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Showing results for tags 'Healthcare associated infection'.
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News Article
‘Smart bandages’ could improve outcomes for patients with non-healing wounds
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Pioneering new technology could help patients with non-healing wounds avoid infections and the need for antibiotics, scientists say. Wirelessly powered, environmentally friendly “smart bandages” have been developed by a team of scientists from the UK and France, with the University of Glasgow and the University of Southampton leading the research. The bandage could help improve the quality of life for people with chronic non-healing wounds as a result of conditions such as cancer, diabetes or damaged blood vessels, they said. Currently, wounds require painful cleaning and treatment. Researchers believe the technology could help to slow the rise of dangerous new strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria known as superbugs. Read full story Source: The Independent, 30 May 2023 -
Content ArticleThis study in the Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management aimed to assess the patient safety situation in Ghana across the World Health Organization's (WHO’s) 12 action areas of patient safety. The authors used interviews and observation including a WHO adapted questionnaire across 16 selected hospitals, including two teaching hospitals selected from the northern and southern parts of the Ghana. The key strength identified in the patient safety situational analysis was knowledge and learning in patient safety, while patient safety surveillance was the weakest action area identified. There were also weaknesses in areas such as national patient policy, healthcare associated infections, surgical safety, patient safety partnerships and patient safety funding.
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Content ArticleRemote digital postoperative wound monitoring provides an opportunity to strengthen postoperative community care and minimise the burden of surgical-site infection (SSI). This study aimed to pilot a remote digital postoperative wound monitoring service and evaluate the readiness for implementation in routine clinical practice. It concluded that remote digital postoperative wound monitoring successfully demonstrated readiness for implementation with regards to the technology, usability, and healthcare process improvement.
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Content ArticleCentral line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) account for many harms suffered in healthcare and are associated with increased costs and disease burden. Central line rounds, like medical rounds, are a multidisciplinary bedside assessment strategy for all active central lines on a unit. The project team designed a HIPAA-protected, text-based process for assessing central lines for risk factors contributing to infection. Staff initiated a consultation via a virtual platform with an interdisciplinary team composed of oncology and infectious disease experts. The virtual discussion included recommendations for a line-related plan of care.
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Content ArticlePhysicians raised a concern to the Quality Department about patients who were diagnosed in the emergency department (ED) with a urinary tract infection (UTI) but who later were clinically reviewed and found to be without disease. These patients were often admitted and treated with potentially unnecessary antibiotics.
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Content ArticleNHS Wales has published a new report detailing the good progress being made to investigate and learn from hospital-acquired COVID-19 in Wales. Established in April 2022, the National Nosocomial COVID-19 Programme is supporting NHS Wales organisations to carry out a review of nosocomial (hospital acquired) COVID-19 patient safety incidents that occurred between March 2020 and April 2022. The programme has prioritised the investigation of the most complex cases, with an aim to provide as many answers as possible for service users, families, carers and staff impacted by nosocomial COVID-19. The programme also aims to maximise learning opportunities across NHS Wales, to drive quality and safety improvements.
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Event
Strike quickly to prevent SSIs
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
When surgical site infection (SSI) rates began to climb at University of Wisconsin Health, a multidisciplinary group of surgical professionals assembled to drill down to the root causes of the infections. The Strike Team now has full authority to recommend changes to daily practices and retains final say in what must be done to improve patient care. Learn from the team’s evidence-based success by understanding how they use real-time data to identify gaps in care and implement proven protocols that improve infection prevention practices. Join a live webinar to discover: Evidence based successes in SSI prevention. How to use real-time data to identify gaps in care. Implementation strategies and protocols that improve infection prevention practices. Register -
Content ArticleThis practice recommendation offers practical recommendations to assist acute-care hospitals in prioritising and implementing strategies to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through hand hygiene. It updates Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals through Hand Hygiene, published in 2014. This expert guidance document is sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology (SHEA) and is the product of a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, the American Hospital Association and The Joint Commission.
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Content Article
Lilian Chiwera is an independent surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance and prevention (SSISP) expert with experience setting up and coordinating a very successful SSI surveillance service at Guys & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust from 2009–2022. Lilian shares the work she and her colleagues are doing around a surgical site infections patient safety initiative and explains why she wants to establish an annual Surgical Site Infections Prevention Day. -
Content ArticleSimple, and relatively inexpensive, steps to implement care bundles can have a dramatic impact on rates of surgical site infection. The Burden of Infection Symposium provided an insight into the latest evidence and guidance around best practice, as well as offering expert advice on ‘overcoming the challenges of change’. Read a summary of the symposium published in the Clinical Services Journal.
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Content ArticleSurgical site infections (SSIs) can have a significant impact on patients, their families and healthcare providers. With shortening inpatient periods, the post-discharge element of surveillance is becoming increasingly important. Proactive surveillance, including digital wound images using patient smartphones, may be an efficient alternative to traditional methods for collecting post-discharge surveillance (PDS). The aim of this study was to determine success in patient enrolment and engagement including reasons for non-response, the time for clinicians to respond to patients, SSI rates, and carbon emissions when conducting PDS using patient smartphones.
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Content ArticleThis blog by Robert Otto Valdez, Director of the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), outlines the setbacks to patient safety and the healthcare workforce caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. He highlights areas of concern including workforce burnout and an increase in healthcare associated infections (HAIs) since 2020. The issues faced by the US healthcare system are not felt equally, and Valdez draws attention to a report that demonstrates worsening health inequalities. The blog includes links to evidence-based research and initiatives developed by AHRQ aimed at improving current patient safety priorities. Toolkits to improve antibiotic use. These resources are based on a “Four Moments of Antibiotic Decision Making” model that has shown success in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory care practices. Tools to engage patients and families in making healthcare safer. Patients and families are powerful partners in improving quality and safety in hospital settings, during primary care visits, or whenever a diagnosis is made. These resources help ensure that patients’ voices are heard. Surveys on patient safety culture. This family of surveys asks healthcare providers and staff about the extent to which their organisational culture supports patient safety. Each survey is designed to assess patient safety culture in a specific setting. Diagnostic Centers of Excellence. These grants establishing 10 centres of excellence are aimed at developing systems, measures, and new technology solutions to improve diagnostic safety and quality.
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Content ArticleThe Leapfrog Group is a non-profit watchdog organisation that serves as a voice for healthcare consumers in the US, using their collective influence to foster positive change in healthcare. It provides patient safety ratings for hospitals, grading them from A to E. This article in Becker's Hospital Review highlights the patient safety priorities for 2023 of eleven US hospitals that have consistently been awarded 'A' grades by Leapfrog. Key themes include a focus on reducing healthcare associated infections, increasing psychological safety for staff and improving communication between staff and patients.
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Content ArticleHealthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention has been difficult for healthcare providers to maintain during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study summarises themes for maintaining infection prevention activities learnt from the implementation of a quality improvement (QI) programme in intensive care units (ICUs) during the pandemic. The authors of the study conducted qualitative analysis of participants’ semi-structured exit interviews, self-assessments on HAI prevention activities, participant-created action plans, chat-box discussions during webinars and informal correspondence. The study identified four themes for successful maintenance of infection prevention activities during the pandemic: the value of a pre-existing infection prevention infrastructure flexibility in approach broad buy-in for maintaining QI programmes the facilitation of idea-sharing.
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Content Article
Clean hands count for safe healthcare (CDC, 2020)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Infection control
Ensuring everyone has clean hands can protect patients from serious infections in healthcare facilities. However, studies show that on average, healthcare workers wash their hands less than half as many times as they should. This contributes to the spread of healthcare-associated infections, which affect 1 in 31 hospital patients in the US. This campaign by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aims to improve healthcare provider adherence to hand hygiene recommendations, address myths and misperceptions about hand hygiene, and empower patients to play a role in their care by asking or reminding healthcare providers to clean their hands. -
Content ArticleKeeping patients safe during their care and treatment should be at the heart of any health system, including the NHS. Yet avoidable harm still occurs every day, around the world. There have been major efforts to prioritise patient safety in England, but the pandemic has shone a light on areas of care where progress has stalled, or safety has deteriorated. This report by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation, commissioned by Patient Safety Watch, brings together publicly available data to present a national picture of patient safety in England.
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News Article
‘Patient safety progress stopped in its tracks by covid’ says Hunt report
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A report commissioned by Jeremy Hunt before he became Chancellor has highlighted how the pandemic ’stopped progress on patient safety in its tracks’ and called for more accurate data to be published on a range of measures. The National State of Patient Safety was funded by Mr Hunt’s Patient Safety Watch charity and produced by Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation. It highlights a rise in rates of MRSA and C. difficile since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, as well as an increase in deaths due to venous thromboembolism and hip fractures. The report said the pandemic had also exacerbated issues associated with staff wellbeing, claiming there had been “notable rises” in staff burnout and ill-health. The researchers described problems with the breadth and accuracy of available patient safety data and highlighted that only 44% of trusts currently fulfilled the obligation to report their own estimated number of avoidable deaths. Although the report added that “data on rates of avoidable deaths are not a panacea”, it described them as a “snapshot of safety and harm and are most usefully used to initiate further work to understand the causes of unwarranted variation”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 27 November 2022 -
Content ArticleThis Canadian study in the Journal of Patient Safety describes an initiative that introduced system-wide changes to practice and patient safety culture in a rapid time frame. it looks at the implementation of a 'zero harm' approach to eliminate preventable harm across a wide variety of clinical areas. In less than a year, the intervention increased patient safety incident reporting by 37% while decreasing falls with injury by 39%, pressure injury rates by 37% and central line–associated blood stream infections by 34%.
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News Article
Hospital water supply faces bacteria risk
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A coroner has written to the health secretary warning a lack of guidance around a bacteria that could contaminate new hospitals' water supply may lead to future deaths. It follows inquests into the deaths of Anne Martinez, 65, and Karen Starling, 54, who died a year after undergoing double lung transplants at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge in 2019. Both were exposed to Mycobacterium abscessus, likely to have come from the site's water supply. The coroner said there was evidence the risks of similar contamination was "especially acute for new hospitals". In a prevention of future deaths report, external, Keith Morton KC, assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said 34 people had contracted the bacteria at the hospital since it opened at its new site in 2019. He said the bacteria "poses a risk of death to those who are immuno-suppressed" and there was a "lack of understanding" about how it entered the water system. There was "no guidance on the identification and control" of mycobacterium abscesses, the coroner said. Mr Morton said documentation on safe water in hospitals needed "urgent review and amendment". "Consideration needs to be given to whether special or additional measures are required in respect of the design, installation, commissioning and operation of hospital water systems in new hospitals," he said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 22 November 2022 -
Content ArticleKaren Lesley Starling died on 7 February 2020 aged 54 and Anne Edith Martinez died on 17 December 2020 aged 65. Both deceased underwent successful lung transplant procedures at the new Royal Papworth Hospital. However, both women became infected with a hospital acquired infection, namely Mycobacteria abscessus (M. abscessus), and died. M. abscessus is an environmental non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). It can sometimes be found in soil, dust and water, including municipal water supplies. It is usually harmless for healthy people but may cause opportunistic infection in vulnerable individuals. Lung transplant patients and lung defence patients such as Mrs Starling and Mrs Martinez were at particular risk of infection from mycobacteria, including M. abscessus.
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Content Article
BD - Voices of safety videos
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Patient stories
This series of videos produced by pharmaceutical company BD features patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals telling their stories about patient safety. Each video highlights an experience of avoidable harm, with topics including sepsis, antimicrobial resistance, medication errors and healthcare associated infections. -
EventuntilChaired by Patient Safety Learning's Helen Hughes, and sponsored by BD, an expert panel will discuss what measures are needed to achieve transformational change in the way infection is detected, monitored, prevented, and managed across the NHS, healthcare systems and broader society. The session will touch on how industry, professional bodies and healthcare experts can work collaboratively to support the creation of a healthcare system which is resilient and mature in dealing with disease outbreak and pandemic preparedness, infection prevention, and rapid treatment of time-critical infection, ultimately delivering antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and improved sepsis outcomes. What attendees will learn: Understand the current challenges and barriers to effective infection prevention. What the future of infection prevention and management looks like in a post-COVID-19 world. Collaboration between all stakeholders – industry, government and PAGs – will be critical in delivering a holistic solution and pathway to robust infection management. Register
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Content ArticlePeople with developmental disability have higher healthcare needs and lower life expectancy compared with the general population. Poor quality of care resulting from interpersonal and systemic discrimination may further entrench existing inequalities.
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Content ArticleIn this insightful and informative review by Dr Shaffi from Cleveland Clinic learn how you can target Zero catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) through close attention to practice - from patient selection through management of the catheter lifecycle and delivery of data driven practice learn the changes that matter.
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News Article
Self-sterilising plastic kills viruses like Covid
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Scientists have developed a virus-killing plastic that could make it harder for bugs, including Covid, to spread in hospitals and care homes. The team at Queen's University Belfast say their plastic film is cheap and could be fashioned into protective gear such as aprons. It works by reacting with light to release chemicals that break the virus. The study showed it could kill viruses by the million, even in tough species which linger on clothes and surfaces. The research was accelerated as part of the UK's response to the Covid pandemic. Studies had shown the Covid virus was able to survive for up to 72 hours on some surfaces, but that is nothing compared to sturdier species. Norovirus - known as the winter vomiting bug - can survive outside the body for two weeks while waiting for somebody new to infect. "This is the first time that anything like this has been developed," said Prof Andrew Mills, from the university's chemistry department. He added: "This film could replace many of the disposable plastic films used in the healthcare industry as it has the added value of being self-sterilising at no real extra cost." He said current personal protective equipment used in hospitals did a good job, but "infections can take place when you take off or put on the PPE, so this can help". Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 September 2022
