American journal of infection control
-
Am J Infect Control · Aug 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of bacterial contamination of blood conservation system and stopcock system arterial sampling lines used in critically ill patients.
Commonly placed to monitor blood pressure and to aspirate blood, arterial lines frequently cause complications. The blood conservation system (BCS) forms a closed infusion line and may be expected to reduce complications caused by intraluminal contamination. We compared microbial contamination resulting from use of BCS and 3-way stopcock catheterization. ⋯ There was less microbial contamination of intraluminal fluid when BCS was used for arterial catheterization.
-
Am J Infect Control · Aug 2012
Device-associated nosocomial infection rates in intensive care units at Cairo University hospitals: first step toward initiating surveillance programs in a resource-limited country.
Device associated infections (DAIs) have major impact on patient morbidity and mortality. ⋯ High rates of DAI and antimicrobial resistance require strengthening infection control, instituting surveillance systems, and implementing evidence-based preventive strategies.
-
Each year, nearly 7 million hospitalized patients acquire infections while being treated for other conditions. Nurse staffing has been implicated in the spread of infection within hospitals, yet little evidence is available to explain this association. ⋯ We provide a plausible explanation for the association between nurse staffing and health care-associated infections. Reducing burnout in registered nurses is a promising strategy to help control infections in acute care facilities.
-
Am J Infect Control · Aug 2012
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium outbreak caused by patient transfer in 2 separate intensive care units.
This report describes an outbreak involving vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium colonization in 2 separate intensive care units (ICUs). Outbreak investigation including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated that transfer of a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium colonized patient between ICUs contributed to the outbreaks that occurred simultaneously in 2 separate ICUs.
-
Am J Infect Control · Jun 2012
Evaluation of screening risk and nonrisk patients for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on admission in an acute care hospital.
Screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylocccus aureus (MRSA) is advocated as part of control measures, but screening all patients on admission to hospital may not be cost-effective. ⋯ Screening patients without risk factors increased the number of screenings and costs but resulted in few additional cases being detected. In a hospital where MRSA is endemic, targeted screening of at-risk patients on admission remains the most efficient strategy for the early identification of MRSA-positive patients.