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Infection Control Monitor

Each week, Infection Control Monitor will provide important information to help health care facilities improve their infection control efforts. With this resource, facilities can catch up on the latest infection control news and learn valuable tips on keeping their facilities safe.

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Infection Control Monitor

Issue 35, September 5, 2008

• Tip of the week: Maintain precautions during an emergency

  When it comes to developing an emergency plan, ICPs should prepare to maintain standard and...

Issue 34, August 29, 2008

• British hospital installs speaking hand wash alerts

  Patients and visitors to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, England, will be...

• Researchers find full recovery from West Nile virus takes about a year

  At the time of year when reports of West Nile virus are making headlines in many places around the...

• Tip of the week: Track data and compliance

  One challenge of The Joint Commission’s 2009 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG), will be...

Issue 33, August 22, 2008

• Survivors of 1918 flu pandemic still carry protection

  It’s been 90 years since the most devastating pandemic in human history—the 1918...

• Investigation launched into cause of infection in two Canadian babies

  Two babies born a day apart at a Canadian hospital contracted a mysterious bacterial infection that...

• Tip of the week: To tackle UTIs, first know your practices

  At Memorial Hospital in York, PA, staff members have adopted a urinary tract infection (UTI...

Issue 32, August 15, 2008

• Venezuela deaths may be caused by rabid bats

  Researchers believe they’ve discovered the reason behind the death of at least 38 Warao...

• Tip of the week: Assess risks to develop emergency plan

  The first step in developing your hospital’s emergency operations plan is performing a risk...

Issue 31, August 8, 2008

• CMS issues final rule, tables some IC measures

  In a move that should take some pressure off ICPs, on July 31 the Centers for Medicare &...

• Is copper an answer to hospital infections?

  Ancient warriors knew that if they sharpened their bronze or copper sword and put the shavings into...

• Tip of the week: NPSGs require finding time to train staff

  The Joint Commission has announced its 2009 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG), and they include...

Issue 30, August 1, 2008

• FDA finds salmonella strain in Mexican farm's peppers

  Federal health officials believe there’s been a key breakthrough in the search for the source...

• United Nations says AIDS epidemic has stabilized

  In its yearly report issued July 29, the United Nations AIDS agency had good news: fewer people are...

• Tip of the week: Educate patients on IC issues

  The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO), in its 2009 National Patient Safety Goals, wants to ensure...

Issue 29, July 25, 2008

• Concerns persist over tuberculosis threat

  Concerns over the spread of tuberculosis (TB) made news this week.

• Study finds nursing homes unprepared for pandemic flu

  If your hospital is counting on local nursing homes to take an overflow of patients in the event of...

• Tip of the week: Educate staff and patients on respiratory etiquette

  With fall around the corner, it’s time to start gearing up for respiratory virus season. That...

Issue 28, July 18, 2008

• Flu expert says vaccinations are part of the job

  Criticizing the low percentage of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers, William...

• Polio resurfaces in Pakistan

  An eight-month-old Pakistani girl has tested positive for type 1 polio, the most dangerous and...

• Tip of the week: Get involved in the early stages of construction

  Infection risks to patients during construction can be serious, which is why it is important that...

Issue 27, July 11, 2008

• Can technology based on sharks fight infections?

  Researchers have long known that shark skin is well-protected against microbes in the ocean.

• New look, new name, same trusted content

  Beginning next week as part of HCPro’s continuing commitment to bringing you the most...

• Preview our popular video titles online

  Have you checked out clips from our DVD library on YouTube?

• Tip of the week: Standard precautions prevent unsafe injections

  Infection control basics can help prevent problems with unsafe injections.  Such injections...

• Tip of the week: Encourage staff flu shot compliance

  In addition to instructing staff members on proper cough etiquette and hand hygiene, ICPs should...

Issue 26, July 4, 2008

• Joint Commission's 2009 IC standards posted

  The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) posted its 2009 infection control standards online this week.

• FDA warns of arthritis drugs infection risk

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 4 ordered stronger warnings on four medications...

• Take the flu vaccine challenge

  Joint Commission Resources (JCR), an affiliate of The Joint Commission, is challenging hospitals to...

• Checklist for IC concerns in flood-damaged facilities

  In light of flood devastation in the Midwest, healthcare facilities may find the following CDC...

• British physicians use dress code to fight infections

  A new dress code in British hospitals has sparked a debate about how important clothing is in the...

• An update on federal travel restrictions

  Since the government established a Do Not Board (DNB) list in June 2007, the CDC has placed 33...

• Tip of the week: Ensure proper training to prevent unsafe injection practices

  Unsafe injection practices are in the spotlight after a number of disease outbreaks made headlines...

• Tip of the week: Reduce UTIs

  At Memorial Hospital in York, PA, staff members have adopted a urinary tract infections (UTI...

• Tip of the week: Train staff on respiratory etiquette

  With fall starting on Monday, it’s time to start gearing up for respiratory virus season...

Issue 25, June 27, 2008

• WHO issues a checklist to make surgery safer

  The World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first guidelines to reduce complications and deaths...

• Study says no link between measles vaccine and autism

  A new study has concluded that there is no link between the vaccine for measles, mumps, and...

• 'Ailments of poverty' persist in the United States

  Hundred of thousands of poor Americans harbor chronic infections caused by debilitating parasitic...

• Tip of the week: Training is key for silver-coated catheters

  A new study shows that silver-coated catheters have the potential to reduce the number of...

Issue 24, June 20, 2008

• 2009 National Patient Safety Goals announced

  Preventing hospital-associated infections (HAI) such as MDROs, central-line associated bloodstream...

• IC interventions cut school absenteeism

  A study by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston found that basic IC...

• Tip of the week: Put your emergency systems to the test

  The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) requires hospitals to perform an emergency exercise twice...

Issue 23, June 13, 2008

• FDA reports progress in determining source of salmonella

  Officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week that they hope to announce...

• U.S. life expectancy increases

  Fewer deaths from the flu and pneumonia in 2006 helped boost U.S. life expectancy, which for the...

• Tip of the week: Assess your need for universal MRSA screening

  Two new studies have offered very different conclusions when it comes to the effectiveness of...

Issue 22, May 30, 2008

• California fines two hospitals for poor IC

  The California Department of Public Health has fined 13 hospitals for violations, including two...

• Study says antibacterial wipes can spread germs in hospitals

  While they are intended to help stop the spread of infections, antibacterial wipes when used...

• C. diff causing more illnesses and deaths

  The number of people hospitalized with C. diff-associated disease (CDAD) has been growing by more...

• Ontario hospitals ordered to report all cases of C. diff starting September 30

  Government officials have ordered all Ontario hospitals to start reporting all cases of C. diff...

• Tip of the week: Use standard IC definitions

  As you get ready for the October 1 implementation of a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...

• Tip of the week: Keep focus on infection prevention

  ICPs are waiting and watching as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) determines...

Issue 21, May 23, 2008

• First case of bird flu reported in Bangladesh

  Bangladesh’s Health Ministry said this week that health officials have detected that...

• Family history may increase vulnerability to shingles

  People with a family history of shingles may have an increased susceptibility to the disease...

• Tip of the week: Pay attention to housekeeping practices to battle VRE

  A solid hand hygiene program and proper environmental cleaning are critical to mitigating...

Issue 20, May 16, 2008

• Spanish hospital demolishes ICU after bacterial outbreak

  A hospital in Madrid, Spain, demolished its ICU after a deadly bacterial outbreak so that it could...

• Group issues updated IC guidelines for endoscopy

  The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has updated its IC guidelines for...

• Tip of the week: Focus on oral care to fight VAP

  If your hospital is trying to reduce the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), don’t...

Issue 19, May 9, 2008

• Pandemic flu still a substantial threat

  Although the threat of an influenza pandemic may have dropped off some people’s radar...

• We want your IC policies

  Do you have a great IC policy that you would be willing to share? HCPro is looking for policies to...

• Tip of the week: Adopt policies to protect NICU patients

  Neonatal ICU (NICU) patients are at the top of the list of patients at high risk of developing...

Issue 18, May 2, 2008

• Cases of measles in U.S. at highest level since 2001

  Sixty-four cases of measles have been reported in the United States since January, the highest...

• Study says silver-coated catheters reduce infections

  A new study found that using silver-coated catheters reduced the number of urinary tract infections...

• Tip of the week: Train staff to prepare for new CMS regulation

  A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) regulation will reduce payment for serious...

Issue 17, April 25, 2008

• CSI methods may help boost infection control

  Can ICPs take a clue from crime scene investigators on the popular television show CSI to help in...

• Two British hospitals employ cardboard nurses to boost hand hygiene

  Two Nottinghamshire hospitals in England are using cardboard cut-outs of nurses to fight the spread...

• Tip of the week: Set up an antimicrobial drug management program

  All healthcare facilities are concerned about the growing number of antibiotic-resistant organisms...

Issue 16, April 18, 2008

• CMS proposes expansion to hospital-acquired conditions

  Just as facilities begin to grapple with the fact the government won’t pay them for certain...

• GAO recommends steps to address HAIs

  With the CDC estimating that healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are one of the top 10 causes of...

• Tip of the week: Teach nurses to monitor compliance

  When it comes to catheter-associated bloodstream infections (C-BSI), healthcare organizations can...

Issue 15, April 11, 2008

• Pennsylvania releases new HAI rates

  More than 30,000 people contracted infections in 2006 while being treated at Pennsylvania...

• Heparin suspected in 62 U.S. deaths

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week that it now suspects 62 deaths in the United...

• Tip of the week: Hire designated cleaning staff members for ER

  A hospital’s ER is full of opportunities for infectious disease transmission. High turnover...

Issue 14, April 4, 2008

• How clean are your hospital's rooms?

  How well is your environmental services staff cleaning patients' rooms and bathrooms? Just how your...

• Hands-only CPR gets a recommendation

  In a move that may make it more likely that bystanders will jump in to help in an emergency, the...

• Tip of the week: Monitor antibiotic use at your facility

  One effective strategy ICPs can employ to target and mitigate antibiotic resistance at their...

Issue 13, March 28, 2008

• CDC offers education to stop unsafe injection practices

  Concerned about recent health hazards created by unsafe injection practices, the CDC hosted an...

• Hepatitis infections tied to ex-nurse

  In another case of unsafe practices, at least 15 military service members or their family members...

• Tip of the week: Be sure you update risk assessments

  When it comes to your annual risk assessments, Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) surveyors expect...

Issue 12, March 21, 2008

• HCPro, Inc. launches new logo and tagline as part of its new corporate branding initiative

  HCPro, Inc. is launching a new corporate branding campaign designed to reflect the company’s...

• Pharmacists play role in infection control

  The American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) is urging The Joint Commission to amend...

• Tip of the week: Prevent spread of C. diff with handwashing

  A new study, which shows C. diff often contaminates multiple skin sites of patients with C...

Issue 11, March 14, 2008

• One in four teenage girls has STD, study finds

  CDC officials called for more screening, vaccination, and other prevention measures following the...

• Pets can carry MRSA infections

  Healthcare professionals treating patients who are having recurrent staph infections might want to...

• Tip of the week: Perfect your policies

  All too often, ICPs draft a comprehensive, well-written policy that outlines what people should be...

Issue 10, March 7, 2008

• CDC advises use of antiviral medication to treat flu

  The CDC issued a health advisory February 29 alerting clinicians to the potential benefits of using...

• Unsafe IC practices at Nevada clinic put thousands at risk

  In the largest public health notification operation in U.S. history, nearly 40,000 people learned...

• Tip of the week: Protect workers in behavioral health units

  Behavioral health patients present unique challenges for ICPs.

Issue 9, February 29, 2008

• CDC advisory committee recommends expansion of flu shots

  A federal panel of immunization experts meeting in Atlanta on February 27 voted unanimously to...

• We want to know about your training resources

  IC staff training is mandatory and critical for the safety of your staff and patients, but every...

• Tip of the week: Another way to track hand hygiene compliance

  Following the lead of other organizations, including the University of Pennsylvania, the Washington...

Issue 8, February 22, 2008

• CDC says states better prepared to meet public health emergencies

  In its first report on public health preparedness, the CDC said states have made significant...

• Tell us about your training resources

  IC staff training is mandatory and critical for the safety of your staff and patients, but every...

• Tip of the week: Prevent sepsis and save lives

  An ICP's role in preventing sepsis comes well before the onset of the disease; it begins by...

Issue 7, February 15, 2008

• Donors' health linked to infection risk in corneal transplants

  Corneal grafts obtained from hospitalized donors may carry a greater risk of infection to...

• Rates of drug-resistant infections climb

  As many as 70% of infections may now be resistant to antibiotics, APIC said this week.

• Tip of the week: Keep PT equipment clean

  Inpatient physical therapy (PT) presents challenges when it comes to infection control. To help cut...

Issue 6, February 8, 2008

• CDC reports flu outbreaks in 11 states

  It's not too late for people to get a flu shot, even with flu season in full swing and widespread...

• Double-dipping can spread germs

  On the lighter side, a study conducted as part of a Clemson University program to get undergraduate...

• Tip of the week: Tread carefully when pointing out errors

  Part of an ICP's job is to educate staff members when you see them breaching an IC protocol...

Issue 5, February 1, 2008

• Hand hygiene alone is not enough to prevent infections

  While the introduction of alcohol-based hand gel resulted in a significant and sustained...

• Pet turtles continue to infect people with salmonella

  Despite the fact the sale of tiny turtles -- those measuring less than four inches -- has been...

• Tip of the week: Conduct and document evaluation of your IC program

  Anecdotal evidence indicates that Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) surveyors are looking more...

Issue 4, January 25, 2008

• IC is focus area in 2009 Patient Safety Goals

  The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) is zeroing in on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in...

• Johns Hopkins bans the use of latex gloves

  The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore has taken a big step towards latex safety by banning the...

• Tip of the week: Perform proactive education

  Looking for ways to ensure the success of your IC program? When you're visiting different...

Issue 3, January 18, 2008

• Strain of MRSA spreading among gay men

  A new highly drug-resistant strain of MRSA bacteria is being spread among gay men in San Francisco...

• Please take our IC training survey

  IC staff training is mandatory and critical for the safety of you and your patients. How would you...

• Tip of the week: Fight for more dollars for IC efforts

  If ICPs want additional resources for their department, they may need to make a business case to...

Issue 2, January 11, 2008

• OSHA can now enforce annual TB fit-testing

  It's official now: President Bush has signed into law an OSHA budget that no longer includes a...

• OSHA can now enforce annual TB fit-testing

  It's official now: President Bush has signed into law an OSHA budget that no longer includes a...

• Clarification on Texas infection-rate reporting

  Thanks to an astute Texas reader, we’d like to offer a clarification on a brief we ran on...

• Tip of the week: Fight MRSA with standard precautions

  While some hospitals have begun screening staff members for MRSA, testing remains a contentious...

• Tip of the week: Fight MRSA with standard precautions

  While some hospitals have begun screening staff members for MRSA, testing remains a contentious...

Issue 1, January 4, 2008

• Texas to consider infection-rate reporting requirement for hospitals

  Watch for legislation this year in Texas that would require hospitals to disclose their infection...

• HIV cases rise in young gay men

  While new cases of HIV have decreased overall, the number of cases among young gay men are on the...

• Tip of the week: Use public concerns about MRSA to educate

  Recent headlines have heightened the public's fears about MRSA and left healthcare consumers...

Issue 6, August 15, 2008

• Report says pandemic flu bigger threat than terrorism in U.K.

  Pandemic flu, not terrorism, is the most serious risk to the public in the United Kingdom...