Special Edition on Infection Prevention & Control | Page 14

Epidemiology quest for clean Scientific R&D Prevention/Epidemiology Epidemiology Manufacturing and Regulatory/Compliance Manufacturing and Regulatory/Compliance Infection Prevention There is clear evidence that collaborative process improvement initiatives, focusing on the implementation of infection-focused (e.g., CAUTI, CLABSI, C. diff) standardized care bundles, have yielded success in reducing HAI rates.” SUBMISSIONS WANTED Manufacturing and Regulatory/Compliance Prevention/Epidemiology Infection Prevention “While progress has been made in prevention of targeted healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), more needs to be done,” says Connie Steed, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC, the 2020 president of APIC (whose views are her own and do not necessarily represent the official position of the organization for purposes of this article). She adds, “There is clear evidence that collaborative process improvement initiatives, focusing on the implementation of infection-focused (e.g., CAUTI, CLABSI, C. diff) standardized care bundles, have yielded success in reducing HAI rates. The opportunity lies in sustaining this level of care over long periods of time. Healthcare organizations (HCOs) are challenged with staff turnover and holding front-line staff accountable to ‘doing the right thing every time.’ In addition, HCOs lack strategies to consistently monitor clinical care. “ As a means of comparison to determine progress, let’s review recent data. In 2014, the Multistate Point-Prevalence Survey of Healthcare-Associated Infections, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, updated national HAI prevalence data and examined state-specific quest for clean robustly scientific prevention-driven prevention-driven evidencebased practices Infection Prevention Prevention/Epidemiology focus on a variety of electronic monitoring tools to support improvement efforts. • Preventive strategies for MRSA bacteremia include surgical-site infection and device-related prevention processes as the bloodstream infection is likely secondary to another primary source of infection. CHG bathing and nasal prophylaxis are strategies that have been added to care bundles in recent years and have helped many HCOs reduce HAIs. HHM How has COVID-impacted HAI prevention and how can IPs make powerful contributions in this unprecedented time? CS: IPs have truly stepped up to the plate and met the extraordinary challenge of COVID-19 head on. In collaboration with HCO emergency management teams, IPs form the backbone of facility incident command teams, establishing prevention and control measures to protect the health and safety of patients and healthcare providers across the continuum of care. IPs are taking the lead to address critical issues such as supply chain needs related to PPE and disinfectants; managing issues surrounding the dynamic changes in CDC’s interim COVID-19 guidance; and listening to and helping concerned and fearful patients, family members, and care providers who want answers in the midst of chaos. IPs must also continue to conduct HAI surveillance, monitor for clusters of infection, and collaborate with HAI teams and frontline staff to continue HAI reduction efforts. This is a time many infection preventionists will not forget. robustly scientific Infection Prevention Scientific R&D Scientific R&D Infection Prevention Manufacturing and Regulatory/Compliance Infection Prevention healthcarehygienemagazine Healthcare Hygiene magazine, a new monthly publication uniting infection prevention-driven stakeholders in the quest for clean, invites you to submit to us your articles addressing evidence-based practices. Articles should be robustly scientific and non-commercial in nature. For submissions guidelines, send an inquiry to: [email protected] We are building bridges between Infection Prevention/Epidemiology, Scientific R&D, Manufacturing and Regulatory/Compliance through a comprehensive online and digital platform. robustly scientific robustly scientific Prevention/Epidemiology Epidemiology Manufacturing and Regulatory/Compliance prevention-driven evidencebased practices evidencebased practices quest for clean robustly scientific Infection Prevention Epidemiology prevention-driven Join this vibrant new online community and be alerted when new monthly issues of the magazine and other supplements are released. www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com SIGN UP TODAY 14 IP&C Special Edition June 2020 • www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com