Dive Brief:
- A new report published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology concludes that to reduce the spread of infections like MRSA and C. diff., doctors should change the way they dress when working in hospitals.
- According to the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, physicians should avoid wearing long sleeves, wrist watches, neckties and jewelry. They should also wear sturdy, close-toed shoes.
- Also, doctors should wash their white coats at least once a week in hot water and bleach, the journal article suggests.
Dive Insight:
At present, there is no known direct link between germs on healthcare workers' clothing and actual patient infections, but assuming that there could be makes sense, according to epidemiologists. One thing seems clear: whether the germs are transmitted or not, they do occupy health workers clothes. Sleeves, pockets, and other parts of healthcare workers' coats and scrubs can harbor germs such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter. Despite the lack of evidence that health workers are transmitting these diseases, it seems to me that it's better safe than sorry.