A vicious cycle
Researcher have found that overcrowding and understaffing in hospitals lead to a failure of MRSA control programmes, which in turn results in increased inpatient hospital stay, bed blocking and further infection control failure.
Hygiene
Nosocomial infections reach the court rooms
According to recent survey by the Leapfrog Group 87% of hospitals fail to adhere infection prevention measures on a consistent basis. In the Wall Street Journal, Betsy McCaughey, chair of the Committee to Reduce Infection Death, warns against the next wave of lawsuits.
Infection control in many languages
Devlin responds to the growing demand in Europe for infection control products, offering their “CleanKey” infection control keyboard in serveral European languages. Clean Key isolates the keyboard from the PC allowing it to be cleaned immediately without interrupting onscreen activity.
Airflows fight hospital infections
Hospital infections are immensely dangerous. Toul Meditech has therefore developed a new mobile laminar airflow system which can be used in every operating room in addition to the existing ventilation system.
Better protection for nurses! - A global call to action
Provision of standard infectious disease precautions and safe workplaces for nurses all around the world are the main claims of a statement shaped during the International AIDS Conference by Physicians for Human Rights and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.
Wound dressing fights the super bug
In any hospital, one of the most dreaded enemies is MRSA. This super-resistant pathogen laughs in the face of most antibiotics. But now, medical and hygiene product manufacturer Lohmann & Rauscher may have developed an efficient weapon to fight this ugly beast: a wound dressing that contains polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB).
The 7th Villacher Hygienetag
Experts from almost a dozen European countries - including for the first time Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia - will meet at the Villacher Hygienetag (Hospital Hygiene Congress) in October to discuss "Antibiotic resistance - development, consequences and concepts".
Russia: Fight against HIV
Russia has one of the fastest-growing AIDS epidemic in the world. One reason for this development is unsafe sex of addicts. Therefore sexual behaviour should be considered as an important component in the treatment of drug-dependent people to stop HIV-transmission.
Nosocomial infections in the USA
As nosocomial, or healthcare-related infections (HAIs), continue to escalate in the US, and protocols to manage this problem remain complex and confusing, surveillance healthcare IT systems offer hope to gain control of the situation. These offer the potential for data to be uniformly collected, quantified, and assessed. How rapidly they will be implemented enough is unknown.
Nursing documentation meets legal requirements
Since 1988, all general hospitals are legally required to collect quarterly data for a Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS). The NMDS was revised from 23 to 78 items in 1997.
ESGE-ESGENA
Endoscopic procedures, which are well established in the diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal diseases, not only carry procedural risks but also the risk of endoscopy associated infections.
The Thermologger
The remote monitoring of the operating status of automatic bedpan washers has become possible with the launch of the Thermologger, made by Meiko.
Britain: The big bug buster
The UK's MRSA rates have been declining since 2006 — and this year could be 50% lower than in 2004. This increasing control over dangerous pathogens has not been achieved without considerable hospital staff efforts, relentless public and government pressures on them, and in-house malcontent about the out-sourcing of cleaning work. Given the cost of nosocomial infections to patients, the NHS…
Be prepared for the pandemic flu
The next pandemia will come - rather sooner than later. The respiratory protection of frontline staff is a major part of healthcare facilities' preparation. To assist hospitals, ECRI Institute and the International Association of Healthcare Safety and Security present the web conference "Respiratory Protection: Preparing for Pandemic Flu" on July 17, 2008.
Simple checklists could save healthcare billions
Intensive care units are associated with the best state-of-the-art technology and round-the-clock treatment from experts. However, patients who enter ICUs risk hospital acquired infections (HAI), which are not only very expensive to treat but also could kill them.
A highly practical male urinal
UnoComfor is a single-use male urinal designed to optimise safety and hygiene.
Vaccination may combat Clostridium difficile
UK - Whilst the life-threatening Clostridium difficile is not absolutely resistant to antibiotics, after an individual has been infected the bacteria often reappears.
Evolving bacteria present new and difficult problems
Ireland - Researchers are investigating a new breed of bacteria that carry extended spectrum beta-lactimases (ESBLs) enzymes which can destroy many common antibiotics, including penicillins and cephalosporins.
Even non-touch taps can harbour dangerous pathogens
USA - Urging public health and infection control officers to be proactive against Legionella and other waterborne microbes that contribute to soaring hospital infection rates everywhere, international Legionella expert Janet Stout PhD* warned.
Heparin-bonded uretral stent prevents bacterial encrustation
A new heparin-bonded uretral stent, developed by Cook Medical, is now available and provides urologists with an improved option for ureteral drainage. As a recent study from Italy shows, the heparin-bond prevents bacterial encrustation in long term insertion.
The Infector Detector
Urinary tract infections caused by catheterisation are a common and nasty affliction for the disabled, elderly and hospital patients.
Touchless hand disinfection
The Japanese hygiene products specialist SARAYA has been in business for half a century. Today, its products are still at the cutting edge.
Worldwide healthcare launch of Clinell Sporicidal
GAMA Healthcare Ltd, UK based infection-control specialists launched at Medica today the world's first cleaning, sterilising and disinfecting peracetic acid generating wipe. This innovative dry wipe, Clinell Sporicidal, has been developed by doctors for widespread use in the hospital environment. On contact with water peracetic acid, which impregnates the wipe, is activated instantly to the…
Benchtop ultrasonic cleaning
UK - A new range of benchtop ultrasonic cleaners are being launched at MEDICA by manufacturer Ultrawave.
Safer hygiene with silver-based products
UK - Results from a National Health Service (NHS) trial, which investigated the effectiveness of silver at reducing levels of bacteria in an actual hospital setting, have been announced by BioCote Ltd, manufacturer of antimicrobial products.