Effectiveness of stringent decontamination of computer input devices in the era of electronic medical records and bedside computing: A randomized controlled trial

Bedside computing may lead to increased hospital-acquired infections mediated by computer input devices handled immediately after patient contact. We compared 2 decontamination methods in 2 types of wards. We found high baseline contamination rates, which decreased following decontamination, but the rates remained unacceptably high. Decontamination was more effective in intensive care units compared with medical wards and when using alcohol-based impregnated wipes compared with quaternary ammonium-based impregnated wipes.