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. 2023 May 22;18(5):e0286002.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286002. eCollection 2023.

Volunteers, religious communities and users representatives as an alternative for visiting hospitalized patients: The importance of an infection control training

Audrey Maurand  1 , Ronan Le Guen  1 , Celine Sakr  1   2 , Nadine Sabourin  1 , Bruno Hacquin  1 , Stéphanie Boulmier  1 , Christèle Bonnin  1 , Lamnakhone Gobe  1 , Frédéric Fourreau  1 , Jean-Winoc Decousser  1   2
Affiliations

Volunteers, religious communities and users representatives as an alternative for visiting hospitalized patients: The importance of an infection control training

Audrey Maurand et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension of relatives' visits was a common measure in healthcare facilities to prevent the spread of the virus among patients. This measure caused significant adverse consequences for hospitalized patients. Volunteers' intervention was an alternative but could also lead to cross transmission events.

Aims: in order to secure their intervention with patients, we implemented an infection control training to evaluate and to improve the knowledge of volunteers about infection control measures.

Method: We performed a before-after study in a group of five tertiary referral teaching hospitals in the suburbs of Paris. A total of 226 volunteers from three groups (religious representatives, civilian volunteers and users' representatives) were included. Basic theoretical and practical knowledge about infection control, hand hygiene, and glove and mask use were evaluated just before and immediately after a three-hour training program. The contribution of the characteristics of the volunteers to the results was studied.

Findings: The initial conformity rate for theoretical and practical infection control measures ranged from 53% to 68%, depending on the participants' activity status and education level. Some critical shortcomings in hand hygiene as well as mask and glove wearing putatively endangered the patients and volunteers. Surprisingly, serious gaps were also identified among volunteers who experienced care activities. Regardless of their origin, the program significantly improved both their theoretical and practical knowledge (p<0.001). Real-life observance and long-term sustainability should be monitored.

Conclusions: To become a secure alternative to relatives' visits, volunteers' interventions must be preceded by the assessment of their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in infection control. Additional study, including practice audit, must confirm the implementation of the acquired knowledge in the real-life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Level of knowledge before the training session according to participants’ characteristics.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Level of knowledge after the training session according to participants’ characteristics.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Evolution of the theoretical and practical conformity of the volunteers (N = 226) before and after the training sessions.
Each improvement in theoretical and practical knowledge was significant (p <0.001).
Fig 4
Fig 4. Level of conformity in Hand hygiene before the training session according to participants’ characteristics.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Level of conformity in mask donning and duffing before the training session according to participants’ characteristics.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Level of conformity in Hand hygiene after the training session according to participants’ characteristics.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Level of conformity in mask donning and duffing after the training session according to participants’ characteristics.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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