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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare colony counts from bacterial colonization of the bath basins pre and post cleaning after a basin bath.
Method: A prospective study design was used to compare bath basins.
Sample: The sample included the bath basins of 97 adults between the ages of 18 and 100 years of age who were hospitalized for at least 48-72 hours and required a two basin baths.
Procedures: The samples were obtained after the patient received the second basin bath and the bath basins were allowed to air dry. All 97 patients’ basins were cultured after the bath was given. Using sterile technique, the researchers obtained a specimen by swabbing each basin, and then wiped the bath basin with a germicidal wipe. The basin was allowed to air dry and cultured a second time using this same technique. Each pair of culture swabs, previously moistened with sterile liquid culture media was used to obtain the culture specimen. Pre and post samples are plated on Blood Agar and incubated for 24 hours at 37° C, in a non- CO2 environment followed by 24 hours incubation exposure at room temperature. After incubation the lab identified various types of bacteria and performed total colony counts.
Results: Tests of differences indicated that there were significant statistical differences pre and post cultures. Ten percent of the sample had a history of (MRSA) and (1%) had a history of (VRE). Pre-cleaning basin results indicated that 60% of the samples had no colony growth, 26% bacillus, 19% staph (coag negative), and 1% viridians strep. The post cleaning resulted in 2% of dipheroids.