Evaluation of the Injury Experiences of Healthcare Worker and the Measures taken, in a Training and Research Hospital

Aim: Healthcare workers frequently carry out invasive procedures as part of their jobs. Regarding this situation, they are at risk for stab injuries and also for infectious diseases such as primarily hepatitis infections and Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV) depending on the contact of blood and body fluids to mucous membranes. Applying the infection control measures effectively is very important to reduce the risk of transmission. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the occupational injuries in our hospital and to ensure the relevant measures by determining whether the necessary precautions were taken. Mehtod: Healthcare workers injuries which were occurred at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Education and Research Hospital between 2016 and 2018 were investigated retrospectively. After the records of the infection control committee were examined retrospectively in the first two years, the rate of injury was found to be high, once a month, by the Infectious Diseases Specialist, Medical Microbiology Specialist and Infection Control Committee. Face-to-face training seminars were given to reduce the changes in the data in the last three months of 2018, when the training was given. Results: A total of 220 healthcare workers were included in our study in 3 years. The average age of the workers was 26.4 ± 4.1 years, and the female / male ratio was found as 143/77. In all three years, injuries were seen most commonly in nurses, second in intern students. After the trainings, the greatest reduction in the injury rates was observed in injectör needle sting injuries. Among the hospital staff, the greatest decrease in the injuries was observed in the cleaning staff Conclusion: Healthcare workers should be followed up that whether or not take protective measures such as primarly active and passive immune prophylaxis and carry out infection control measures correctly and effectively, against the occupationally transmitted diseases. Feedback should be received for this purpose and in case of deficiencies, it should be ensured to raise awareness by regular and continuous trainings.Keywords: Education, awareness, healtcare injuryDOI: 10.7176/JHMN/75-0

Hand Hygiene Compliance in an Education and Research Hospital Intensive Care Units

Objective and Aim: Errors occurring during the provision of health services are medical errors. Hospital infections counted among these errors remain a serious health problem on the agenda. Hand hygiene is the most effective and cheapest way to prevent hospital infections, and it is also a method that can be easily applied by the healthcare worker. With hand hygiene compliance, it has been shown that one third of the hospital infections and even one third and half of the hospital infections occurring in intensive care are reduced. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate hand hygiene observation data retrospectively in intensive care units. Materials and Method: This study was carried out in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University (RTEU) Training and Research Hospital Intensive Care Units (Internal Intensive Care, Surgical Intensive Care, Anesthesia Intensive Care, Cardiovascular Surgery Intensive Care, Coronary Intensive Care, Pediatric Intensive Care, Newborn Intensive Care) in 2016 and 2017. There were doctors, nurses and assistant health personnel among the healthcare professionals. Hand hygiene observation was made according to five basic indication rules. Results: In the Intensive Care Units (ICU), 255 health workers were evaluated in 2016 and 430 in 2017. The compliance rate in the ICU was evaluated as 86%. According to the five indication rules, the highest compliance was with 90-95% before aseptic procedures, after contamination with body fluids and after contact with the patient's environment. The least compliance was before contact with 60% of patients. According to professions, the compliance rate of physicians was 85%, nurses 95%, and assistant health personnel 90%. According to the units; The highest compliance was in the Surgical Intensive Care, Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with 97%, and the least in the Anesthesia and Internal Medicine Intensive Care Units with 69% and 60% Discussion and Conclusion: Hand hygiene compliance; It is still below the desired levels, with regular training, evaluations and feedback. Hospital infections, especially for the prevention of intensive care infections, besides continuing education, rewarding practices will be more motivating for healthcare professionals here. It should develop and implement a feasible, acceptable, acceptable hand hygiene policy in hospitals.Keywords: Hand hygiene compliance, feedback, patient safety, intensive careDOI: 10.7176/JHMN/75-0

Demographic, Clinical and Radiological Features of Healthcare Workers and Two Index Cases That Were Infected with COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2)

To evaluate the index cases leading to the transmission of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Rize/Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Faculty of Medicine Education and Research Hospital with COVID-19 infection and the clinical features of infected HCWs. The first two COVID-19 test positive patients treated at Rize/Turkey between 10.03.2020 and 12.04.2020 and HCWs those who examined these two patients whose COVID-19 PCR test results were positive were included in this study. In Rize/Turkey, the first and second cases of positive COVID-19 which was recorded on 13.03.2020 on 25.03.2020, 27 HCWs (female, 63%, n = 17 and male, 37%, n = 10 and the mean age was 33.2 ± 6.9 years) who contacted during the treatment of these cases and became COVID-19 positive were examined. The median of symptom duration (days) of the HCWs was 5 days (range: 0–17 days). Fever, 55.6% (n = 15); malaise, 44.4% (n = 12); cough, 40.7% (n = 11); sore throat, 33.3% (n = 9); myalgia, 33.3% (n = 9); dyspnea, 14.8% (n = 4); diarrhea, 22.2% (n = 6); vomiting, 14.8% (n = 4); anosmia, 18.5% (n = 5); ageusia, 22.2% (n = 6) and headache, 37% (n = 10) of the cases. The rates of headache in female HCWs infected with COVID-19 were found to be significantly higher compared to men (52.9%). None of them had severe clinical situation requiring intensive care follow-up or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Laboratory measurements of HCWs were carried out at the first when they had symptoms and when they recovered, and results were compared accordingly. The thorax computerized tomography (CT) findings of HCWs were normal in 74.1% (n = 20) of total. HCWs were initially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Early measures provided by the Health authorities, access to diagnosis and treatment, and the young age average in HCWs prevented severe outcomes such as severe clinical course and mortality at the beginning of the outbreak

COVID-19 Pregnant Patient Management with a Case of COVID-19 Patient with An Uncomplicated Delivery

WOS: 000576587500012PubMed: 33031729Pregnancy has always been a concern in epidemics all over the world. While coronavirus (COVID-19) disease ravages the world, it is a big curiosity how pregnant women will be affected by this disease. There are a few published case series and commentary of COVID-19 occurring during pregnancy. in this study, we discussed how to manage this disease in pregnant women. A 38-week pregnant, 37-year-old woman whose father passed away from COVID-19 admitted to the hospital with dyspnea, nonproductive cough, and fever. She had positive radiological features for COVID-19, and her rapid antibody test was positive. Lopinavir-ritonavir combination and azithromycin treatments were given, and the patient's symptoms regressed with treatment. the patient was taken to cesarean by providing isolation conditions, and she had a healthy baby with an uncomplicated delivery. There are no certain data about whether COVID-19 infection is worse in pregnant patients or not. on the basis of the limited data in the literature, we cannot see intrauterine transmission from infected mother to baby. However, we know that there would be serious pulmonary complications for the infected mother. Fortunately, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection did not progress more severely in pregnant women than in the normal population compared with the previous severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak

Prognostic value of hematological parameters

KOSTAKOGLU, UGUR/0000-0002-4589-0962;WOS: 000435652100002Aim: Acute bacterial and viral infections are usually associated with elevations of the mean platelet volume. We correlated infection with influenza changes in mean platelet volume (MPV), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), to determine whether these might be predictors for the duration of hospitalization or mortality. Material and Method: A total of 122 influenza patients (54 males and 68 females), including 87 children and 35 adults, and 42 age-gender-matched healthy individuals (18 males and 24 females) including 25 children and 17 adults were included in the study. Hematologic tests were conducted on the patients and controls. Linear regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of hospitalization. Results: the MPV was significantly higher in influenza patients [10.7 (min/max 7.5-15) fL] than in the healthy control group [7.8(min/max 5.7-10.8) fL, p<0.001]. the NLR and PLR were similar in both groups. There was no correlation between MPV, NLR, or PLR and mortality. Predictors of hospitalization were determined to be neutrophil level (NL) and NLR and PLR ratios (p = 0.00, p = 0.035 and p = 0.041, respectively). Discussion: Neutrophil, MPV, NLR, and PLR were significantly higher in the influenza group. While the MPV was not determined to correlate with the length of stay and mortality in the patient group, the higher levels of NLR and PLR and increased neutrophil levels predicted the duration of hospitalization

Determination of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from various clinical samples

KOSTAKOGLU, UGUR/0000-0002-4589-0962; SANDALLI, Cemal/0000-0002-1298-3687WOS: 000408494600002Aim - the present study aimed to detect mecA and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates obtained from various clinical samples in two university hospitals. It was also aimed to make comparison amongst the isolates. Materials and Methods - A total of 99 MRSA strains isolated from various clinical samples between 2011-2015 were included in the study. Bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from Staphylococcus aureus strains using GF-1 DNA extraction Kit (Vivantis, Malaysia). mecA gene were detected, and SCCmec cassette types were determined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) first, and following specific PCR. Specific MRSA strains such as COL type I, PER3 type Ia, and HU25 type IIIa were used as the quality control strains for optimization of multiplex PCR. the amplification products were electrophoresed using agarose gel electrophoresis in TAE buffer (mixture of tris base, acetic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). Results - mecA gene was detected in 60 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, and these were identificated as MRSA. Amongst the MRSA strains, SCCmec type III was the most frequent cassette type (42 isolates, 70.0%). SCCmec type I was detected in 27 isolates (45.0%), type II was in 26 isolates (43.3%), and type V in 23 isolates (38.3%). Conclusion - in the present study, the most frequent cassette was detected as SCCmec type III in concordance with the studies conducted in Turkey and in some regions in the world. in conclusion, determination of epidemiological and molecular characteristics of MRSA strains has critical importance because of the difficulties in the treatment and of the nosocomial infections and epidemics they caused. the data obtained would contribute to the preventions in terms of epidemiology

ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT IN PRESUMED OCULAR TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS WITH GRANULOMATOSIS OCULAR PATHOLOGIES: SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE FROM TURKIYE

Objective: Ocular tuberculosis is still considered to be a controversial issue in terms of both terminology and diagnostic criteria and treatment options. There is no common diagnostic/treatment algorithm even though new approaches exist.In this study, the results of the treatment of "presumed ocular tuberculosis patients" are evaluated

Role of vaginal brachytherapy boost following adjuvant external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer: Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology Gynecologic Group Study (TROD 04-002)

Objectiv