Survey of North Carolina hospital policies regarding visitor use of personal protective equipment for entering the rooms of patients under isolation precautions.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the range of hospital policies for visitor use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering the room of patients under isolation precautions.

DESIGN

Survey using an online questionnaire.

SETTING

Acute care hospitals registered in the North Carolina Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology (SPICE).

METHODS

A total of 136 North Carolina hospitals were invited to participate in an online survey. The survey questionnaire was developed, reviewed, and pilot tested, and then it was distributed through SPICE listserv registered e-mail addresses. The survey was conducted from February 6 to March 30, 2012.

RESULTS

Among 93 respondent hospitals (response rate, 68.4%), 82 acute care hospitals (60.3%) were included in the analyses. Substantial variation was observed with regard to hospital policies for visitor PPE use when visiting patients under isolation precautions. A total of 71% of hospitals had a hospital visitor policy, and 96% of respondents agreed that hospitals should have a visitor policy. Only 14% of hospitals monitored visitor compliance with PPE. Reported compliance rates varied from "very low" to 97%. Many hospitals (28%) reported difficulties related to visitor compliance with isolation precautions, including hostility and refusal to comply.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study results illuminated hospital policy variations for visitor isolation precautions. Reported problems with hospital visitor policies (eg, different policies across departments or facilities) suggest the need for standard guidelines and for enhanced public awareness about the importance of visitor compliance with isolation precautions.