Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students

C. Saunders; L. Hryhorskyj; J. Skinner

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.003

Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students

C. Saunders^*, L. Hryhorskyj, J. Skinner

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. (C) 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	242-244
Number of pages	3
Journal	Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume	84
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.003
Publication status	Published - Jul 2013

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Clinical skills
Curriculum
Healthcare-associated infections
Medical students
Stethoscope cleanliness
HAND HYGIENE

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10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.003

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title = "Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students",

abstract = "This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. (C) 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.",

keywords = "Clinical skills, Curriculum, Healthcare-associated infections, Medical students, Stethoscope cleanliness, HAND HYGIENE",

author = "C. Saunders and L. Hryhorskyj and J. Skinner",

year = "2013",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.003",

language = "English",

volume = "84",

pages = "242--244",

journal = "Journal of Hospital Infection",

issn = "0195-6701",

publisher = "W.B. Saunders Company",

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}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students

AU - Saunders, C.

AU - Hryhorskyj, L.

AU - Skinner, J.

PY - 2013/7

Y1 - 2013/7

N2 - This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. (C) 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. (C) 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - Clinical skills

KW - Curriculum

KW - Healthcare-associated infections

KW - Medical students

KW - Stethoscope cleanliness

KW - HAND HYGIENE

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.003

DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.003

M3 - Article

SN - 0195-6701

VL - 84

SP - 242

EP - 244

JO - Journal of Hospital Infection

JF - Journal of Hospital Infection

IS - 3

ER -

Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students

Abstract / Description of output

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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