I'm in San Diego this week for the ASHRM conference and brought along something I wanted to share in a post. It is an article in the September Issue of Hospital and Health Networks titled, "30 Things You Can Do to Eliminate Infections". Now some of you may click on the link to read the entire article. However, some of you won't so here is the list of 30!
Hand Hygiene:
- Educate employees
- Use alcohol-based hand rubs
- Track and monitor hygiene
- Involve employees
- Don't forget ancillary staff
Surgical Site Infections:
- Give antibiotics within one hour of surgery
- Warm Patient
- Clip, don't shave!
- Control the patient's blood sugar
Ventilator-Associate Infections:
- Practice good oral hygiene
- Remove tubes promptly
- Elevate the head - go up 30 degrees!
Urinary Tract Infections:
- Use silver-alloy-coated catheters or no catheter at all
- Remove catheters quickly or use alternatives
- Keep sterile - use gowns and gloves!
Bloodstream Infections:
- Use line carts
- Use PIC lines
Housekeeping:
- Don't skimp on supplies
- Enforce good housekeeping
- Make hand rub dispensers ubiquitous
Organizational Strategies:
- Understand your current conditions
- Build a Business Case
- Investigate in real time
- Communicate quickly and effectively
- Standardize your processes
- Speak plainly
- Harness the power of numbers
- Get infection control expertise
- monitor patients for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
- Vaccinate staff
Now some of you may be wondering why I added this to my Healthy Children and Families page. Well, I also believe informed consumers, patients, parents and caregivers also contributes to eliminating infections. Feel free to ask questions of your healthcare provider to ensure that they are implementing these 30 things to eliminate infections!
I've actually been looking for some form of grief and loss counseling for my friend who has just experienced a traumatic event in her life. Your website looks like it has a lot of helpful medical information. If you have any recommendations on a counselor or website, please send it my way. Thanks so much!
Posted by: Lori Camp | August 19, 2011 at 10:28 AM
A resource for anyone dealing with people going through grief and loss is Adventures in Caring http://www.adventuresincaring.org/
For your friend, there are online resources and some specific to the type of tragedy or condition. You may want to start with http://connect.legacy.com/
She or you will also want to look in your specific community. Contact your hospital social services, hospice, and funeral homes who can make referrals to local resources.
I'll also check with someone I know in the field to see what she recommends.
Posted by: Christina | August 20, 2011 at 10:54 AM