ICCS Infection Prevention & Infection Control Newsletter (February 2019)

A shorter month didn't translate into any slowing down of infection prevention and control news. This issue includes reports on the benefits of donning gloves before gown, reducing MRSA risk, benefits of oral antibiotics for total joint patients, a new Speak Up campaign, flu vaccine and the value of sleep.

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Surgical Gloves Before Surgical Gown Decreases Infection Risk — Putting on surgical gloves before putting on a surgical gown has a significant impact on sleeve contamination, according to a study.
 
MRSA Infection Risk Greatly Reduced By Home Decolonization — Decolonization efforts at home can significantly reduce the likelihood of infection for hospitalized patients harboring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), research shows.
 
Hospital Sinks Next to Patient Toilets May Harbor Dangerous Bacteria — A study found that sinks located next to patient toilets in hospital rooms are far more likely to harbor dangerous bacteria than those sinks located closer to the room's entry door.
 
Extended Oral Antibiotics Reduces Infection Rate in Select Total Joint Patients — Extended postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis contributes to a significant reduction in the 90-day infection rate of select total joint arthroplasty patients at high risk for infection, according to the results of a study.
 
Electric System Change Drastically Cuts Unnecessary UTI Tests — Research shows that a simple change to how physicians order urine tests can reduce unnecessary urinary tract infection (UTI) tests by nearly half.
 
Joint Commission Launches Infection Prevention Speak Up Campaign — The Joint Commission launched a new Speak Up campaign focused on infection prevention. Educational resources available include an infographic, video and guide.
 
CDC: Infection Prevention Effectiveness of Flu Vaccine Below 50% — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the effectiveness of this year's flu vaccine against all influenza virus infection is 47%.
 
Hospitals Send Some Patients Home With Risky Antibiotic Prescriptions — Even as hospitals try to cut back on prescribing fluoroquinolones, a study shows that many patients still head home with prescriptions for those same drugs.
 
Antidepressant Could Stop Sepsis, Study Suggests — An antidepressant drug used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder could save people from deadly sepsis, according to new research.
 
Researchers Discover How Sleep Can Fight an Infection — Sleep improves the potential ability of some of the body’s immune cells to attach to their targets, according to a study.

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