Vancouver Hospital Struggles with C. diff Outbreak
The Vancouver Sun and Canwest News Service are reporting that eight patients at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital have become ill from Clostridium difficile infections and one patient may have already died from the infection.
Reporter Richard Watts says that as of last week, health officials placed the hospital on outbreak status, which requires hospital staff to undertake a series of measures -- including stepped-up cleaning -- to stop the spread of the highly infectious bacteria. Watts quotes nurse Bev Dobbyn, director of infection prevention and control, as saying, “We are still in onslaught, total absolute onslaught.” To read the rest of this news item, CLICK HERE.
Endoscopes and Lumened Instruments: New Studies Highlight Persistent Contamination Risks
May 7th 2025Two new studies reveal troubling contamination in both new endoscopes and cleaned lumened surgical instruments, challenging the reliability of current reprocessing practices and manufacturer guidelines.
Happy Hand Hygiene Day! Rethinking Glove Use for Safer, Cleaner, and More Ethical Health Care
May 5th 2025Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.
