Using social media to disseminate research in infection prevention, hospital epidemiology, and antimicrobial stewardship

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 1262-1268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly A. Cawcutt ◽  
Jasmine R. Marcelin ◽  
Julie K. Silver
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Hospital Epidemiology ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSocial media, prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial stewardship (ASP) each impact every area of medicine. Independently, each have power to change medicine, however, synergistically, the impact could be transformative. Given the profound clinical, financial, and public health impact of infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship combined with the incomplete uptake of best practices, multimodal strategies employing social media are critical to increase the speed and reach of research. This review discusses the strategic utilization of online communication platforms to increase the dissemination of critical publications.

scholarly journals Infection Prevention Performance among Hospital Staff during Vaginal Birth: Results from a Criterion-Based Audit at a Zonal Referral Hospital in Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Lærke Vinberg Rasmussen ◽  
Enna Sengoka ◽  
Eusebius Maro ◽  
Godfrey Kisigo ◽  
Vibeke Rasch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Vaginal Birth ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Audit Process ◽  
Knowledge Test ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Labour Ward ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
The Impact

Background: Healthcare associated infections is a global burden and is one of the main causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality during the time of labour when admitted to the hospital. Healthcare workers´ hands are in most cases the vehicle for transmission of microorganisms from patient to patient.Good hand hygiene practices at the bedside are a simple way of reducing healthcare associated infections. The objective was to assess the impact of a criterion-based audit on infection prevention performance and knowledge during vaginal delivery at a hospital in Tanzania. The quantitative findings were discussed with staff to identify barriers and solutions to quality improvement. Methods: A mixed-method uncontrolled, before and after intervention study by criterion-based audit was performed at the labour ward at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. Criteria for best practice were established together with key staff based on national and international guidelines. Sixty clean procedures during vaginal birth were observed and assessed by a structured checklist based on the audit criteria. Baseline findings were discussed with staff and an intervention performed including a short training and preparation of alcohol-based hand rub. Hereafter another 60 clean procedures were observed, and performance compared to the care before the intervention. Furthermore, a knowledge test was performed before and after the intervention. Results: Hand washing increased significantly after a procedure from 46.7% to 80% (RR=1.71 95% CI; 1.27 to 2.31), the use of alcohol-based hand rub before a procedure from 1.7% to 33.3% (p<0.001), and the use of alcohol-based hand rub after procedure from 0% to 30% (p<0.001). After the intervention the mean score for the knowledge test increased insignificantly from 59.3% to 65.3%, (mean difference = 6.1%, 95% CI; -4.69 to 16.88). Conclusion: The criterion-based audit process identified substandard care for infection prevention at the labour ward. An intervention of discussing baseline findings and a short training session and introducing alcohol-based hand rub resulted in improvements on infection prevention performance.

scholarly journals A pre-pandemic COVID-19 assessment of the costs of prevention and control interventions for healthcare associated infections in medical and surgical units in Québec

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Tchouaket ◽  
Stephanie Robins ◽  
Sandra Boivin ◽  
Drissa Sia ◽  
Kelley Kilpatrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Median Cost ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
The Cost ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) present a major public health problem that significantly affects patients, health care providers and the entire healthcare system. Infection prevention and control programs limit HCAIs and are an indispensable component of patient and healthcare worker safety. The clinical best practices (CBPs) of handwashing, screening, hygiene and sanitation of surfaces and equipment, and basic and additional precautions are keystones of infection prevention and control (IPC). Systematic reviews of IPC economic evaluations report the lack of rigorous empirical evidence demonstrating the cost-benefit of IPC program in general, and point to the lack of assessment of the value of investing in CBPs more specifically. Objective This study aims to assess overall costs associated with each of the four CBPs. Methods Across two Quebec hospitals, 48 healthcare workers were observed for two hours each shift, for two consecutive weeks. A modified time-driven activity-based costing framework method was used to capture all human resources (time) and materials required (e.g. masks, cloths, disinfectants) for each clinical best practice. Using a hospital perspective with a time horizon of one year, median costs per CBP per hour, as well as the cost per action, were calculated and reported in 2018 Canadian dollars. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results A total of 1831 actions were recorded. The median cost of hand hygiene (N = 867) was 19.6 cents per action. For cleaning and disinfection of surfaces (N = 102), the cost was 21.4 cents per action, while cleaning of small equipment (N = 85) was 25.3 cents per action. Additional precautions median cost was $4.13 per action. The donning or removing or personal protective equipment (N = 720) cost was 75.9 cents per action. Finally, the total median costs for the five categories of clinical best practiced assessed were 27.2 cents per action. Conclusion The costs of clinical best practices were low, from 20 cents to $4.13 per action. This study provides evidence based arguments with which to support the allocation of resources to infection prevention and control practices that directly affect the safety of patients, healthcare workers and the public. Further research of costing clinical best care practices is warranted.

scholarly journals A pre-pandemic COVID-19 assessment of the costs of prevention and control interventions for healthcare associated infections in medical and surgical wards in Québec

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Tchouaket Nguemeleu ◽  
Stephanie Robins ◽  
Sandra Boivin ◽  
Drissa Sia ◽  
Kelley Kilpatrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
The Cost ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) present a major public health problem that significantly affects patients, health care providers and the entire healthcare system. Infection prevention and control programs limit HCAIs and are an indispensable component of patient and healthcare worker safety. The clinical best practices (CBPs) of handwashing, screening, hygiene and sanitation of surfaces and equipment, and basic and additional precautions (e.g., isolation, and donning and removing personal protective equipment) are keystones of infection prevention and control (IPC). There is a lack of rigorous IPC economic evaluations demonstrating the cost–benefit of IPC programs in general, and a lack of assessment of the value of investing in CBPs more specifically. Objective This study aims to assess overall costs associated with each of the four CBPs. Methods Across two Quebec hospitals, 48 healthcare workers were observed for two hours each shift, for two consecutive weeks. A modified time-driven activity-based costing framework method was used to capture all human resources (time) and materials (e.g. masks, cloths, disinfectants) required for each clinical best practice. Using a hospital perspective with a time horizon of one year, median costs per CBP per hour, as well as the cost per action, were calculated and reported in 2018 Canadian dollars ($). Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results A total of 1831 actions were recorded. The median cost of hand hygiene (N = 867) was 20 cents per action. For cleaning and disinfection of surfaces (N = 102), the cost was 21 cents per action, while cleaning of small equipment (N = 85) was 25 cents per action. Additional precautions median cost was $4.1 per action. The donning or removing or personal protective equipment (N = 720) cost was 76 cents per action. Finally, the total median costs for the five categories of clinical best practiced assessed were 27 cents per action. Conclusions The costs of clinical best practices were low, from 20 cents to $4.1 per action. This study provides evidence based arguments with which to support the allocation of resources to infection prevention and control practices that directly affect the safety of patients, healthcare workers and the public. Further research of costing clinical best care practices is warranted.

A View from The Joint Commission Perspective: Updated Compendium Will Continue to Help Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 964-966
Author(s):  
Margaret VanAmringe
Keyword(s):  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Hospital Epidemiology ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
Healthcare Associated

There is a vast body of knowledge generated for the purpose of improving patient outcomes, including information on how to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, it is a daunting task to ensure that the most valuable practices contained within the scientific domain become broadly, timely, and effectively used in practice. Much has been written about the unacceptably long lag time between new clinical knowledge development and its widespread use, even when that knowledge is produced using the gold standard of randomized controlled clinical trials. With this issue in mind, “A Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals” was written to accelerate adoption of important practices known to be effective at reducing infections. Now updated, enhanced, and included within this and recent issues of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the Compendium is more than the requisite synthesis of the expansive science on infection prevention and a distillation of that evidence for its relevancy to hospitals. What makes the Compendium unique is its commitment to the usability of its content at the ground level. By presenting information in a format that can make operational sense out of complicated knowledge, the Compendium jump-starts the ability of hospital healthcare professionals to translate essential information into practice.

An Infection Preventionist’s View of the Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Structure, Process, and Outcome

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 961-963
Author(s):  
Janet P. Haas
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
World Health ◽  
Guidance Document ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infection ◽  
Hospital Epidemiology ◽  
Process And Outcome ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Healthcare Associated

The set of articles included in the 2008 “A Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals” was groundbreaking because the articles distilled the latest information about 6 of the most pressing healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention problems into a compelling framework, with guidance for immediate interventions. Further, they were all included as a supplement to the regular monthly issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology that could be kept neatly in healthcare professionals' offices for reference. Importantly, colleagues from all disciplines could access these articles online free of charge, along with patient educational material available in English, Spanish, and several additional languages. One central topic missing from the 2008 Compendium was hand hygiene, a cornerstone of infection prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO) Clean Care Is Safer Care initiative was then the focus for hand hygiene monitoring and improvement, and it was unclear at that point whether another guidance document on the topic would have provided additional useful information.

scholarly journals Motivating healthcare professionals (nurses, nurse assistants, physicians) to integrate new practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections into the care continuum: turning Positive Deviance into positive norms

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anat Gesser-Edelsburg ◽  
Ricky Cohen ◽  
Adva Mir Halavi ◽  
Mina Zemach
Keyword(s):  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Central Processing ◽  
Dissemination Process ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
And Control ◽  
Action Dialogue ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The literature examining healthcare-associated infections (HAI) points to two main problems in conforming to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among healthcare professionals (HP). One is the discrepancy between HPs’ behavioral intentions and their implementation in practice. The other refers to how HPs maintain these practices after the intervention stage ends. The method proposed in this study seeks to address both these issues by using the Positive Peviance (PD) approach to focus on the dissemination stage of interventions. The study seeks to offer a method for disseminating 27 PD practices to 135 HPs, among them nurses, nurse assistants and physicians, so as to help them maintain IPC guidelines, offer feedback on the dissemination process and examine the impact of the dissemination stage on changes in their behavior. Methods The theoretical model underlying this qualitative research was the Recognition-Primed dDecision (RPD) model, which we implemented in the field of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Moreover, we used the Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD) and Think Aloud (TA) techniques to describe the methodological development of simulations for HPs. Feedback from the HP demonstrators underwent content analysis, while descriptive statistics were used to characterize behavioral changes. Results HPs’ information processing regarding infection prevention shifts from peripheral/automatic processing to intuition and analytical/central processing, turning PD practices into positive norms. The HPs personally experienced finding a solution and made repeated corrections until they overcame the barriers. Most of the HPs (69.4%) reported that the practices were fully implemented, together with additional practices. Conclusions Implementation of the dissemination stage indicates that in order for HPs to integrate and assimilate practices that are not in the official guidelines, merely observing simulations is not sufficient. Rather, each staff member must personally carry out the procedures.

scholarly journals Pediatric research priorities in healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial stewardship

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Susan E. Coffin ◽  
Francisca Abanyie ◽  
Kristina Bryant ◽  
Joseph Cantey ◽  
Anthony Fiore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Pediatric Research ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infection ◽  
Topic Identification ◽  
Delphi Approach ◽  
Healthcare Associated

Abstract Objective: To develop a pediatric research agenda focused on pediatric healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial stewardship topics that will yield the highest impact on child health. Participants: The study included 26 geographically diverse adult and pediatric infectious diseases clinicians with expertise in healthcare-associated infection prevention and/or antimicrobial stewardship (topic identification and ranking of priorities), as well as members of the Division of Healthcare Quality and Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (topic identification). Methods: Using a modified Delphi approach, expert recommendations were generated through an iterative process for identifying pediatric research priorities in healthcare associated infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship. The multistep, 7-month process included a literature review, interactive teleconferences, web-based surveys, and 2 in-person meetings. Results: A final list of 12 high-priority research topics were generated in the 2 domains. High-priority healthcare-associated infection topics included judicious testing for Clostridioides difficile infection, chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing, measuring and preventing hospital-onset bloodstream infection rates, surgical site infection prevention, surveillance and prevention of multidrug resistant gram-negative rod infections. Antimicrobial stewardship topics included β-lactam allergy de-labeling, judicious use of perioperative antibiotics, intravenous to oral conversion of antimicrobial therapy, developing a patient-level “harm index” for antibiotic exposure, and benchmarking and or peer comparison of antibiotic use for common inpatient conditions. Conclusions: We identified 6 healthcare-associated infection topics and 6 antimicrobial stewardship topics as potentially high-impact targets for pediatric research.

scholarly journals A nosocomial cluster of vancomycin resistant enterococci among COVID-19 patients in an intensive care unit

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Kampmeier ◽  
Hauke Tönnies ◽  
Carlos L. Correa-Martinez ◽  
Alexander Mellmann ◽  
Vera Schwierzeck
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Whole Genome Sequence ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant ◽  
Healthcare Associated

Abstract Background Currently, hospitals have been forced to divert substantial resources to cope with the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is unclear if this situation will affect long-standing infection prevention practices and impact on healthcare associated infections. Here, we report a nosocomial cluster of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that occurred on a COVID-19 dedicated intensive care unit (ICU) despite intensified contact precautions during the current pandemic. Whole genome sequence-based typing (WGS) was used to investigate genetic relatedness of VRE isolates collected from COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during the outbreak and to compare them to environmental VRE samples. Methods Five VRE isolated from patients (three clinical and two screening samples) as well as 11 VRE and six vancomycin susceptible Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) samples from environmental sites underwent WGS during the outbreak investigation. Isolate relatedness was determined using core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). Results WGS revealed two genotypic distinct VRE clusters with genetically closely related patient and environmental isolates. The cluster was terminated by enhanced infection control bundle strategies. Conclusions Our results illustrate the importance of continued adherence to infection prevention and control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent VRE transmission and healthcare associated infections.

scholarly journals Impact of Healthcare-Associated Infections Connected to Medical Devices—An Update

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 2332
Author(s):  
Nitin Chandra Teja Dadi ◽  
Barbora Radochová ◽  
Jarmila Vargová ◽  
Helena Bujdáková
Keyword(s):  
Medical Devices ◽  
Surgical Site Infections ◽  
Central Line ◽  
Ventilator Associated Pneumonia ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Care Bundles ◽  
Planktonic Form ◽  
Novel Approaches ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
The Impact

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are caused by nosocomial pathogens. HAIs have an immense impact not only on developing countries but also on highly developed parts of world. They are predominantly device-associated infections that are caused by the planktonic form of microorganisms as well as those organized in biofilms. This review elucidates the impact of HAIs, focusing on device-associated infections such as central line-associated bloodstream infection including catheter infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and surgical site infections. The most relevant microorganisms are mentioned in terms of their frequency of infection on medical devices. Standard care bundles, conventional therapy, and novel approaches against device-associated infections are briefly mentioned as well. This review concisely summarizes relevant and up-to-date information on HAIs and HAI-associated microorganisms and also provides a description of several useful approaches for tackling HAIs.

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