Hand Hygiene

When healthcare workers using the red box stepped into the patients’ rooms, there was “significantly increased non-compliance” with PPE and hand hygiene protocols compared to those healthcare workers who went into rooms without red boxes.

Investigators found that the mean healthcare cost for treating elderly influenza patients per patient per flu season ranged from $3,299 to $12,398 higher than the costs for treating patients with congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, and stage 5 renal disease.

Investigators found that a prompt on a disinfection tracking system led to an increase rate of the disinfection of computers on wheels at a veterans’ hospital in Texas.

CAUTI rates were 83% higher and CLABSI rates were 65% higher in the COVID-19 units compared to the non-COVID-19 units.

There are 4 “moments” involved as a healthcare professional at a long-term care facility (LTCF) weighs whether to prescribe an antibiotic to a patient or resident.

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in healthcare facilities today.

When COVID-19 struck, the proper use of PPE and greater attention to hand hygiene and cleaning surfaces became the norm. When that happened, rates of Clostridium difficile decreased significantly.

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in healthcare facilities today.

The results of the study indicate that a closer working relationship between the antimicrobial stewardship program and the infection control team pays off in lower incidence of C. diff.

There’s been a sharp increase in sanitizers that claim to use ethanol, but instead have methanol—or wood alcohol—in them, according to the FDA.

With inadequate disinfection practices, healthcare workers are much more likely to acquire pathogens on their hands after touching these surfaces, potentially passing them on to patients.

It will also be necessary to again train other professionals the way IPs have historically trained them about infection prevention, because a lot of the old rules had to be set aside when COVID-19 surged.

Professional development educators and infection control specialists need to design educational programs that create a lasting behavior change when it comes to hand hygiene.

To enact social change such as better hand hygiene, only about 25% of a group needs to adopt the change and move the rest of the group forward.

Mary Jean Ricci, MSN, RNBC: “There’s also the question of how do we encourage staff to get the vaccination, if there is a vaccination, for COVID-19? Currently, we have employees in facilities caring for patients who do not get the flu vaccine and don’t have a medical reason for not doing it…. I think that that’s a big area where infection control practitioners are going to have to focus their energy to encourage receiving the vaccination when this is over.”

Hand hygiene monitoring devices and systems only work within the confines of a strong hand hygiene culture, a new study says.

Not only did nurse managers feel responsible for the levels of hand hygiene adherence on their wards, but that attitude extended to general standards of infection prevention.

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in healthcare facilities today.

Most healthcare staff understand the importance of hand washing, but visual cues for staff and patients are essential in the ongoing education of hand hygiene best practices and are especially helpful for nurses working long shifts. 

For many infection preventionists (IPs), hand hygiene in healthcare facilities is often subpar. National compliance rates tend to fall well under 50% and even with interventions, sustainable improvement is a unicorn IPs are always in search of.

A case of 12 one-ounce bottles was being sold by one lister for $3,892.84, which equals just over $324 per ounce.

About 20% of passengers in an airport have clean hands. If that increases to 30%, a potential infectious disease would have a worldwide impact that is about 24% smaller.

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in healthcare facilities today.

Sustainability of high hand hygiene rates is extremely challenging and continuously requires resources and substantial effort.