Hospital Infection Control & Prevention – June 1, 2014
June 1, 2014
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Infection preventionists on alert for MERS, as U.S. becomes 12th nation to report emerging coronavirus
Infection preventionists remain on heightened alert nationwide afterthe first case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in the United States was recently hospitalized at Community Hospital in Munster, IN. -
Infection control compendium updated
The leading infection control and infectious disease organizations are issuing updated recommendations in new compendium guidelines that will be published in sections over the next few months. -
Revised CAUTI guidelines include behavioral changes
Revised compendium guidelines to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) include some new socio-adaptive and technical strategies for infection preventionists to consider. -
CAUTIs: Unproven practices not advised
The recently published compendium guidelines on preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections include approaches that should not be considered a routine part of CAUTI prevention. -
CDC: Test workers for HBV immunity
A growing number of health care workers are coming into their profession with childhood vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV). -
HCW pertussis vaccination lags
For the past 10 years, the United States has been wrestling with a resurgence of pertussis as outbreaks strike in different states. In 2013, cases subsided in most of Minnesota, but spiked in Texas and North Carolina, for example. California reported 2,372 cases, 132 hospitalizations and one death of a two-month-old. -
Joint Commission seeks ‘high reliability’ patient safety in collaboration with South Carolina hospitals
In an ambitious attempt to see if patient safety successes can go beyond individual units and even entire facilities, the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare is partnering with 20 hospitals in South Carolina. -
South Carolina ORs adopt surgery checklist
South Carolina hospitals are moving to the leading edge of the patient safety movement, collaborating with The Joint Commission on multiple projects and adopting a highly touted surgical safety checklist in every operating room in the state. -
TJC looking closely at endoscopy reprocessing
With infections related to contaminated endoscopes a recurrent problem in health care, the Joint Commission and several other groups and associations are reiterating the importance of reprocessing procedures. -
TJC patient safety guide for CEOs, docs
Joint Commission Resources (JCR) has released a new, free guide to help hospital executives and physician leaders implement and sustain safe practices. Produced by the JCR Hospital Engagement Network (HEN), the guide is part of the federal Partnership for Patients initiative to improve the quality, safety and affordability of healthcare.