Combined Multi-Cellular Phone Charger and Sterilizing Unit to Reduce Hospital Acquired Infections
Toni-Ann Black; Vivian Black (MBBCh, MSc); Andrew D. Black (MBBCh, FCP)

Abstract
Cellular phones have an important role in hospitals in order to facilitate health care through communication and information access that can, however be a source of cross-infection. We designed, built and evaluated a unit that will sterilize several cellular phones while being charged in a hospital environment, using clear ultraviolet light. Thirty healthcare workers’ cellular phones were tested for bacteria pre-, immediately and six hours after being exposed to the unit. All cellular phones were contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria before exposure to the unit. The unit decreased the bacterial burden by over 98% and this decrease persisted six hours after exposure to the unit. All healthcare workers’ surveyed were prepared and able to use the unit. The unit proved to be an effective and acceptable infection control intervention and if placed in the hospital environment could reduce the risk of cross infections and contamination, potentially decreasing hospital acquired infections.

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