Isolation ward access block

Anthony Morton; Michael Whitby; David Looke

doi:10.1071/HI09102

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Isolation ward access block

Anthony Morton ^A ^B ^C , Michael Whitby ^A and David Looke ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Infection Management Services, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102, Australia.

^B The School of Mathematical Sciences, The Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.

^C Corresponding author. Email: amor5444@bigpond.net.au

Healthcare Infection 14(2) 47-50 https://doi.org/10.1071/HI09102
Published: 11 June 2009

Abstract

There is overwhelming evidence that hospitals become unsafe with persistent high bed occupancy. Potentially preventable deaths occur and length of stay is prolonged. Infections and colonisations with multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms increase. It is probable that overall long-term efficiency is impaired. Isolation ward access block may be one of the mechanisms by which transmission of multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms is enhanced.

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