Urinary Catheters Pose More Risks Than Just CAUTIs
In-depth interviews and chart reviews from more than 2,000 patients found more than half of catheterized hospital patients experienced a complication of some kind. The issues ranged from pain, bloody urine and activity restrictions while the catheter was in, to problems with urination and sexual function after it was removed.
New Study Finds Use of PIV Maintenance Bundles Helps Prevent Bloodborne Infections
The study, “A Bundled Approach to Decrease the Rate of Primary Bloodstream Infections Related to Peripheral Intravenous Catheters,” was published in the March 2018 issue of The Journal of the Association for Vascular Access and found that implementing a PIV maintenance bundle using disinfecting caps and tips successfully decreased primary BSIs from 0.57 to 0.11 per 1,000 patient days.
Hawaii Hospital Investigates Possible Legionella Outbreak
Doctors believe the deceased patient and another who has been released acquired Legionella outside the hospital. But the state Department of Health stepped in after learning two other patients developed symptoms after already being hospitalized, making it possible they contracted Legionnaire’s in the hospital.
Post-Colonoscopy Infection Rates Much Higher Than Previously Believed
The study’s researchers examined medical insurance data from 2014 to look at infection rates after colonoscopy and osophagogastroduodenoscopies procedures done at selected outpatient facilities in six states.
Sending Sepsis Patients Home May Not Harm Them
Peltan and his research team studied 8,239 adult ED sepsis patients at two tertiary hospitals and two community hospitals in Utah. The researchers found that 1,607 of the patients—19.5% of the total—were discharged rather than admitted to the hospital.
APIC Survey Sheds Light on IP Workforce
The results of the APIC MegaSurvey were released during a session at last week’s 45th annual APIC Conference in Minneapolis. Conducted in 2015, the survey was completed by 4,078 active APIC members, or about 31% of the organization’s membership.
Study: Critical Access Hospitals Face Infection Control Challenges
Public health officials reviewed infection prevention and control (IPC) practices at 36 Nebraska CAHs using the CDC’s IPC Assessment Tool. They found the largest gaps existed in the areas of injection safety, central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention, but problems were discovered in all IPC areas.
Study: Provider Preference Could Improve Use of Antibiotics
The study reports responses to a 20-question survey from 211 inpatient providers at Vanderbilt University Hospital in various specialties. The survey covered demographic questions, preferred feedback methods, barriers, and comparison metrics, and a hypothetical patient hospitalization scenario assigning provider responsibility for antibiotic use.
For Immunosuppressed Sepsis Patients, Hospital Experience Matters
The researchers analyzed medical records of 350,183 patients with sepsis at 60 hospitals. One of five of those patients was classified as being immunocompromised based on being HIV-positive or having an intrinsic immune disorder, having a blood cancer or being prescribed an immunosuppressive drug for certain medical conditions while hospitalized.
Outpatient Colonoscopy Infection Rates Much Higher Than Previously Thought
Using an all-payer claims database, the researchers examined 2014 data from six states — California, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New York and Vermont — to track infection-related emergency room visits and unplanned inpatient admissions within seven and 30 days after a colonoscopy or EGD.