International Infection Prevention Week Resources From PSQH
As International Infection Prevention Week wraps up, we want to thank infection preventionists for all the hard work they do every day. Thanks to our partners GOJO, the makers of Purell, and RLDatix this week for their support.
PSQH Quick Poll 2021: Taking the Pulse of Infection Prevention Efforts
As part of PSQH’s celebration of International Infection Prevention Week, we decided to reach out to our readers with a few questions to find out the state of infection prevention efforts. The Quick Poll had a total of 244 respondents.
Infection Prevention and Control is a Team Sport
Knowing the staggering impact increased HAIs can have on health systems only further emphasizes how critical it is for Risk Management teams to leverage the expertise and knowledge of Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship teams to understand and mitigate HAIs in their care populations.
Plant the Seeds of Change with Just-in-Time Coaching
By Lori Moore, MPH, BSN, RN, CPPS Hand hygiene has been recognized as one of the most important measures to reduce germs in healthcare facilities, and educating healthcare workers to the basic fundamentals has become a cornerstone of hand hygiene programs.1-2 While providing education and conveying the importance and need for hand hygiene is … Continued
Three Tips to Empower Teamwork Focused on Infection Prevention
By Sharon Ward-Fore Surface disinfection is key to containing viral outbreaks. Fundamentally, the concept and importance of surface disinfection hasn’t changed. However, the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on today’s world makes it imperative to change how the healthcare community conducts proper surface cleaning and disinfection. It starts with mindset – because healthcare and … Continued
‘Perfect Storm’ Increased Healthcare-Associated Infections During Pandemic
The recent research article, which was published by Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, examined national- and state-level standardized infection ratios (SIR) for each quarter in 2020 compared to each quarter in 2019. SIRs were determined for each HAI by dividing the number of reported infections by the number of predicted infections, calculated using 2015 national baseline data.
How to Use an Early Warning System for Sepsis in the Emergency Department
The recent research article, which was published by Critical Care Medicine, describes the results of a randomized, controlled quality improvement initiative conducted at The MetroHealth System in Cleveland. The article features data collected from 598 patients, with 285 patients in the intervention group and 313 in the standard care group.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 35 – Improving Infection Control in Vascular Access
On episode 35 of PSQH: The Podcast, epidemiologist Robert Garcia talks about the need to improve infection control in vascular access.
Preparing to Improve Infection Prevention After COVID-19
From infection prevention and control, to cleaning and disinfecting practices, to new and improved cleaning products, there’s a myriad of ways organizations will look to advance patient safety in a post-pandemic world.
AORN Updates Skin Antisepsis Guidelines: What This Means for Organizations
Facilities had relied on research prior to official guidelines, which makes the update to AORN’s response impactful. The AORN adds their voice to the World Health Organization, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, as well as the CDC and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.