Srinivasan, A., Song, X., Ross, T., Merz, W., Brower, R., & Perl, T.M. (2002). A prospective study to determine whether cover gowns in addition to gloves decrease nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in an intensive care unit. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 23, 424–428.

To determine whether cover gowns in addition to gloves decrease the nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in an intensive care unit.

• Current practice studied first: gown and nonsterile, disposable gloves. Change in practice studied: gloves only.
• Private rooms and hand washing signs
• Equipment, such as blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, and stethoscope, dedicated to the patient

• Mean patient age was 54.6 years (SD = 16.2).
• Patients with at least two perirectal cultures
• For the gown and gloves study period, 141 patients (with 64 patients colonized on admission) were enrolled for 895 days.
• For the gloves only group, mean age was 55 years (SD = 15.1), and 173 patients (with 71 colonized) were enrolled for 945 days.

Medical intensive care unit (teaching hospital)

This was a prospective study.

Gown and Gloves

• 22% (11 of 49) of patients at risk developed VRE
• Acquisition rate: 1.80 cases per 100 days
• 23% of patients’ admission cultures grew VRE

Gloves Only

• 22% (21 of 51) of patients at risk developed VRE
• Acquisition rate: 3.78 cases per 100 days
• 20% of patients' admission cultures grew VRE

• Length of stay was a risk factor.
• No conceptual model was described.