Pre-educational intervention survey of healthcare practioners’ compliance with infection prevention measures in cardiothoracic surgery: low compliance but internationally comparable surgical site infection rate

Methods We used a structured observational method to collect data about infection control practices amongst surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, cardiopulmonary bypass technicians and orderlies practicing in the cardiac operating room during open-heart surgery at Mater Dei Hospital. To prevent bias, we did not disclose the actual procedures observed to the surgical team members, who however knew they were being observed for infection control practices. We measured the 30-day SSI rate by post-discharge telephonic surveillance amongst surviving open-heart surgery patients who had consented to the survey.