Articles Tagged With:
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Lack of PPE training leads to frequent contamination
A major factor in contamination problems when removing personal protective equipment appears to be the fundamental issue of PPE training — or lack thereof.
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CDC, FDA warn of surgical infections caused by heater-cooler units
An increase in nontuberculous mycobacteria infections in post-surgical patients has been linked to contaminated water emitted from heater-cooler devices used in surgery. Infection preventionists and their clinical colleagues should immediately review cleaning and disinfection procedures for the devices and ensure only sterile water is used in them, public health agencies advise. -
How Much Is Too Much?
While healthcare workers often contaminate themselves doffing personal protective equipment, there’s interest in scaling back contact precautions.
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Beta-blocker Dose More Important Than Heart Rate in Systolic Heart Failure
Beta-blockers reduce both morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
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Acetaminophen for Fever in the ICU
SYNOPSIS: Seven hundred ICU patients with fever and known or suspected infection were randomly assigned to receive acetaminophen 1 g IV or placebo every 6 hours until ICU discharge, resolution of fever, cessation of antimicrobial therapy, or death. Early administration of acetaminophen did not affect number of ICU-free days.
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Clostridium difficile Infection — Back to the Future
SYNOPSIS: This study provides strong evidence that the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (as opposed to colonization) should be made on the basis of evidence of toxin production, not the mere presence of the organism as detected by glutamate dehydrogenase testing or the presence of toxin genes.
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Efficacy and Safety of Very Early Mobilization After Onset of Acute Stroke
SYNOPSIS: The higher dose, very early (within 24 hours) mobilization protocol was associated with a reduction in the odds of a favorable outcome at 3 months after stroke occurrence. -
To Cut Or Not To Cut
ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY: Here are the benefits and the downsides of doing an early cholecystectomy.
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Public Citizen: Resident Duty-hour Studies did not Obtain Informed Consent
Two clinical trials are under fire.
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Failure to diagnose cervical cancer leads to $9.6 million liability for medical center
In 2011, a 61-year-old woman was informed she had stage 3 cervical cancer. She was told this news at the same medical center from which she had received her last three yearly vaginal examinations. In each of her prior three examinations, the woman complained of pain, but she was informed her Pap smears were negative for cancer.