staff of the Medical Oncology Department of the Yaoundé General Hospital. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study, in June 2017, involving the nursing staff of the Medical Oncology Department of the Yaoundé General Hospital. Results: Sixteen out of 18 nurses were interviewed. All had worked in at least one other department prior to Oncology. The number of years of experience in Oncology ranged from less than one year to 13 years. The choice of the Oncology department was involuntary for 100% of the staff;of these, 62% had intentions of changing departments. Twenty-five percent had applied for a change of department, which was unsuccessful. Stress was expressed by 94% of the staff;93% thought that there was a solution to the stress experienced on a daily basis in the Oncology department. The main solutions proposed to manage this stress were: support for the staff, provision of work materials, and staff training. Conclusion: The nursing staff of the Medical Oncology Department of the Yaoundé General Hospital experiences a high level of stress and are in need of solutions.

Impact of work environment on job satisfaction and stress among hemodialysis staff in Klang Valley

Objective:To investigate the factors contributing to satisfaction with the work environment,job satisfaction(JS),and stress among hemodialysis(HD)staff in the central region of Malaysia.Methods:A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted on 215 HD staff working at private and non-government(NGO)dialysis centers using self-administered questionnaires.The chi-square test was used to determine factors associated with HD staff's JS,stress,and working environment.Results:The scientific proof was apparent that the working environment had an effect on JS and stress among employees at HD centers.Conclusions:This research offers useful insights into the essence and complexities of HD staff's work and will help nurses,dialysis managers,other dialysis personnel,and organizations to better understand the benefits and stresses faced by these workers.

Latent Growth Mixture Modeling to Estimate Differential PTSD Trajectories and Associated Risk Factors in Psychiatric Staff Following Workplace Violence

Background: Workplace violence (WV) towards psychiatric staff has commonly been associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, prospective studies have shown that not all psychiatric staff who experience workplace violence experience post-traumatic stress. Purpose: We want to examine the longitudinal trajectories of PTSD in this population to identify possible subgroups that might be more at risk. Furthermore, we need to investigate whether certain risk factors of PTSD might identify membership in the subgroups. Method: In a sample of psychiatric staff from 18 psychiatric wards in Denmark who had reported an incident of WV, we used Latent Growth Mixture Modelling (LGMM) and further logistic regression analysis to investigate this. Results: We found three separate PTSD trajectories: a recovering, a delayed-onset, and a moderate-stable trajectory. Higher social support and negative cognitive appraisals about oneself, the world and self-blame predicted membership in the delayed-onset trajectory, while higher social support and lower accept coping predicted membership in the delayed-onset trajectory. Conclusion: Although most psychiatric staff go through a natural recovery, it is important to be aware of and identify staff members who might be struggling long-term. More focus on the factors that might predict these groups should be an important task for psychiatric departments to prevent posttraumatic symptomatology from work.

Investigation and analysis of mental health status and related influencing factors of medical staff in Karamay City who assisted Ili during the outbreak of COVID-19

Background:To investigate the mental health status and its influencing factors of medical staff in Karamay City who assisted Ili during the outbreak of COVID-19,so as to provide a reliable basis for timely and effective psychological intervention.Methods:Applied questionnaire survey and used the“questionnaire star”platform to investigate the mental health status of medical staff assisting Ili by the General information,the PHQ-9,the GAD-7 and the SCL-90.And the relevant influencing factors were analyzed by univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.Results:Factors such as whether they will support again,whether they need to provide psychological staff,and whether they have a sense of guilt for their families have a significant impact on the PHQ-9 of medical staff(p<0.05);Whether they will support again,whether they need psychological staff,and whether they feel bored and lonely during the closed loop management have a significant impact on the GAD-7 of medical staff(p<0.05);The SCL-90 was compared with the norm,and the scores of somatization,interpersonal sensitivity and terror factors of medical personnel were statistically significant(p<0.05),scores in other aspects(diet sleep)are obvious(1.63±0.72).Conclusion:During the period of COVID-19,the medical staff in Karamay City who assisted Ili had anxiety and depression,and their mental health was not optimistic,more attention and the necessary intervention should be given.

Effect and Significance of Comprehensive Training in Infection Prevention and Control on the Psychological Health of Oral Health Staff

Background:Oral health staff have close contact with patients in the process of diagnosis and treatment,and it is inevitable for them to come into contact with patients’secretions.Therefore,oral health staff are at greater risk of infectious diseases in their daily work,and their psychological health is also greatly challenged.Objective:To study the effect and significance of comprehensive training in infection prevention and control on the psychological health of oral health staff.Methods:We selected 400 oral health staff from a tertiary stomatological hospital in Guangzhou,China in this study.The respondents were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group.After the first round of investigation,the intervention group received comprehensive training in prevention and control of infection for three months,while the control group received no intervention.Results:The comprehensive training in infection prevention and control improved the respondents’psychological health and job satisfaction.Further strengthening infection prevention and control training for oral health staff will increase their self-confidence,improve their mental health,and increase their job satisfaction.Conclusion:For oral health staff,it is particularly important to formulate an effective and operable preventive and control training program and then implement it in a standardized manner.

Perception of Effects of Shiftwork Questionnaire (PESQ) among Ambulance Service Staff in Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

Objective: Despite efforts in describing the impact of shiftwork on the performance of health care workers, the perception of ambulance service staff is largely unexplored. This study attempted to develop the Perception of Effects of Shiftwork Questionnaire (PESQ) using a factor analysis approach to determine the underlying dimensions. Methods: A 16-item Likert scale research instrument, designed to gather information about the perceived effects of shiftwork on the respondents’ health, social relationships, and career quality, was floated to 375 ambulance services personnel in Saudi Arabia during March and April 2021. Results: Based on factor analysis, the questionnaire has three dimensions with varying reliability, namely “perceived effects on social relationship” (α = 0.815), perceived effects on health (α = 0.787) and “perceived effects on career quality” (α = 0.602). Over-all, the research instrument had an acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.829). Conclusion: The three-dimension model was analyzed simultaneously using parallel analysis and confirms that the three-factor model is the most ideal for the research instrument. Further research, however, is recommended to improve the internal consistency of the items which measure the perceived effects on career quality.

Prevalence and related factors of post-traumatic stress disorder among medical staff members exposed to H7N9 patients

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and related factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among doctors and nurses who were exposed to H7N9 patients during the H7N9 influenza epidemic.To provide scientific basis for promoting the physical and psychological health of these staff members.Method: The 102 medical staff workers who were exposed to H7N9 patients were recruited through convenient sampling between January 2015 and May 2016.We used a self-reported questionnaire,the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C),to evaluate the PTSD symptoms among doctors and nurses from an intensive care unit (n =61),a respiratory department (n =20),and an emergency department (n =21).We then analyzed the related factors.Results: Around 20.59% of the tested doctors and nurses showed PTSD symptoms.The sample had a mean PCL-C score of 30.00 ± 9.95.The differences in the scores of doctors and nurses with different genders,ages,professional titles,contact frequencies,trainings,and experiences were statistically significant (P < 0.05,P < 0.01).Moreover,t-tests and one-way analysis of variance showed that nurses received higher scores than doctors,female participants received higher scores than male participants,and the participants with low professional title and high contact frequency,aged between 20 years and 30 years,with less than five years of work experience,having not received related training and with no related experience obtained higher PCL-C scores than the others (P < 0.05,P < 0.01).Conclusion: The PTSD level of doctors and nurses after their exposure to H7N9 patients was high,which warrant further research.Health and medical institutions should pay attention to the physical and psychological health of these staff members.

Are mindfulness and self-efficacy related to presenteeism among primary medical staff: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: In ensuring public welfare with primary medical and health services,the primary medical staff faces new tasks.Increasing workload,and therefore degrees of stress and burnout,can influence job satisfaction and lead to presenteeism,which is defined as the appearance to be on the job but not actually working.The purpose of this study is to investigate the current worling situation and the relationship between presenteeism and mindfulness of primary medical staff and determine the mediating effect of self-efficacy on this relationship.Method: A cross-sectional survey was performed with 580 primary medical staff from 9 hospitals in Shaanxi province,northwest China.Presenteeism,mindfulness,and self-efficacy were measured by using a general information questionnaire,the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire,the General Self-Efficacy Scale,and the Stanford Presenteeism Scale.Mediating effect was analyzed by a series of hierarchical multiple regressions.Results: A high level of presenteeism was found among 47.4% of the study participants.Presenteeism was negatively correlated with mindfulness(r--0.409,P < 0.001) and self-efficacy(r--0.678,P < 0.001).A positive correlation was found between mindfulness and self-efficacy(r-0.584,P< 0.001).When controlling for self-efficacy (β =-0.018,P> 0.05),the association was insignificant between presenteeism and mindfulness.Conclusion: The results identified the effect of mindfulness on presenteeism of primary medical staff is realized through self-efficacy,which also suggested to enhance self-efficacy on center location when developing management strategies for mental health education or training among primary medical staff.

Stress and sleep:a survey based on wearable sleep trackers among medical and nursing staff in Wuhan during the COVID-19 pandemic

Backgroud COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the sleep health of local medical and nursing staff.Aim We used wearable pulse oximeters to monitor and screen the medical and nursing staff working in hospitals designated for COVID-19 in the Wuhan area.This study aimed to establish a reliable basis to provide sleep intervention for the medical and nursing staff.Methods Thirty medical and nursing staff members with symptoms of insomnia were instructed to wear medical ring-shaped pulse oximeters to monitor their sleep overnight.We also used the Insomnia Severity Index(ISI)and the Chinese version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire(SRQ-20)to evaluate the severity of insomnia and mental health status,respectively,for each participant.Results Among the 30 participants,only 26 completed the screening.Ten cases(38.5%)demonstrated moderate to severe sleep apnoea-hypopnea syndrome(SAHS)when using an oxygen desaturation index^15 times/hour as the cut-off value.Participants with comorbid moderate to severe SAHS had significantly higher ISI and SRQ scores(p values 0.034 and 0.016,respectively)than those in the insomnia group.Correlation analysis revealed that ISI was positively correlated with total sleep time(TST)(r=0.435,p=0.026),and negatively correlated with deep sleep(r=-0.495,p=0.010);furthermore,patient SRQ scores were positively correlated with TST,sleep efficiency(SE)and REM(rapid eyes movement)sleep%(r=0.454 and 0.389,0.512;p=0.020,0.050 and 0.008,respectively).Stepwise logistic regression indicated that SRQ-20 and sex were risk factors for insomnia with comorbid SAHS,and their OR values were 1.516 and 11.56(95%Cl 1.053 to 2.180 and 1.037 to 128.9),respectively.Conclusion Medical and nursing staff with insomnia showed clear signs of comorbid sleep apnoea attributable to stress.The wearable pulse oximeters accurately monitored the participants'breathing when asleep.

An investigation into the occupational protection status of clinical nursing staff exposed to anti-tumor drugs

Objective:To investigate the occupational protection status of clinical nursing staff vocationally exposed to anti-tumor drugs.Methods:A self-designed questionnaire was used to survey 180 clinical nursing staff vocationally exposed to anti-tumor drugs.Results:Recognition of the need for protection and dependent occupational protection behaviors were very poor in clinical nursing staff vocationally exposed to anti-tumor drugs.The management of the occupational protection of clinical nursing staff vocationally exposed to anti-tumor drugs was also seriously underdeveloped.Conclusion:There is deficiency in the understanding and related protection practices of clinical nursing staff vocationally exposed to anti-tumor drugs in our hospital.The protection measures currently employed in medical practice are inadequate in virtually every aspect considered.It is recommended that all clinical nursing staff should receive full occupational protection training in these matters.The training must raise nursing staff's awareness of the need for occupational protection and standardize their occupational protection behaviors to conform to "best practice" models.These "best practice" models should be quickly established and all staff made cognizant of them forthwith.In addition,where occupational protection systems are already in place,they should be improved to come into line with the new "best practice" models instigated.

Healthcare staff well-being and use of support services during COVID-19:a UK perspective

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically increased demands on healthcare workers(HCWs)leaving them vulnerable to acute psychological distress,burnout and post-traumatic stress.In response,supportive services in a central London hospital mobilised mental health support specifically for HCWs.Aims This rapid evaluation assessed HCW psychological welfare during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and their use of supportive services made available.Methods During the acute phase of COVID-19(April to May 2020)all staff working for the hospital were invited to complete an online survey assessing well-being(self-rated health,moral distress exposure,symptoms of burnout and psychological distress)and use of available supportive services(awareness of,use and perceived helpfulness).Associations among personal characteristics and psychological well-being were explored using correlations and linear regression.Results A total of 1127 staff participated in the rapid evaluation.On average,psychological distress was high(mean(SD):22(7.57))regardless of role,with 84%of this sample scoring above the general population mean(14.5).Nearly half of the sample reported feeling emotionally drained and a profile emerged displaying higher levels of psychological distress and burnout in those who were younger and exposed to morally distressing situations,with this group also exhibiting greater support service use.Greater levels of burnout were associated with increased psychological distress when controlling for personal factors.During this acute phase of the pandemic,majority of staff used at least one service and rated it as helpful.Conclusion HCWs experienced high levels of psychological distress requiring continued support as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved.Although HCWs were aware of supportive services,uptake varied.In order to mitigate the risk of burnout and post-traumatic stress,long-term,effective strategies that facilitate staff accessing support are urgently required.

Study on the Relationship between Nursing Staffing and Nosocomial Infection in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Background: At present, there is no domestic research on the relationship between nurse staffing and hospital infection in very low birth weight infants. In this paper, we will explore the relationship between nurses of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and nosocomial infections. Methods: The clinical data of 280 very low birth weight infants born in our hospital from January 2010 to January 2020 were collected, and the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to study the nursing staff of each very low birth weight infant who was admitted to the NICU The relationship between the number of infections and hospital infections. Results: On average, each nurse needs to care for 4.3 very low birth weight infants (lowest to highest: 2.50 - 8.42). In the univariate analysis, the higher the incidence of urinary tract infection (P < 0.05), the multivariate logistic regression analysis of neonatal nosocomial infection showed that nurse staffing was significantly related to the incidence of urinary tract infection (OR = 1.78;95% confidence interval, 1.17 - 2.35, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between nurse staffing and bloodstream infection (OR = 0.91;95% confidence interval, 0.74 - 1.06, P > 0.05) or Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) infection (OR = 1.17;95% confidence interval, 0.94 - 1.47, P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our research shows that in the neonatal intensive care unit, the reasonable deployment of nursing staff is an important factor in preventing urinary tract infections in very low birth weight infants. It is important for improving the survival rate of very low birth weight infants and reducing the occurrence of sequelae.

Nurse staffing and life expectancy at birth and at 65 years old:Evidence from 35 OECD countries

Objective: To measure the possible magnitude of the role nurse staffing has on increasing life expectancy at birth and at 65 years old.Methods: The statistical technique of panel data analysis was applied to investigate the relationship from the number of practicing nurses' density per 1000 population to life expectancy at birth and at 65 years old.Five control variables were used as the proxies for the levels of medical staffing,health care financial and physical resources,and medical technology.The observations of 35 member countries of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) were collected from OECD Health Statistics over 2000-2016 period.Results: There were meaningful relationships from nurse staffing to life expectancy at birth and at 65 years with the long-run elasticities of 0.02 and 0.08,respectively.Overall,the role of nursing characteristics in increasing life expectancy indicators varied among different health care systems of OECD countries and in average were determined at the highest level in Japan (0.25),followed by Iceland (0.24),Belgium (0.21),Czech Republic (0.21),Slovenia (0.20) and Sweden (0.18).Conclusion: A higher proportion of nursing staff is associated with higher life expectancy in OECD countries and the dependency of life expectancy to nursing staff would increase by aging.Hence,the findings of this study warn health policy makers about ignoring the effects nursing shortages create e.g.increasing the risk of actual age-specific mortality,especially in care of elderly people.

Review of possible psychological impacts of COVID-19 on frontline medical staff and reduction strategies

Like soldiers,frontline medical staff provide a first line of defense and have played a critical role in responses to the outbreak of coronavirus disease-2019 in December 2019.It is important to acknowledge the considerable pressure placed on frontline medical staff in the face of a new type of coronavirus that is highly infectious and for which no specific treatment is available.Here,we review the various kinds of psychological problems afflicting frontline medical staff who are combatting the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic.These include anxiety,insomnia,depression,interpersonal difficulties,and post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome.We further present a summary of countermeasures for alleviating these problems based on our findings.These countermeasures include ensuring the provision of adequate protective gear for frontline medical staff,developing timely and clear guidelines,strengthening social support,and providing clear criteria and additional training,focusing on the choice of frontline medical staff.An understanding of the psychological impacts of an epidemic situation and of relevant countermeasures will contribute to reducing the psychological pressures on frontline medical staff.Consequently,they will be able to cope better with outbreaks of infectious diseases in the future,to reduce the psychological pressure of the front-line medical staff,and to improve the treatment level.

Impact of nurse staffing on reducing infant, neonatal and perinatal mortality rates: Evidence from panel data analysis in 35 OECD countries

Objectives:To investigate the magnitude of effect nurse staffing had on decreasing the newborn mortality rates in member countries of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD).Methods:The statistical technique of panel data analysis was applied to explore the possibility of association between the number of nurses'density per 1,000 population and infant,neonatal and perinatal mortality rates(IMR,NMR and PMR)per 1000 births.The observations of 35 OECD countries were collected over the period of 2000 through 2016.Results:There were significant associations between nurse staffing and IMR,NMR and PMR i.e.a 1%increase in nurse-staffing level reduced IMR,NMR and PMR by 0.98%,0.97%and 0.96%,respectively.Furthermore,the role of nursing-related services in declining the average of newborn mortality rates were investigated at the highest level in Slovenia(-5.50),Sweden(-3.34),Iceland(-2.51),Czech Republic(-1.86),Japan(-1.64)and Finland(-1.64).Moreover,if the current relationship between nursestaffing level and newborn mortality rates are disturbed with nursing shortage(e.g.in Slovak Republic and Israel),then it takes about 17 years for the mortality rates to reduce and restore back to the previous equilibrium.Conclusions:A higher proportion of nurses'density per 1,000 population is associated with lower newborn mortality rates.In addition,the nursing-related services of Slovenia,Sweden,Iceland,Czech Republic,Japan and Finland with the highest impact on improving the health level of newborns would be good patterns for other developed countries in maternity and child health care.

Intraoperative complication rates in cataract surgery performed by resident trainees and staff surgeons in a tertiary eyecare center in Hungary

AIM: To compare the incidence of intraoperative complications during primary phacoemulsification(phaco) surgery between resident surgeons(residents) and staff surgeons(specialists) and to objectively determine the difficulty of stages in phaco surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study included cases of phaco cataract surgery performed between January and December 2019. There were no exclusion criteria. For each patient, demographics, clinical history, case complexity, type of surgeon, and operative details were reviewed. Primary outcomes included intraoperative complication rates and the objective measure of difficulty in the steps of the surgery performed by residents and specialists.RESULTS: A total of 3272 cases were included;7.4%(n=241) of cases were performed by residents. The overall complication rate was 5.4%(n=177). The intraoperative complication rate was significantly higher(P<0.001) in residents(n=33, 13.7%) than in specialists(n=144, 4.8%). The most frequent complications were posterior capsule tear(n=85, 2.6%), anterior capsule tear(n=50, 1.53%), zonular fiber loss(n=45, 1.38%), and dropped nucleus(n=15, 0.46%). Objectively, the most difficult steps during surgery were phaco in 66(60.0%), capsulorhexis in 21(19.1%), irrigation/aspiration in 13(11.8%), hydrodissection in 9(8.2%), and intraocular lens(IOL) implantation in 1(0.9%) case. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative complication rates are higher in residents than in specialists. The order of objective difficulty in phaco surgery steps is in line with the subjective findings of other surveys, revealing that the most challenging parts of phaco surgery are phaco and capsulorhexis.

Spread of Staphylococcus aureus between medical staff and high-frequency contact surfaces in a large metropolitan hospital

Objective:To examine whether bacteria are transferred between the hands of medical staff and high-frequency contact surfaces within and between departments of a major metropolitan hospital,and to further analyze the patterns of cross-transmission.Methods:Microbiological samples were collected from the hands of 112 hospital employees as well as from 120 high-frequency contact surfaces in four hospital departments.Samples were collected on agar plates,analyzed for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus or methicillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA)by standard microbiology testing,and partially genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.Results:Genetically identical MRSA was identified on the surface of an electrocardiography device in the medical intensive care unit and on the same type of device in the neurosurgical unit.Genetically similar S.aureus was identified on an infusion pump in the medical intensive care unit and on the hands of several doctors in a different department who regularly use that pump.Genetically identical S.aureus was also identified on bedside rail restraint in the medical intensive care unit and on the hands of the nurse in the neurosurgical unit.Finally,genetically similar MRSA was identified both on the surface of an electrocardiography device and on the suction apparatus in the medical intensive care unit.Conclusion:Cross-contamination of S.aureus or MRSA on medical workers'hands and contact surfaces was demonstrated within and between departments of a large metropolitan hospital.Improvements are needed in medical staff hygiene habits and in the cleaning of highfrequency contact surfaces to help prevent and control nosocomial infections.