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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April 2008 (Volume 6, Issue 4)	view entire issue

Study: Control C. diff by extending precautions
If standard precautions aren't getting your C. diff problem under control, you might want to consider extending the duration of contact precautions. So say the findings of a study that shows C. diff often contaminates multiple skin sites of patients with C. diff-associated diseases (CDAD). The study, "Clostridium difficile Skin Contamination in Patients with C. difficile-Associated Diseases," appeared in the February 1 Clinical Infectious Diseases. It said that the bacteria often lingered on some patients' skin even after diarrhea resolved: "The median time from resolution of diarrhea to detection of negative skin cultures was seven days."

Do multiple interventions effectively reduce C. diff infection rates? Yes, they can!
In June 2000, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Presbyterian had an outbreak of the virulent BI strain of C. diff. Staff members tackled the problem by hitting it from many different angles, an approach that resulted in a notable drop in infection rates. This multitiered approach included a focus on several key components-some traditional, some not-that included environmental cleaning, isolation precautions, real-time alerts, and an antibiotic management system. But the results speak for themselves: Because of the interventions, the number of severe C. diff cases dropped from a peak of 9.4% to just 1% in 2006-a 78% overall reduction.

IC, patient safety come together in Joint Commission 2009 standards
The Joint Commission's proposed 2009 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) reinforce what many ICPs have come to realize in recent years: IC goes well beyond tracking and reporting; it has a critical effect on patient safety, policymaking, and the hospital's bottom line. The proposed NPSGs would require hospitals to institute best practices to prevent catheter-associated bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, and the transmission of MDROs. Although most ICPs are already instituting these practices at their facilities, the added regulatory bite may help the process along.

Behavioral health challenges much like pathogens: Unique, unpredictable, everchanging
Editor's note: This is the third installment of a special series focusing on IC issues specific to hospital departments and specialties. It's difficult enough for facilities to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAI) among patients who follow proper hand hygiene and other self-protective measures. Those challenges magnify for behavioral health patients who have the potential to increase environmental contamination and infection risks if they can't-or won't-comply with basic IC measures. Behavioral health patients, including substance abusers or individuals with mental health problems, may pose unique IC problems.

Other recently-published articles from Briefings on Infection Control:

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

Document, monitor, and limit flash sterilization to stay out of hot water with The Joint Commission

Audits and training critical to food safety

Stay vigilant: Pandemic influenza is more likely than ever

Can training IC liaisons really save your sanity?

Taking on UTIs: A bundled approach

Crisis management starts at home but doesn’t end there

Intensive, expensive, and, in some cases, controversial

Focus is on IC in 2009 National Patient Safety Goals

Train your staff on respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette in time for upcoming respiratory infection season

Interpersonal relationships are crucial to successful construction projects

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