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The needle is beginning to move. Four key healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are declining nationally as the result of unprecedented interest and action that includes everything from sweeping state and federal collaboratives to the outrage of individual patients.
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The Joint Commission targets central lineassociated bloodstream infections in its 2011 national patient safety goals, with NPSG.07.04.01 calling for hospitals to "implement evidence-based practices to prevent (CLABSIs)."
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[Editor's note: In this issue we continue with the second part of Patti Grant's IP Newbie column that was featured in our September issue. As you may recall, she described an all too common situation: How various professionals in healthcare are expected to participate in activities beyond their original area of expertise. This expectation does not seem so much a direct consequence of the struggling economy as a reflection of the attempt by various specialties to move from "silos" to a team approach to problem solving, Grant noted, observing that "Patient safety will most likely be less precarious in this multi-disciplinary improvement environment, but it can come with hefty growing pains." Of course, as an IP Newbie, you're often the one growing.]
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The Joint Commission's new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on preventing indwelling catheter-associated urinary tract infections which emphasizes prompt removal of unnecessary devices and surveillance for CAUTIs is effective January 1, 2012 for hospitals.
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With the increasing reliance on computer tools and electronic records, infection preventionists may reasonably assume patients flagged for isolation on admission end up under the appropriate precautions.
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The elements of performance for the CAUTI prevention safety goal are as follows:
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This study was conducted at the largest children's hospital in Taiwan. All pneumococcal isolates recovered from sterile sites from children hospitalized at this institution were maintained frozen at -20° C since 2000.
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Hollywood movies have always created their own reality. Meanwhile, the rest of us slog through the conventional reality of our daily lives.
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In early October, 12 inmates from the Utah State Correctional Facility became acutely ill with nausea, vomiting, facial paralysis, and visual blurring.
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A 1-month prevalence study was done in 2009 at 25 of the 56 contributing hospitals participating in the Chicago Health Alert Network.