Table 1 Characteristics of rooms hosting patients with Clostridium difficile infections, Jewish General Hospital, Canada, April 2012- March 2013

Room type (%)

 Private

25 (13.7 %)

76 (45.2 %)

<0.001

 2-bedded room

114 (62.3 %)

85 (50.6 %)

0.04

 3-4-bedded room

44 (24.0 %)

7 (4.2 %)

<0.001

Location of the closest available sink for HCW handwash (%)

 Nursing station

92 (50.3 %)

79 (47.0 %)

0.61

 Hallway

78 (42.6 %)

83 (49.4 %)

0.24

 Medication room

9 (4.9 %)

4 (2.4 %)

0.26

 Clean utility room

2 (1.1 %)

2 (1.2 %)

1.00

Other

2 (1.1 %)

0 (0 %)

0.49

Median distance between patient room and closest sink (meters) (IQR)

11.6 (6.7–18.9)

12.5 (6.7–23.2)

0.005

 Private room

9.8 (4.0–22)

16.2 (6.4–25.6)

0.21

 2 bedded room

10.5 (6.3–18.9)

10.4 (7.0–20.1)

0.60

 3-4 bedded room

12.8 (8.2–20.7)

18.9 (13.4–23.2)

0.22

Path from room to nearest sink (%)

 Direct line from patient room

60 (32.8 %)

62 (36.9 %)

0.49

 One 90° turn required to reach sink

30 (16.4 %)

22 (13.1 %)

0.47

 Two or more 90° turns required to reach sink

93 (50.8 %)

84 (50.0 %)

0.96