Lubwama Margaret, Kateete David P, Ayazika Kirabo Tess, Nalwanga Winnie, Kagambo Douglas Bruno, Nsubuga Mayanja David, Arach Arnold Kingston, Ssetaba Leoson Junior, Wamala Joyce N, Rwot Leah Amaro, Kajumbula Henry
Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Adv Med Educ Pract. 2021 Oct 28;12:1247-1257. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S333223. eCollection 2021.
Contaminated mobile phones act as reservoirs for organisms causing hospital-acquired infections (HAI). Little is known about medical school students' awareness of infection prevention and control (IPC) regarding mobile phone use among medical students. We demonstrated the presence of organisms on mobile phones of final-year medical students at Makerere University College of Health Sciences and evaluated their awareness of IPC regarding mobile phone hygiene and use in a hospital setting.
In this cross-sectional study, organisms from swabs obtained from 79 medical students' mobile phones were identified and antimicrobial susceptibility test carried out using standard biochemical tests and the automated BD Phoenix instrument. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire to assess the students' awareness. The analysis was carried out using STATA software version 16.
Seventy (88.6%) mobile phones were contaminated with at least one organism. One hundred forty-eight bacteria were isolated, of which 123 (83.1%) were Gram-positive, 24 (16.2%) were Gram-negative, and 1 (0.7%) was yeast ( spp). Coagulase negative staphylococci were the most frequently isolated among Gram-positive bacteria. were the most frequently isolated among Gram-negative bacteria. The average IPC practical score regarding mobile phone hygiene (34%) was significantly lower than the average IPC awareness score (77%) (p ≤ 0.0001). Seventy-four (93.7%) students use their phones while rotating in the various wards. Forty (50.6%) of the students cleaned their phones with alcohol-based sanitizer after rotations in the ward. Thirty-five (44.3%) students were aware of IPC programs in the hospital they rotated in.
There is a high prevalence of bacterial contamination from mobile phones of medical students. The students had lower IPC practical scores compared to IPC awareness scores regarding mobile phone hygiene irrespective of the ward of rotation. Curriculum of final-year medical students should include IPC-related topics, which incorporate practical skills.
受污染的手机是导致医院获得性感染（HAI）的病原体的储存库。关于医学院学生对医学生手机使用方面的感染预防与控制（IPC）的认识知之甚少。我们展示了马凯雷雷大学健康科学学院最后一年医学生手机上存在的病原体，并评估了他们对医院环境中手机卫生和使用方面的IPC的认识。
在这项横断面研究中，从79名医学生手机拭子中获取的病原体进行鉴定，并使用标准生化试验和自动化BD Phoenix仪器进行药敏试验。使用自填问卷收集数据以评估学生的认识。使用STATA软件版本16进行分析。
70部（88.6%）手机被至少一种病原体污染。共分离出148株细菌，其中123株（83.1%）为革兰氏阳性菌，24株（16.2%）为革兰氏阴性菌，1株（0.7%）为酵母菌（ spp）。凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌是革兰氏阳性菌中最常分离出的菌种。 是革兰氏阴性菌中最常分离出的菌种。关于手机卫生的IPC实践平均得分（34%）显著低于IPC认识平均得分（77%）（p≤0.0001）。74名（93.7%）学生在各个病房轮转时使用手机。40名（50.6%）学生在病房轮转后用含酒精的消毒剂清洁手机。35名（44.3%）学生知晓他们轮转所在医院的IPC项目。
医学生手机细菌污染的患病率很高。无论在哪个病房轮转，学生在手机卫生方面的IPC实践得分都低于IPC认识得分。最后一年医学生的课程应包括与IPC相关的主题，其中纳入实践技能。
