Tom Makin BSc Hons, MWMSoc, discusses a pilot study at a large teaching hospital comparing the efficacy of the Medi-Shower silver impregnated showerhead and hose with fixed and adjustable showerheads in a healthcare environment.
Showers are a necessity in many healthcare premises for patient and staff welfare. However, they present a foreseeable risk of nosocomial waterborne infection from the inhalation of Legionella and other bacteria, and fungal spores such as those produced by Aspergillus fumigatus. The direct contact of water contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and other commonly occurring waterborne bacteria discharged from shower outlets onto open wounds and burns can result in morbidity and mortality.
Healthcare showers can remain unused for long periods of time, notably where patients have limited mobility, or may choose not to shower. Showers can also be misused and contaminated by patients and staff. Concern has been raised about the role of showers in supporting and transmitting multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria such as carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE), which is now a widespread problem throughout Europe according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s ‘EuSCAPE project 2013’.
Showerhead maintenance
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