Hospital Infection Control & Prevention – October 1, 2018
October 1, 2018
View Issues
-
Outcasts: HAIs Stigmatize Discharged Patients
Some patients infected or colonized with MRSA and other multidrug-resistant organisms report feeling stigmatized, comparing their plight to historical outcasts like lepers and plague victims. -
Staffing Woes: IP-Hospital Beds Ratio Outdated
Infection prevention staffing needs can vary widely by facilities, but in the absence of an analysis of the actual duties and labor required, many hospitals still rely on outdated IP-patient bed ratios. -
SHEA: Avoid Routine Testing for C. diff in the NICU
In contrast to adult patients, infants under 12 months rarely develop C. diff infection but can be frequently colonized. A positive test may reveal colonization that poses little threat of disease or subsequent transmission, possibly triggering unnecessary treatment and unneeded isolation measures, warns the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America in a new whitepaper.
-
‘Why the Foley?’ Initiative Grabs Attention, Prevents CAUTIs
Not everyone was pleased with the provocative acronym, but an infection preventionist’s “Why the Foley?” campaign captured attention and dramatically reduced catheter-associated urinary tract infections. -
Joint Commission Revises IC Devices Standard
The changes generally add more detailed instructions for surveyors, focus on the highest risk to patients, and note that the hang time of endoscopes will not be assessed anymore as an infection control requirement. -
FDA Adds New Safety Warning for Fluoroquinolones
Adding another in a series of label warnings for fluoroquinolones, the FDA is emphasizing that the antibiotics pose too high a risk of patient harm to be used for relatively minor infections. -
CDC: New Flu Vaccine Ready After Harsh 2017-2018 Season
On the heels of a brutal 2017-2018 flu season, the vaccine strains for the 2018-2019 season have been set. -
EMTs Treating Opioid Patients Succumb to Illness
Infection preventionists are striving to prevent opioid outbreaks related to drug diversion by healthcare workers. Those with a second hat in employee health are no doubt aware of another threat that is almost as insidious: EMTs becoming sick after treating opioid overdose patients.