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Showing results for tags 'Infection control'.
Found 641 results
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Content ArticleAt the beginning of the pandemic, there was an important question to resolve: is coronavirus “airborne”? If it was, then this meant that the virus could transmit through the air from person to person, even over long distances, in indoor environments. We now know the answer is yes. In the 19th century diseases such as cholera and typhoid taught us the importance of water quality – coronavirus in the 21st century should provide that same realisation on the importance of air quality. Ideally, all indoor environments where people congregate should be fitted with modern, efficient ventilation systems that flush out potentially contaminated air and replace it with fresh, clean air continually. This would prevent the build-up of virus-containing aerosols and reduce the likelihood of transmission of covid-19 and other diseases such as influenza. With energy costs rising, it is vitally important to find methods of preventing virus transmission that are safe, quick to implement and affordable, writes Dr Alice Bunn in this HSJ article.
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Content ArticleThis webinar hosted by GovConnect features three presentations about digital wound management:Digital data and information (National Wound Care Strategy Programme)York Community Services approach to engagement of staff in digital changeDigitising wound care in the community: The challenges and successes (Livewell Southwest)
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Content ArticleThe Covid-19 pandemic has, in many ways, been healthcare’s finest hour. Clinicians performed miracles as they battled to understand a new disease, learning as they went along the techniques and approaches that gave patients the best chance of survival. But, for all this quiet heroism, the crisis also turned a harsh spotlight on the deficiencies of health systems, writes Sarah Neville in this Financial Times article.
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Content ArticleThis poster outlines a simple point of care risk assessment that can be carried out by healthcare professionals before each interaction with a patient.
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Content ArticleThe impact of Long Covid needs urgent action – and there are five key elements to drive the effort forward, writes the WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in this article for the Guardian.
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EventThis year’s programme brings together highly ranked representatives of international and national healthcare authorities, NGOs, policymakers, clinical scientists, researchers, and pioneers in healthcare improvement with the unified goal of improving AMR and sepsis healthcare around the world. The objectives of this free Spotlight online congress are to review achievements, challenges, and potential solutions to combat the threats posed by AMR and sepsis globally. Speakers will describe the current global epidemiology and burden of sepsis and AMR, explore a future research agenda, provide an overview of lessons and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent Ebola outbreaks, and ultimately explore innovative and cost-effective approaches to preventing and combating sepsis and AMR. The WSC Spotlight is a free online congress and is attended by a large number of clinicians, health decision-makers, and other health workers. For example, more than 40,000 people from 160 countries tuned in to the 2017 WSC Spotlight on maternal and neonatal sepsis (and accessed more than 300,000 times on YouTube and Apple Podcasts in the following weeks). Moreover, at the occasion of this congress, WHO will launch the first Global report on the epidemiology and burden of sepsis. The report describes results from original research and existing published evidence, the methodologies and limitations of the studies, and identifies gaps and priorities for future research. Programme and registration
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Content ArticleThe Royal College of General Practitioners have put together guidance for those working in primary care.
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Content ArticleThe purpose of the US Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals is to improve patient safety. The goals focus on problems in healthcare safety in the USA and how to solve them. They include identifying patients correctly, improving staff communication, use medicine safely, use alarms safely, prevent infection, identify patient safety risks and prevent mistakes in surgery.
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Content ArticleAmong the range of avoidable harms associated with health care, health care-associated infections (HAI) are a significant burden. Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most frequent HAI in low and middle income countries and the second most frequent HAI in higher income settings. In the most challenged settings, they can affect up to one-third of surgical patients. SSI prevention is a high priority worldwide, but it is particularly complex as the risks include multiple factors determined by the patient’s condition, the system and the environment, as well as behaviours and actions associated with the organization and delivery of health care.
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Content ArticleDr John Campbell, a retired A&E nurse, discusses the current news, research and evidence on COVID-19 in the US and UK, the new coronavirus cases linked to mink farms, and free supplies of vitamin D to care home residents and clinically extremely vulnerable people in England.
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Content ArticleOn the same day that the nation went into a second lockdown, the Government published revised guidance on Visiting Arrangements for Care Homes. Whereas previous versions of this guidance had adopted a more neutral approach, the steer from the Government is now clear; the expectation is for care homes to be facilitating visits wherever possible. This Bevan Brittan article looks at what the law says, what the new guidance says and what care homes should be doing.
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Content ArticleIn this Anaesthesia editorial, Simoes and Bhangu, on behalf of the CovidSurg Collaborative, outline why and how elective surgery must restart. "COVID‐19‐free pathways will be crucial for patient safety during the COVID‐19 pandemic, as they seem to lead to low rates of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection rates and complications. Further preventive measures and patient level risk assessment will allow surgery to safely restart and continue during this, and future, crises." This editorial accompanies an article by Kane et al. Anaesthesia 2020; 75: 1596–1604.
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Content Article
CPSI: Keeping seniors safe (15 May 2020)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Older people
The goal of this virtual discussion is to explore practical solutions for keeping seniors safe. The ideas are drawn from real life experiences noting how COVID-19 impacted seniors, their loved ones as well as healthcare workers and leaders. The focus of the discussion is on identifying safety risks together with practical solutions for seniors who live at home, in residences and long-term care facilities. Watch the webinar on demand and download the slides. -
Content ArticleThis guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) sets out: key messages to assist with planning and preparation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic so that local procedures can be put in place to minimise risk and provide the best possible support to people in supported living settings. safe systems of working including, social distancing, respiratory and hand hygiene and enhanced cleaning. how infection prevention and control (IPC) and personal protective equipment (PPE) applies to supported living settings.
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Content ArticleHealthcare workers and their families account for 17% of hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the working age population (18-65 years), finds new research published in the BMJ. Shah et al. assessed the risk of hospital admission for COVID-19 among patient facing and non-patient facing healthcare workers and their household members. The study revealed that healthcare workers in patient-facing roles were around three times more likely to be hospitalised with the virus than the general population. The authors call for an urgent focus on how COVID-19 spreads around hospitals to prevent a similar toll in future waves of the pandemic. They also call for hospitals to consider re-deploying staff with vulnerable family members away from high-risk zones.
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Content ArticleA set of 5 infographics describing the the factors that influence the risk of nosocomial transmission of infections (such as Covid19), and how health and care staff can take action to manage the risks and reduce the infection rate. The factors explained are: People Equipment Task Environment Organisation
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Content ArticleThis Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) report charts a four-month patient safety investigation that was launched following concern that patients were contracting COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital. The report references data presented to SAGE in mid-May that suggested around 20% of patients were reporting symptoms seven days after admission. The aim of the investigation was to understand the factors that could contribute to the risk of transmission, how the NHS operates to reduce that risk and where there may be opportunities to reduce that risk even further. The investigation represented the voices of those working across the health service, from strategic national planners to hospital porters. It also captured experiences of patients and families, providing further insight into the challenges of managing the transmission of COVID-19.
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Content ArticleA new report from Healthwatch and the British Red Cross looks at how well the new hospital discharge policy is working for patients, carers and healthcare professionals. In March 2020, the Government introduced a new hospital discharge policy to help the NHS free up beds by getting people out of hospital quickly. This meant anyone who may need out-of-hospital support to help them recover would now have their needs assessed after being discharged, rather than in hospital. How has the new policy affected people's experience of leaving hospital? Healthwatch and the British Red Cross spoke to over 500 patients and carers and conducted 47 in-depth interviews with health and care professionals involved in the hospital discharge process. The research shows significant numbers of people are not receiving follow-up support after being discharged from hospital under new policy, leading to unmet needs.
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Content ArticleThis image highlights that no single intervention is perfect at preventing the spread of a respiratory virus. However, multiple layers of protective approaches will improve success. Based on the Swiss Cheese Model of Accident Causation by James Reason, this is an adapted version which has been developed by virologist Ian Mackay and colleagues from the University of Queensland. Join the Patient Safety Learning community and sign up to the hub for free. As a member, you’ll be able to join the conversation, get early access to events and receive regular news and updates about patient and staff safety.
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Content ArticleThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) insight reports are designed to help everyone involved in health and social care to work together to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic. This report looks at infection prevention and control and provider collaboration reviews.
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Content ArticleThis article explains what herd immunity is and what the World Health Organization (WHO)'s position is on herd immunity as a way of fighting COVID-19.
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Content ArticlePatient Safety Movement's Dr Donna Prosser, CCO, and Dr Edward Kelley, Director of Integrated Health Services Department at World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters, Geneva, give a COVID-19 update in this video. Topics discussed include the current climate of the COVID-19 pandemic broken down by region, influenza season amidst COVID-19, the reopening of schools across the globe, and Dr Kelley's speculations on how we will be able to overcome this crisis in the upcoming future.
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Content ArticleIn a crisis, normal processes must often be modified to ensure that the best possible care is provided while ensuring the safety of patients and personnel despite limited resources. ECRI has collated resources that include preparation checklists, patient handling checklists, equipment lists, lists of alternative suppliers, recommendations for patient care equipment such as ventilators, and recommendations for infection control.
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Content ArticleAn open letter has been published in the Nursing Times from infection prevention and control experts, together with interested and concerned individuals and organisations, about the restrictions enforced in nursing, care and residential homes. Restrictions are being imposed in relation to COVID-19 across too many nursing, care and residential homes in the UK and beyond, in the name of infection prevention and control. A number of experts in this field, led by Jules Storr, independent global health consultant and former Infection Prevention Society (IPS) president, summarise in an open letter why infection prevention and control should be an enabler not a barrier to safe, compassionate human interaction in nursing, care and residential homes. By adding their voice their intention is to accelerate action to end this uncompassionate treatment of people in homes as well as for their families and other loved ones.
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Content ArticleOlder people and people with an intellectual disability who receive long-term care are considered particularly vulnerable to infection outbreaks, such as the current coronavirus pandemic. The combination of healthcare concerns and infection-related restrictions may result in specific challenges for long-term care staff serving these populations during infection outbreaks. This review from Embregts et al. aimed to: (1) provide insight about the potential impact of infection outbreaks on the psychological state of healthcare staff and (2) explore suggestions to support and protect their psychological well-being. They found that research into support for long-term care staff during an infection outbreak is scarce. Without conscious management, policy and research focus, the needs of this professional group may remain underexposed in current and future infection outbreaks. The content synthesis and reflection on it in this article provide starting points for new research and contribute to the preparation for future infection outbreaks.
