Barriers and Facilitators to Improving Hospital Cleanliness in a Brazilian Hospital

Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat. Integrated actions are necessary to reduce multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in healthcare settings, including antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention measures, and optimal environmental hygiene. We developed a project to improve hospital hygiene that involves 3 phases: (1) diagnostic, compounded by assessment of cleanliness and identification of barriers and facilitators for environment cleanliness improvement; (2) intervention, based on review of structure and processes followed by a training program focused on major weaknesses identified; and (3) evaluation, impact of the intervention assessment. Objectives: We performed group interviews to identify barriers and facilitators for improving environment cleanliness. Methods: The project was performed by the infection control team and the housekeeping manager in a 350-bed, private hospital located in the city of São Paulo (Brazil). Two group interviews were conducted, one involving supervisors and the other involving housekeeping cleaners. All professionals were invited to participate. A semistructured questionnaire was used to guide the discussion, which was compounded by the following topics: working process, availability of human and material resources, training on institutional norms and routines, perception regarding work conditions, and quality of cleanliness. Results: In total, 33 professionals attended the interviews: 12 were supervisors and 21 were housekeeping cleaners. The main facilitator identified was a good perception by the housekeeping team regarding the project. We identified several sets of barriers: (1) human resources, such as supervisor executing the cleaning, inadequate sizing of human resources in shifts, reduced scale on Sunday and holiday shifts, and lack of professional replacement for sick leave and vacation; (2) supplies and equipment, such as torn bed linen, insufficient mops, centralized and inadequate dilution of sanitizers causing delays and impacting quality of hygiene; (3) education, such as lack of training program perceived by supervisors (management) and housekeeping cleaners (basic procedures for cleaning) and knowledge regarding who cleans what; (4) motivation and relationships, such as supervisor perceptions that housekeeping cleaners are unmotivated, and this causes absenteeism. The team feels that they are disregarded by doctors, and they have relationship problems with nursing and hospital engineering staff. Also, they are afraid of being physically assaulted by coworkers. Finally, professionals reported the perception that the hospital is not clean enough and that this is related to the short time goals imposed on the staff. Conclusions: The main barriers identified were related to education strategies and management of human and material resources. The results will support the intervention phase.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None