American journal of infection control
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Am J Infect Control · Aug 2014
Multicenter StudyCompliance with prevention practices and their association with central line-associated bloodstream infections in neonatal intensive care units.
Bundles and checklists have been shown to decrease the rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), but implementation of these practices and association with CLABSI rates have not been described nationally. We describe implementation and levels of compliance with preventive practices in a sample of US neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and assess their association with CLABSI rates. ⋯ Most of the NICUs in this national sample have instituted CLABSI prevention policies and monitor compliance, although reporting compliance ≥95% was suboptimal. Reporting ≥95% compliance with select CLABSI prevention practices was associated with lower CLABSI rates. Future studies should focus on identifying and improving compliance with effective CLABSI prevention practices in neonates.
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Am J Infect Control · Aug 2014
Health care-associated infection prevention in Japan: the role of safety culture.
Limited data exist on the use of infection prevention practices in Japan. We conducted a nationwide survey to examine the use of recommended infection prevention strategies and factors affecting their use in Japanese hospitals. ⋯ Although certain practices were used commonly, the rate of regular use of many evidence-based prevention practices was low in Japanese hospitals. Our findings highlight the importance of fostering an organization-wide atmosphere that prioritizes patient safety. Such a commitment to patient safety should in turn promote the use of effective measures to reduce health care-associated infections in Japan.
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Am J Infect Control · Aug 2014
Does the presence of oral care guidelines affect oral care delivery by intensive care unit nurses? A survey of Saudi intensive care unit nurses.
Mechanically ventilated patients rely on nurses for their oral care needs, signifying the importance of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of oral care guidelines on the oral care delivered to mechanically ventilated patients by ICU nurses. ⋯ Participants governed by oral care guidelines had significantly higher oral care practice scores than their counterparts from ICUs without similar guidelines (P = .034; t = 2.13). Oral care guidelines in ICUs can contribute to reduction of morbidity and mortality caused by ventilator-associated pneumonia.
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Am J Infect Control · Aug 2014
Central line-associated bloodstream infection in a trauma intensive care unit: impact of implementation of Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Infectious Diseases Society of America practice guidelines.
This study aimed to assess the impact implementation of the basic Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Infectious Diseases Society of America (SHEA/IDSA) practice recommendations in reducing central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in intensive care units (ICUs). ⋯ The basic SHEA/ISDA practice recommendation is an effective prevention model for the reduction of CLABSIs in the ICU. Additional measures are needed to control the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms.