MRSA Infections Continue to Fall, U.K.
from Medical News Today
MRSA bloodstream infections in England are continuing to fall, the latest quarterly statistics from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) showed. There were 725 MRSA bloodstream infections in England between July and September. This represents a 13 percent decrease on the previous quarter (April to June) when there were 837 cases and a 33 percent reduction in the corresponding quarter of 2007. More

CDC: Weekly US Map: Influenza Summary Update
from CDC
The link provided directs to a Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report Prepared by the Influenza Division. More

Sharps Safety Enhanced by Education, Culture Change
from Infection Control Today
Exposure to bloodborne pathogens is one of the most serious occupational hazards for healthcare workers. According to the World Health Organization’s report, “Preventing Needlestick Injuries Among Healthcare Workers, authors Susan Q. Wilburn, BSN, MPH, and Gerry Eijkemans, MD, note, “The healthcare workforce, 35 million people worldwide, represents 12 percent of the working population. The occupational health of this significant group has long been neglected both organizationally and by governments. The misconception exists that the healthcare industry is ‘clean‘ and without hazard, when in fact the chemical and bloodborne exposures encountered can be career- and life-ending.” More

Preventive Antibiotic Use Reduced ICU Deaths
from Medical News Today
Researchers studying nearly 6,000 patients in intensive care units (ICUs) in 13 hospitals throughout the Netherlands, found that giving antibiotics as a preventive measure to ICU patients increased their chances of survival. More

MRSA Pre-screening Effective in Reducing Otolaryngic Surgical Infection Rates
from Science Daily
Pre-operative screening of patients for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may be an effective way to reduce infection rates following otolaryngic surgeries, according to new research published in the January 2009 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. More

APIC Issues Statement on Need for Increased Infection Prevention Measures in Ambulatory Care Settings
from Infection Control Today
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has issued a statement from Kathy Warye, CEO of APIC, in conjunction with an article being published in the January issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine about outbreaks of hepatitis B and C in outpatient clinics nationwide. The outbreaks are linked to unsafe injection practices. In the statement Warye addresses the need for increased infection prevention measures in outpatient settings and also APIC’s work with HONOReform, a national coalition formed to bring a halt to unsafe needle practices in outpatient centers. APIC is providing educational resources and expertise to this effort spearheaded by a hepatitis C survivor. As this year progresses, APIC will play an increasingly active role in monitoring legislation and educating the profession about safe injection practices. More

Ohio Hospitals Taking Advantage of Security Technology
from Today’s Facility Manager
In an effort to eliminate the challenge of surgeons, nurses, and support staff from fumbling with ID badges through scrubs or forgetting them, Promedica Health System’s (PHS) Sylvania, Ohio-based hospital’s surgery room grants door entry access through hypoallergenic/ antimicrobial coated biometric hand readers. The access control system increases entry speed in critical situations and most importantly creates a highly secure entry beyond card swipe technology that also allows PHS central security personnel to monitor and record through the hospital’s Frontier access control system software. More

Reduce bed turnover time Learn how Premise helped a 1,000 bed hospital reduce its bed turnover time from eight hours to 30 minutes, while cutting related phone calls from 12 to just one. More

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