Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting.
BACKGROUND: To prove effectiveness of wrapping tablet computers in order to reduce microbiological contamination and to evaluate whether a plastic bag-covered tablet leads to impaired user satisfaction or touchscreen functionality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within a period of 11 days 115 patients were...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014-01-01
|
Series: | PLoS ONE |
Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4152284?pdf=render |
id |
doaj-1c6c650db7e84420b1fefea3e9c451b1 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-1c6c650db7e84420b1fefea3e9c451b12020-11-25T02:50:44ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0199e10644510.1371/journal.pone.0106445Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting.Matthias HammonBernd KunzVeronika DinzlFerdinand J KammererSiegfried A SchwabChristian BogdanMichael UderPhilipp M SchlechtwegBACKGROUND: To prove effectiveness of wrapping tablet computers in order to reduce microbiological contamination and to evaluate whether a plastic bag-covered tablet leads to impaired user satisfaction or touchscreen functionality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within a period of 11 days 115 patients were provided with a tablet computer while waiting for their magnetic resonance imaging examination. Every day the contamination of the surface of the tablet was determined before the first and after the final use. Before the device was handed over to a patient, it was enclosed in a customized single-use plastic bag, which was analyzed for bacterial contamination after each use. A questionnaire was applied to determine whether the plastic bag impairs the user satisfaction and the functionality of the touchscreen. RESULTS: Following the use by patients the outside of the plastic bags was found to be contaminated with various bacteria (657.5 ± 368.5 colony forming units/day); some of them were potentially pathogenic. In contrast, the plastic bag covered surface of the tablet was significantly less contaminated (1.7 ± 1.9 colony forming units/day). Likewise, unused plastic bags did not show any contamination. 11% of the patients reported problems with the functionality of the touchscreen. These patients admitted that they had never used a tablet or a smartphone before. CONCLUSIONS: Tablets get severely contaminated during usage in a clinical setting. Wrapping with a customized single-use plastic bag significantly reduces microbiological contamination of the device, protects patients from the acquisition of potentially pathogenic bacteria and hardly impairs the user satisfaction and the functionality of the touchscreen.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4152284?pdf=render |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Matthias Hammon Bernd Kunz Veronika Dinzl Ferdinand J Kammerer Siegfried A Schwab Christian Bogdan Michael Uder Philipp M Schlechtweg |
spellingShingle |
Matthias Hammon Bernd Kunz Veronika Dinzl Ferdinand J Kammerer Siegfried A Schwab Christian Bogdan Michael Uder Philipp M Schlechtweg Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. PLoS ONE |
author_facet |
Matthias Hammon Bernd Kunz Veronika Dinzl Ferdinand J Kammerer Siegfried A Schwab Christian Bogdan Michael Uder Philipp M Schlechtweg |
author_sort |
Matthias Hammon |
title |
Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. |
title_short |
Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. |
title_full |
Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. |
title_fullStr |
Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. |
title_sort |
practicability of hygienic wrapping of touchscreen operated mobile devices in a clinical setting. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS ONE |
issn |
1932-6203 |
publishDate |
2014-01-01 |
description |
BACKGROUND: To prove effectiveness of wrapping tablet computers in order to reduce microbiological contamination and to evaluate whether a plastic bag-covered tablet leads to impaired user satisfaction or touchscreen functionality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within a period of 11 days 115 patients were provided with a tablet computer while waiting for their magnetic resonance imaging examination. Every day the contamination of the surface of the tablet was determined before the first and after the final use. Before the device was handed over to a patient, it was enclosed in a customized single-use plastic bag, which was analyzed for bacterial contamination after each use. A questionnaire was applied to determine whether the plastic bag impairs the user satisfaction and the functionality of the touchscreen. RESULTS: Following the use by patients the outside of the plastic bags was found to be contaminated with various bacteria (657.5 ± 368.5 colony forming units/day); some of them were potentially pathogenic. In contrast, the plastic bag covered surface of the tablet was significantly less contaminated (1.7 ± 1.9 colony forming units/day). Likewise, unused plastic bags did not show any contamination. 11% of the patients reported problems with the functionality of the touchscreen. These patients admitted that they had never used a tablet or a smartphone before. CONCLUSIONS: Tablets get severely contaminated during usage in a clinical setting. Wrapping with a customized single-use plastic bag significantly reduces microbiological contamination of the device, protects patients from the acquisition of potentially pathogenic bacteria and hardly impairs the user satisfaction and the functionality of the touchscreen. |
url |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4152284?pdf=render |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT matthiashammon practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT berndkunz practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT veronikadinzl practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT ferdinandjkammerer practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT siegfriedaschwab practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT christianbogdan practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT michaeluder practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting AT philippmschlechtweg practicabilityofhygienicwrappingoftouchscreenoperatedmobiledevicesinaclinicalsetting |
_version_ |
1724736716012519424 |