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The Ebola epidemic in Africa is rapidly overwhelming containment efforts, increasing the threat of spread to other countries and continents while giving the virus ample time to mutate as it burns through the human population in a jungled epicenter that borders three nations.
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There are two angles of attack to cutting catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates by 25%, and the harder approach involves changing provider behavior.
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After expanding a successful initiative to cut catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) rates, a New Jersey hospitals catheter days and CAUTIs were cut in half.
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In an August 30, 2014 blog post, Rick Sacra, MD, worried about the many people in Liberia who are at risk because of the Ebola tsunami that swept through an already fragile healthcare system.
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In an urgent addition to the Ebola situation, federal public health officials have issued a checklist for hospitals to prepare for incoming cases from the expanding outbreak in West Africa. The six-page detailed checklist issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is available at: http://1.usa.gov/1qjDiC9.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its Ebola infection control guidelines to include a new section on cleaning and disinfection of the patient environment. (See Hospital Infection Control & Prevention Sept. 2014 issue.)
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Hospitalized children were discharged sooner and were less likely to be readmitted when physicians followed the recommendations of an antibiotic stewardship program, researchers reported recently in Philadelphia at the IDWeek 2014 conference. The study is the first to show the benefits of drug stewardship on children’s health.
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The American Hospital Association (AHA) has created an online antimicrobial stewardship kit as part of its list of the top five hospital-based procedures or interventions that need to be reviewed and discussed by patients and physicians.
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No matter what your background, there is little doubt you can quickly name several people that impacted your infection prevention experience in a positive way, making you better that day and beyond. No doubt these same memorable people made it possible for you to see your contributions as productive and meaningful, when you saw them as commonplace and ordinary. These people are mentors.
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At a time when Ebola and other emerging infections may first present at an emergency department (ED), researchers are finding a wide range of compliance — or lack thereof — with infection control measures.