Bloodstream Infections

Catheter-Related Infection Prevention: A Review of the Basics

Catheters, both central venous and urinary, are medical devices that save lives, but they also can contribute to significant patient morbidity and mortality if the proper techniques for insertion, maintenance and removal are not followed. We review the basics of ...More
March 17, 2010
Posted in Articles
In the Fight Against Life-Threatening Catheter Infections, Length of Use Is Key

Hospitals may reduce the risk of life-threatening bloodstream infections in newborns with peripherally inserted central venous catheters by replacing the device every 30 days or so, according to a new Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study.The daily risk of getting a ...More
March 15, 2010
Posted in News
Making a Better Medical Safety Checklist

In the wake of Johns Hopkins’ success in virtually eliminating intensive-care unit bloodstream infections via a simple five-step checklist, the safety scientist who developed and popularized the tool warns medical colleagues that they are no panacea.“Checklists ...More
February 15, 2010
Posted in News
Safety Checklist Continues to Keep Hospital Infections in Check

The state of Michigan, which used a five-step checklist developed at Johns Hopkins to virtually eliminate bloodstream infections in its hospitals' intensive care units, has been able to keep the number of these common, costly and potentially lethal infections near zero ...More
February 4, 2010
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization, Hand Hygiene, PPE & Standard Precautions
APIC Responds to Consumer Reports Article on Infection Rates

Kathy Warye, CEO of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), issued the following statement:“The March 2010 issue of Consumer Reports (“Deadly infections: Hospitals can lower the risk, but many fail to act”) addresses ...More
February 3, 2010
Posted in News
Many Hospitals Fail to Reduce Infection Rates Despite Checklists

Far too many hospitals fail to lower the rate of deadly central-line bloodstream infections despite the availability of a simple life-saving checklist proven to prevent hospital-acquired infections, says a new investigative article in the March issue of Consumer Reports. ...More
February 2, 2010
Posted in News
Simple Steps Prevent Life-Threatening Bloodstream Infections in Children

Pediatric hospitals can significantly decrease the number of bloodstream infections from central venous catheters by following some low-tech rules: Insert the catheter correctly and, above all, keep everything squeaky clean after that.Yearlong research by Marlene Miller, ...More
January 21, 2010
Posted in News, Hand Hygiene
Improved Patient Safety and Reduced Infection Rates: An Imperative in 2010

2010 may be known as the year of renewed patient safety efforts, at least if Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, FCCM, professor at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, has anything to say about it. He is part of the Quality and Safety Research Group at Johns Hopkins, a ...More
December 18, 2009
Posted in Articles
In the Aftermath of 2008 CMS Rule, Hospitals Seek to Prevent Infections, Retain Reimbursement

It has been about 14 months since a new directive from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) went into effect Oct. 1, 2008, essentially declaring that Medicare will no longer reimburse hospitals for extra costs related to certain infections acquired during a ...More
December 18, 2009
Posted in Articles
Fatty Food Can Weaken the Immune System

Fresh evidence that fatty food is bad for our health has come to light: mice fed a lard-based diet over a long period got worse at fighting bacteria in the blood, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy.The mice fed the lard-based diet derived 60 per cent of their ...More
December 8, 2009
Posted in News