Stethoscope hygiene practices among physicians and medical students at a public hospital in guyana: A Comparative study on knowledge, attitudes and microbial contamination

The study aimed to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of doctors and medical students about stethoscope hygiene and investigate the microbial load and prevalence of MRSA on stethoscopes. This cross-sectional, experimental study surveyed 100 participants, including 50 doctors and 50 medical students, and used microbiological tests to determine the microbial load and presence of MRSA on the stethoscopes. The results showed that medical students had a significantly higher median bacterial load than doctors, and 8 stethoscopes were contaminated with MRSA. All participants had excellent knowledge of nosocomial pathogen spread and the role of stethoscopes in transmission. However, only half acknowledged cleaning their stethoscopes after each patient; time constraints, complacency over time, and too many patients were common reasons for not cleaning frequently. The study suggests that hospital management and quality specialists should introduce rigorous quality assurance and infection control training.