American journal of infection control
-
Am J Infect Control · Nov 2013
Patient empowerment in a hand hygiene program: differing points of view between patients/family members and health care workers in Asian culture.
"Patient empowerment" is an important component of World Health Organization hand hygiene program, but little is known about the intentions and attitude of patients/families and health care workers (HCWs) regarding this. ⋯ There were significant gaps between attitude and intention regarding patient empowerment both among patients/families and HCWs. Special strategies targeting women, the pediatric population, or illiterate people may help improve patient/family participation. Additionally, hand hygiene education should be incorporated into early-stage medical/nursing education to create a facilitating environment. Patients/families and HCWs cooperation is needed to promote the hand hygiene program further.
-
Am J Infect Control · Nov 2013
Healthcare-associated infections studies project: an American Journal of Infection Control and National Healthcare Safety Network data quality collaboration-Ventilator-associated event 1, 2013.
This is the second case study published in a series in AJIC since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance definition update of 2013. These cases reflect some of the complex patient scenarios Infection Preventionists (IP) have encountered in their daily surveillance of health care-associated infections (HAI) using NHSN definitions. This is the first case utilizing the new NHSN Ventilator-associated Events (VAE) module and criteria.
-
Am J Infect Control · Nov 2013
Efficacy of an infection control program in reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia in a Chinese neonatal intensive care unit.
Measures employed in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in developing countries are rarely reported. This study evaluates the efficacy of an infection control program in reducing VAP in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in China. ⋯ Implementing a multifaceted infection control program resulted in a significant reduction in VAP rate with long-term effects. Such interventions could be extended to other low-income countries.
-
Am J Infect Control · Nov 2013
Immunizing health care workers against influenza: a glimpse into the challenges with voluntary programs and considerations for mandatory policies.
Vaccination of health care workers (HCWs) is an important patient safety initiative. It prevents influenza infection among patients and reduces staff illness and absenteeism. Despite these benefits, HCW influenza immunization uptake is low. Therefore, strategies to achieve high immunization coverage in HCWs, barriers to uptake, and perceptions of mandatory influenza immunization policies were discussed in key informant interviews with influenza immunization program planners. ⋯ Participants believed immunization coverage in health care organizations will continue to be suboptimal using existing program strategies. Although participants discussed mandatory immunization as a way to improve uptake, potential obstacles will need to be addressed for this to be implemented successfully.
-
Am J Infect Control · Nov 2013
Developing a new national approach to surveillance for ventilator-associated events: executive summary.
In September 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened a Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) Surveillance Definition Working Group to organize a formal process for leaders and experts of key stakeholder organizations to discuss the challenges of VAP surveillance definitions and to propose new approaches to VAP surveillance in adult patients (Table 1). The charges to the Working Group were to (1) critically review a draft, streamlined VAP surveillance definition developed for use in adult patients; (2) suggest modifications to enhance the reliability and credibility of the surveillance definition within the critical care and infection prevention communities; and (3) propose a final adult surveillance definition algorithm to be implemented in the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), taking into consideration the potential future use of the definition algorithm in public reporting, interfacility comparisons, and pay-for-reporting and pay-for-performance programs.