Safety of Cystic Fibrosis Patients at Health Care Facilities

Authors

  • Mayyada Abdelsamad Hammouda Environmental Health and Safety graduate, Abu Dhabi University, UAE,
  • Manar Fawzi Bani Mfarrej College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, UAE.

Keywords:

Cystic Fibrosis (CF), environment, safety precautions, nebulizer, infection, Covid-19

Abstract

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common, life-shortening illnesses; it’s a genetic disease that affects the transport of water and salt across cells and affects various organs such as lungs, liver, and pancreas [1]. Cystic fibrosis patients need safety more than anyone else during their visits to the hospital, so CF patients are classified among one of the most vulnerable groups to get infections from the hospital during their visits. The purpose of this qualitative research is to study the safety of cystic fibrosis patients at hospitals and whether they have the proper safety precautions that they need at the hospital or not. The methods used in the study were reviews, interviews, and surveys - as the data collection method. The results obtained showed that sometimes it’s very challenging to protect the CF patients from getting infections and bacteria from hospital environments, also it showed that different hospitals and medical universities are taking proper and very strict safety precautions for CF patients due to mainly they are following the CF foundation guidelines and some universities are fully accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The study discussed, the safety precautions for CF patients in the clinic, how does the hospital environments affect CF patients, separating CF patients from each other, hand hygiene, nebulizer care for CF inpatients, safety precautions for CF patients during COVID-19 and infection control strategies for CF patients. Safety precautions and efforts of hospitals in dealing with CF patients have been discussed as well. Applying safety precautions for CF patients is challenging for hospitals due to the vulnerability of CF patients and hospitals should take strict actions on safety precautions to ensure the patient’s safety.  

References

. Sockrider, M. M., DrPH, & Ferkol, T. W. “Twenty Factors About Cystic Fibrosis”. Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2017;196:12-23.

. McIntosh, J. (2018). “Cystic fibrosis: Symptoms, causes, and management” .Available from URL: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147960. Accessed July 24, 2020.

. Cunningham, J. C., & Taussig, L. M. (2003). “An Introduction to Cystic Fibrosis for Patients and Families”. Avaliable from URL: https://www.cff.org/PDF-Archive/An-Introduction-to-Cystic-Fibrosis-for-Patients-and-Their-Families/. Accessed July 24, 2020.

. World Health Organization. “Patient safety”. Available from URL: https://www.who.int/teams/integrated-health-services/patient-safety/about Accessed 20 April 2021.

. Savant, A., O'Malley, C., Bichl, S., et al. “Improved patient safety through reduced airway infection rates in a paediatric cystic fibrosis programme after a quality improvement effort to enhance infection prevention and control measures”. BMJ Quality & safety 2014;23:i73-i80.

. Mfarrej, M.F.B., Al Gunaid, S. & Nazir, A. “Pathogenic Microorganisms in University Offices- Detection and Designing a Sustainable Organic Treatment”. Recent Technology and Engineering 2019; 8:3.

. Saiman, L., & Siegel, J. “Infection Control in Cystic Fibrosis”. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 2004;17:57-71.

. Rowbotham, N.J, Palser, S.C, Smith, S.J., et al. “Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine. Infection prevention and control in cystic fibrosis”: a systematic review of interventions 2019;13:425-434.

. Children Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.(2014). “INFECTION CONTROL GUIDELINES FOR PEOPLE WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS”. Available from URL: https://www.childrensmn.org/departments/webrn/pdf/cystic-fibrosis-infection-control-guidelines-2013.pdf. Accessed July 26, 2020.

. Saiman, L., Siegel, J. D., Lipuma, J. J., et al. “Infection Prevention and Control Guideline for Cystic Fibrosis”: 2013 Update. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 2014;35:1-7.

. University of Michigan (n.d). “Cystic Fibrosis (Adult Clinic)”. Avaliable from URL:https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/pulmonary/cystic-fibrosis/clinic Accessed July 20, 2020.

. Bell, S. C., Armstrong, D., Harrington, G., et al. “Work environment risks for health care workers with cystic fibrosis”. Respirology 2018;23:12.

. Neal, B. (2019). “Here's Why CF Patients Have To Remain Six Feet Apart”. Avaliable from URL: https://www.bustle.com/p/why-cystic-fibrosis-patients-need-to-stay-6-feet-apart-as-five-feet-apart-shows-16963999?fbclid=IwAR0s1JveBnDwb76TpfL3IS8zy0E6-bcGVbf-KCrVOrSij-hi_s-jO3Bo1lQ. Accessed October 9, 2019.

. Cystic Fibrosis Australia. (2012). “INFECTION CONTROL GUIDELINES FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS AND CARERS”. [Cystic Fibrosis Australia web site]. (2012) Available from URL: https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.au/CysticFibrosis/media/CFA/Policies/02_CFA_InfectionControlGuidelines_LowRez.pdf. Accessed July 26, 2020.

. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (2014). “8 WAYSFOR PEOPLE WITH CF TO GUARD AGAINST GERMS IN EVERYDAY LIFE”. Avaliable from URL:: https://www.cff.org/Life-With-CF/Daily-Life/Germs-and-Staying-Healthy/How-Can-You-Avoid-Germs/8-Ways-to-Guard-Against-Germs-in-Everyday-Life/. Accessed July 26, 2020.

. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019).”Guidelines for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Centers”. Available from URL:https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/prevention.html?fbclid=IwAR3bzwFsnpZcmj0GnW25xqyaHq_IhrkwyeUCFIwK2n1BufISGcXjXkEZV4s. Accessed October 9, 2019.

. Editorial Team of Health Union. (2019). “Cleaning and Disinfecting Nebulizers”. Available from URL: at https://cystic-fibrosis.com/nebulizer-cleaning/. Accessed July 27, 2020.

. University of California, Los Angeles. (2016). “Respiratory Care Services Basic Care of the CF Inpatient”. Available from URL: https://www.uclahealth.org/respiratory-care/ Accessed July 22, 2020.

. Subramaniam, V. (2020). “Information About COVID-19 for Cystic Fibrosis Patients”. Available from URL: :https://cysticfibrosisnewstoday.com/information-about-covid-19-cystic-fibrosis/. Accessed 25 July, 2020.

. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation. (2020). “COVID-19 Community Questions and Answers”. Available from URL: https://www.cff.org/Life-With-CF/Daily-Life/Germs-and-Staying-Healthy/CF-and-Coronavirus/COVID-19-Community-Questions-and-Answers/. Accessed December 11, 2020.

. Farrell, P.M , & White, T.B. (2017). “Introduction to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Consensus Guidelines for Diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis”. Available from URL: https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(16)31046-0/fulltext. Accessed November 23, 2020.

. BC WOMEN'S HOSPITAL & HEALTH CENTER, BC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, & BC Mental Health & Addiction Services. (2016). “Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines for patients with CF”. Available from URL: http://policyandorders.cw.bc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Infection%20Control/IC%2006%2001%20Cystic%20Fibrosis_April%2013%202016%20FINAL.pdf . Accessed 14 August 2020.

. Bell, J., Alexander, L., Carson, J., et al. “Nebuliser hygiene in cystic fibrosis” Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine”. 2019;16(2):190-328.

. The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. (2019). “Infection Prevention and Control in Cystic Fibrosis Patients (Adult and Paediatric)”. Available from URL: https://www.newcastle-hospitals.org.uk/downloads/policies/Infection%20Control/CysticFibrosisPolicy201906.pdf Accessed 14 August 2020.

. Public Health Ontario. (2014). “Best Practices for Hand Hygiene in All Health Care Settings”. Available from URL: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/health-topics/infection-prevention-control/hand-hygiene. Accessed August 27, 2020

. British Lung Foundation. (2020). “Cleaning your nebulizer” .Available from URL: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/nebulisers/cleaning. Accessed August 16, 2020.

. The Cystic Fibrosis Center at Stanford. “Cystic Fibrosis Infection Control”. Available from URL: https://med.stanford.edu/cfcenter/education/english/CFinfection-control.html. Accessed August 16, 2020.

Downloads

Published

2021-10-02

How to Cite

Hammouda, M. A. ., & Mfarrej, M. F. B. . (2021). Safety of Cystic Fibrosis Patients at Health Care Facilities. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), 60(3), 93–107. Retrieved from https://www.gssrr.org/index.php/JournalOfBasicAndApplied/article/view/12886

Issue

Section

Articles