Hospital Infection Control & Prevention – February 1, 2020
February 1, 2020
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Parents Can Pose Staph Risk to Babies in NICUs
The parents of babies in neonatal intensive care units can serve as a gateway for Staphylococcus aureus to colonize and potentially infect their newborns, researchers report in a recently published clinical trial.
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Is It Safe to Speak Up? Infection Prevention and ‘Psychological Safety’
The majority of infection preventionists surveyed in a new study reported the lack of a strong “psychological safety” culture in their hospitals, meaning workers may be less likely to point out breaks in aseptic technique and other incidents that could undermine patient safety.
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C. diff: Colonization and Consequences
Although once thought of almost exclusively as a hospital-acquired condition, Clostridioides difficile has established a presence in the community that means about 10% of incoming patients could be carrying it asymptomatically, a new study finds.
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Antibiotic-Resistant Infections in Pediatrics
There are some signs of progress in drug-resistant infections in pediatrics, suggesting that antibiotic stewardship efforts may be having an effect and fewer broad-spectrum agents are being used on this important patient group, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
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Infectious Disease Update: Are You Looking for ESBLs?
Prevention strategies are necessary to limit transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms in the hospital, especially in high-risk settings. Identification of carriers of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms via active surveillance, and contact isolation of positives, has been recommended for certain high-risk groups.
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Healthcare Worker Attitudes About Respiratory Protection: It’s Complicated
In an unusual qualitative study, healthcare workers revealed a variety of attitudes about respiratory protection equipment, including motivations and suspicions that could improve or undermine compliance.