Infection Control
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Federal Healthcare Violence Law in Congress: If Not Now, When?
The longstanding problem of patients and visitors attacking and verbally abusing healthcare workers has been worsened by the chaos and cultural divisiveness of the COVID-19 pandemic. If federal lawmakers cannot find a way to better protect healthcare workers now, will they ever? -
To Bolster Antibiotic Stewardship, Refine Culture Follow-Up Process
Appoint a dedicated person who sifts through culture reports, reviews old culture data, and follows up with patients. Ideally, this person would be an expert around the antibiotic spectrum who could tailor therapy to culture results.
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Experts Urge ED Leaders to Refocus Efforts on Antimicrobial Stewardship
Early advocates of antimicrobial stewardship tended to focus on prescribing in outpatient settings. In recent years, attention has shifted toward the ED — and there are many good reasons for this shift.
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Loneliness, Depression Tied to Higher Risk for COVID-19 Hospitalization
Assessing psychological risk factors may be just as important as considering physical risk factors.
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Too Many Antibiotics May Affect Vaccine Response Among Infants, Toddlers
Remain cautious about overprescribing antibiotics.
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Mayo Clinic Reduces Propofol Waste to Zero
A propofol disposal initiative at Mayo Clinic reduced the number of full propofol bottles in an ICU waste bin to zero, successfully addressing drug diversion at the facility. Initially, 44.1% of propofol bottles in waste bins were full before the intervention. The effort was replicated in other units where propofol use is common — and diversion is tempting. -
Drug Diversion: A Risk to Patients, Health Workers, and the Institution
Drug diversion is an ongoing problem for healthcare organizations. In identifying diverters, leaders are protecting patients and mitigating their institution’s substantial liability risk. -
Nurse Conviction for Medical Error Roils Patient Safety, Nursing Groups
Patients became less safe on March 25, when former registered nurse RaDonda Vaught was convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to prison for giving a patient a fatal dose of the wrong medication, medical and nursing groups emphasized. -
White House Targets Long COVID
The Biden administration has launched a major initiative to bolster research on long COVID and improve the health of patients diagnosed with the mysterious collection of ailments. -
The Long Road Back for Healthcare Workers
Although it is more than two years into the pandemic, long COVID is poorly understood, and treatment often focuses on improving specific symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath. Even definitions of the condition vary.