Emergency medical systems teams are constantly faced with challenges of preventing infection transmission. The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant microbes (e.g., healthcare-acquired and community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus [VRE] and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli), along with growing concern regarding the spread of Clostridia difficile bacteria are problems facing all healthcare providers. A major challenge for EMS is the broad range of potentially transmissible infections, including the above pathogens and others that may be recognized or unrecognized when transporting patients.
Meeting best practices for cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces and patient care equipment constitutes an important factor in preventing the spread of infections. Environmental surfaces and patient care equipment can serve as reservoirs for pathogenic microorganisms, and, without clear written policies and procedures for the care, cleaning and disinfection of transport vehicles and equipment, patients and EMS teams are at increased risk. The most common means of infection transmission occurs when gloved or ungloved hands come in contact with a contaminated surface and/or there is patient contact with contaminated surfaces or medical equipment.1,2
