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Two Epidemiologic Intelligence Service officers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention visited the Endoscopy Clinic of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas to investigate cases of hepatitis C and noted lapses in injection safety.
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A nursing journal published by the state licensing board in Nevada recently urged nurses to report breaches in infection control and other egregious acts in light of the hepatitis C outbreak in Las Vegas linked to improper injection practices. The following is an excerpt from the article, written by Deborah Scott, MSN, RN, APN.
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With the commemoration June 27 of National HIV Testing Day came the disturbing news that some 250,000 people in the United States are completely unaware they are carrying the AIDS virus in their bloodstreams.
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Needlesticks a problem some may have thought solved by needle safety devices remains a top concern among nurses.
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With 100,000 infected patients a year leaving hospitals under a sheet, we are way past the day when cultural barriers and awkwardness gave patients pause about reminding health care workers to wash their hands. Indeed, patients and their advocates must remind caregivers to wash their hands with an irritating consistency.
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Even in a nonoutbreak settings, Clostridium difficileassociated disease (CDAD) had a statistically significant negative impact on patient illness and death, and the impact of CDAD persisted beyond hospital discharge, researchers found.
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In response to several high-profile incidents of homeless patients being discharged in a less-than-dignified manner, the city of Los Angeles has enacted a new law that requires obtaining written consent to transport a patient anywhere other than his or her legal residence. Violating the law could result in a misdemeanor conviction.
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A protocol built around the use of rapid response teams (RRTs) has reduced incidences of preventable codes among pediatric patients by 20% at a group of hospitals in Ohio, one of the best demonstrations yet of the success of that approach in improving patient safety. One hospital even saw a drop of 40%.
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The Ohio Children's Hospital Association (OCHA) and its six member hospitals studied where pediatric codes occur and found that many occur outside the neonatal and intensive care units. To improve safety, the group focused on reducing preventable codes occurring outside those areas.
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Terry Davis, MD, interim medical director at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH, says the hospital had to clarify some initial misunderstandings about when to call its rapid response team (RRT). At first, the clinicians were confused as to when the RRT should be called, as opposed to calling for a pediatric intensive care consult.
