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National Patient Safety Goal 7: Recommendations for Compliance
Editor's note: This article is part two of a two-part series. To access part one, CLICK HERE.Note: The Joint Commission is revising the 2009 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) and the 2009 Universal Protocol to clarify language and make sure that they are relevant to the settings in which they apply. This initiative to review and revise the 2009 NPSGs ...(More)
6/22/2009
Sharps Safety: A Seasonal Concern?
Have you noticed a drop in productivity? A disinterest in details? A lack of lucidity caused by sunburn, swimmer’s ear and too many cervezas? The doldrums of summer are upon us! Each season, there’s an exodus of people from organizations in every industry, and whether it’s vacations or layoffs, there’s a noticeable reduction in staff. In this issue we take ...(More)
6/22/2009
Technology and Teamwork Drive a Sharps Safety Program
Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens from needlesticks and other sharps injuries is a serious problem, but it is often preventable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year 385,000 needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries are sustained by hospital-based healthcare personnel. Sharps injuries are primarily associated with occupational transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus ...(More)
6/22/2009
Improving Respiratory Protection Programs in Healthcare to Reduce and Control Infection
The risk of developing respiratory infection can be reduced by either wearing respiratory protection under the guidance of an effective respiratory protection program or using controls. In 2001, the Survey of Respirator Use and Practices gathered information on the types of respirators used, respirator use practices, and the respirator program characteristics from 40,002 randomly selected U.S. establishments. This report presents ...(More)
6/22/2009
Environmental Cleaning Issues: Advice from Industry Experts
Environmental Surface Disinfection in the Healthcare EnvironmentBy J. Hudson Garrett Jr., PhD, MSN, MPH, APRN, CIC One of the most critical interventions that can be routinely performed to decrease the risk for cross transmission and development of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is routine cleaning and disinfection of the healthcare environment. This includes both medical equipment and environmental surfaces. To maximize the ...(More)
6/22/2009
A Disinfection Connection
Infection control professionals know the numbers all too well. Each year, almost 2 million patients are affected by healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), costing hospitals an estimated $35.7 billion to $45 billion nationwide. These costs result from direct medical costs, absenteeism and loss of productivity along with other indirect costs such as loss of reputation from negative press. While environmental surfaces throughout ...(More)
6/22/2009
The Benefits of Alcohol-Quaternary Ammonium Germicidal Wipes
Preventing infection transmission is one of the many challenges facing healthcare facilities today. Among the strategies for preventing healthcare-acquired infections is proper surface cleaning and disinfection. The environment plays an essential role in transmission of infection since anything that moves from patient to patient (hands, equipment) can act as a vehicle for transmission. With attention to improving practices for cleaning ...(More)
6/22/2009
How Ultraviolet Light Helps Control Nosocomial Infections Among Nursing Home Residents
This article is part of the UV Light Product Showcase that was featured in the July 2009 issue of ICT. Historically, infection control protocol regarding centralized bathing in nursing homes has focused exclusively on the disinfection process between baths. Overlooked, however, is the very real risk of self-infection during the bath and how typical bathing systems can contribute to the spread ...(More)
6/22/2009
Steril-Aire UVC Emitters Provide Microbial Control
This article is part of the UV Light Product Showcase that was featured in the July 2009 issue of ICT.Installed in HVAC systems, high-output UVC Emitters™ from Steril-Aire, Inc. provide a safe, effective method for microbial control in hospitals and healthcare environments. The UVC (a synonym for UVGI) energy eradicates surface biofilm/mold, as well as airborne viruses and bacteria, to ...(More)
6/22/2009
Tru-D: Proactive, Effective, Thorough, Fast, Proven
This article is part of the UV Light Product Showcase that was featured in the July 2009 issue of ICT.Clinical trials conclude that Tru-D exceeds all disinfection requirements for pathogen log reduction of high-touch surfaces for vancomycin-resistant Enteroccoci (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter, Clostridium difficile, and other infectious disease.1Tru-D is a cost-effective, easy to use, noninvasive approach with no adverse ...(More)
6/22/2009
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