HCPro.com: Briefings on Infection Control

From the AIA's new Infection Control Risk Assessment to the JCAHO's emphasis on infection control, your facility's infection control initiatives have never been under more scrutiny. Briefings on Infection Control is a 12-page monthly resource that was created specifically to help you save time complying with the new infection control regulations and combating the spread of infectious diseases in your hospital. Not only will you know about the latest changes and updates, but you'll also receive the step-by-step strategies and tools to comply!

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January 2008 (Volume 6, Issue 1)	view entire issue

Are your patients bugging out about MRSA? Use the spotlight to your advantage
If your facility is like many others, your office has been fielding a lot of MRSA questions lately. In recent months the public has been jarred by the salacious headlines: A student athlete and infant die from MRSA infections; a new CDC study shows MRSA may kill more Americans than AIDS; MRSA is lurking in your local athletic club. With fears heightened and healthcare consumers seeking more information, you're in the tricky position of having to provide it. That means you need to be as well versed in public relations skills as you are in IC measures.

Testing staff for staph: Some hospitals find such a proposal contentious, at best
Would your staff members be more diligent about washing their hands and following standard precautions if they knew they were colonized with MRSA? How would they react if they knew they weren't? Those are the questions that have some ICPs wondering whether they might be able to achieve better IC compliance if they test staff members for MRSA and arm themselves with real statistics rather than probabilities about its prevalence.

Prevention should focus on bloodborne pathogens standard
Editor's note: This story is the first in an occasional series focusing on IC issues in various hospital departments. The laboratory is a unique environment within the hospital that presents an uncommon number of risks for infectious disease exposures. Because of the danger involved, laboratories are required to follow a number of regulations and precautions. As a result, ICPs must be certain to analyze everything from the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to environmental exposure controls when they are reviewing safety precautions used in the lab

Other recently-published articles from Briefings on Infection Control:

C. diff more prevalent than previously believed

Aggressive action (and aggressive nurses) fight Acinetobacter at Louisiana hospital

IC.01.03.01, assessing risk is a starting point

Take a strong stand against the flu with declination forms

Compendium of strategies full of HAI prevention tips

CMS interpretive guidelines one year later: Is your facility in compliance with all the changes?

Hospital leaders dropping the ball when it comes to IC

Study: Flu vaccine in elderly may be even less effective than originally thought, but don’t stop encouraging shots

IC.01.02.01, needed resources for your IC program

Dress for IC success

The new CMS payment policy might be more bark than bite with regard to SSIs

Contending with floods, hurricanes, and water damage

Joint Commission wants the right person in charge

New regulations affect dialysis facilities

Seven tips to fight the flu with vaccinations

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