Infections in Hospitals and Nursing Homes

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Bobbie
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Infections in Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Postby Bobbie » Tue Aug 09, 2005 2:00 pm

Paula Zahn did a recent segment on CNN on infection in hospitals. I didn't see the entire segment and couldn't find it in CNN's transcripts, but she stressed making sure all your health care providers wash their hands. She mentioned all the numerous cases of infection that occurred in hospitals that could have been prevented with proper hygiene.

She also suggested if you are having surgery, you should mark that area with a magic marker. We've all read horror stories about people having the wrong kidney removed, etc. These are rare incidents, but Paul Zahn stressed, "You can't be too careful." She also stressed assertiveness and speaking up for your own care or the care of your family memebers when they are hospitalized.

To summarize: Wash your hands and insist your visitors and medical personnel wash their or glove. Have a family member friend be with you as much as possible to act as your advocate. Hospitals can kill as well as cure!
Last edited by Bobbie on Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Updating

Bobbie
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Postby Bobbie » Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:46 pm

This is from one of our new posters. She is so correct when it comes to being an advocate for yourself and your loved ones while hospitalized. Many thanks for her post.

RN092504
To: Bobbie
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005
Subject: Something to add to 'Hospital Survival'
Hi Bobbie:

I'm an ICU nurse with c.diff. Our hospital system has recently changed the hand washing guidelines regarding c.diff patients. The hand sanitizer is NOT effective against c.diff. I'm talking about the no wash, alcohol based gel or foam that some hospitals have mounted in every room. EVERYONE who enters an isolation room should wash their hands with soap and water IN THE ROOM for 30 seconds before leaving.

Also, I had the experience to be hospitalized for several days for c.diff. Although I was in 'isolation' and I knew the 'rules' so to say, I had to admonish the staff to maintain their isolation. C.diff isolation usually included gowning up and gloving whenever entering the room, regardless if you will touch the patient or the environment or not. All patients with c.diff should have their own equipment, meaning an iso thermometer, bp cuff, and disposable digital thermometer. The patient is not to be wandering the halls (this killed me) and if needed for testing outside the room, the patient must wear a gown. I yelled at anyone who entered my room and did not follow these precautions. It was how I probably caught c.diff, and I didn't want their laziness to cause the patient next door to suffer what I am going through. I also reported it to the hospitals infection control department.

When we have this infectious disease, its up to us to not only be advocates for ourselves, but for other people as well, to try to curb the spread of the disease.

Oh, and physicians are notoriously the worst healthcare workers with hand washing. Study after study, in my healthcare system and beyond, show a less than 50% compliance rate with hand washing guidelines.

i hope you'll post some of this info, in an edited form, so people who have the unlucky experience of hospitalization, know what to expect. Thanks.
Last edited by Bobbie on Sat Aug 02, 2014 5:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Updating

Bobbie
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Postby Bobbie » Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:29 pm

Marcia submitted this.

I was out of town when the program aired. At least, more and more people are becoming aware that "hospital patient or visitor, beware." This is from the 20/20 program. Cindy had a great idea to contact John Stossel. We all should do it.

The web site for the entire story has elapsed.
Last edited by Bobbie on Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:52 am, edited 2 times in total.

Bobbie
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Postby Bobbie » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:48 pm

Marcia contributed this about hospitals.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story? ... 701&page=1

Bobbie
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Statistics

Postby Bobbie » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:28 am

Bobbie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 Post subject: Statistics

Here are some statistics I found when I was writing the presentation to the amendment hearing in Topeka. Dr. Kelly Karpa provided these stats. and medical citations. Thx. Kelly.

C diff can remain on bedrails, floors, window sills, toilet seats, etc. for up to 40 days AFTER the infected person has be gone from the bathroom (usually cultured from hospitals in this manner although I suppose public restrooms could also be a source of contamination).

The rate of C diff hospital acquisition is 3.2 days if your roommate has it. Again, this is from Schroeder MS. C,difficile-assiocated diarrhea. American Family Physician. 2005;71(5):921-928. “Patients who share a room with a C.diff positive patient acquire the organism after an estimated hospital stay of 3.2 days, compared with a hospital stay of 18.9 days for other patients. “ This pretty much says, you ARE going to acquire the microorganism in 3.2 days if your roommate has it—you will acquire it. You will now carry it. It will only make you sick if the opportunity presents itself (ie antibiotics use, etc.) They cite McFarland et al. Nosocomial acquisition of C., difficile infection. NEJM 1989;320:204-210.

Bobbie
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New Antiseptic "Prep" Before Surgery - ChloraPrep

Postby Bobbie » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:30 am

Bobbie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 Post subject: New Antiseptic "Prep" Before Surgery - ChloraPrep

Medi-Flex, Inc. and Medline Industries have joined forces to produce ChloraPrep, an antiseptic solution that is applied to a patient's skin before surgery. It will help fight hospital-acquired infections which causes tens of 1000's of deaths every year and adds billions of $$$ to the nation's annual healthcare bill.

Perhaps this will help stop the use of pre-surgery IV antibiotics. Two surgeons told me they don't prevent infection and are only used because they are SOP (standard operating procedure.)

If you need surgery, ask your surgeon about CloraPrep. Remember, it is "new" so its effectiveness is probably still questionable.

Bobbie
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Always Check Your Lab

Postby Bobbie » Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:28 pm

ALWAYS check your lab bill. Make sure the lab you use is a preferred care provider thru your insurance company but check out costs. You have the right to choose your lab.

The medical practice sent my mother's lab work to a local hospital that is notorious for high billing. I questioned cost, and the internist gave me the name of a biller who helped me reduce the amount my mother had to pay. (She doesn't have Medicare.).

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Postby Bobbie » Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:08 pm

GinneyEllen contributed this hyperlink about hospital infections and that even doctors aren't immune to medical mistakes.

This was the cover story from the May 1, 2006, issue of Time: "Q: What Scares Doctors? A: Being the Patient What insiders know about our health-care system that the rest of us need to learn."

I don't have time to thoroughly read a lot of the hyperlinks so just scanned most of them, but I read all this one, and it confirms what I've learned from hard experience. It's a "must read" for eveyone, and send it to everyone you know.

Planning surgery in July? Don't do it! Google to find out the reason.

The hyperlink for this article is no longer "good."

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Postby Bobbie » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:41 pm

From Beverly

Here is a website that lists the best hospitals. Although this was posted in 2006, the hyperlink is current and lists the best hospitals today

http://www.usnews.com/besthospitals

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Postby Bobbie » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:09 pm

Dorthy submitted this great advice.
Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007

We can't give medical advice here, but let me give you some advice about the hospital.

Try to make sure that someone is around as much as possible. Talk to the doctors and nurses and let them know that you have done your homework, and that you have read up on c-diff. Ask questions, but don't be threatening or confrontational, be nice and thank them for their time their care etc.. Write things down. If you don't understand something you can always look it up later. Ask the Doctors to spell their names for you and write them in your notes. They will be more careful with what they say if they see you writing. ICU staff will be more likely to give more TLC to a patient when the family is always there. Ask the nurses for updates, and ask them what the Plan is for the day. Make friends with them and they will help you and give you info.

Also make sure that everyone follows good hygiene including your family. Everyone who visits should wash their hands on the way in and the way out. Hand sanitizer is not good enough. Don't eat or drink in the patients' room.

Bobbie
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Hand Hygiene Takes Priority

Postby Bobbie » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:50 am

This was a front page story in [i]The KC Star[/i] today, probably due to the MRSA "scare." (No mention of C diff.). Stories are available through hyperlinks for several months until newspapers "pull" them. In the event it is "pulled," here is the "jest" of it. The hyperlink no longer work.

The article says hospitals are "cracking down" on hygiene for hospital workers because of the increase of antibiotic-resistant germs inside & hospitals. Proper handwahing is the simplest & most effective way to stop the infections that kill tens of thousands of people each year. It also says that despite recent efforts, hand-washing compliance rates at most hospitals are still only about 50%. Guess who the biggest offenders are? Doctors!!

It lists 7 steps to reduce chances of a hospital infection:
(l) Ask your hospital about its hygiene complaince rate & efforts to reduce infections
(2) Make sure hospital workers (including doctors) clean their hands before treating you or your loved ones
(3) Before someone uses a stethoscope, ask that the diaphram is wiped with alcohol
(4) If you need surgery, find out the surgeon's infection rate
(5) Ask visitors to wash their hands before entering (& leaving your room),
(6) Avoid touching your mouth with your hands; don't set food or utentsils on furniture
(7) If you have an IV make sure it's inserted & removed under sanitary conditions.

In other words, protect yourself & your loved ones by insisting on sanitation. This dates back to the days of Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton. If they knew about good hygiene in their "day and age" everyone can learn it in today's world.

For more information, see
http://www.hospitalinfection.org
http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa
http://www.apic.org
http://www.ihi.org

All the above hyperlinks are still "good."

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Re: Hospital & Nursing Home Survival

Postby Bobbie » Sat Aug 02, 2014 6:17 pm

08-02-l4
Although some of this information is old, it is still good. If hospitalized and/or in a nursing home, you must have an advocate - or be your own - and make sure you, medical personnel, and visitors practice good hygiene. If you have a loved one in a hospital, you must be his/her advocate or find one for him/her.

Things have changed for the better with C. diff. patients and other patients with severe infections. Everyone who enters or leaves a hospital room is gowned and gloved.

Nursing homes are different because the patient lives there so it's more difficult to monitor hygiene, etc. Be present as often as possible to check out hygiene, nutrition, physical therapy, etc.

The best place to "catch" something else is a hospital or a nursing home, and often you exit in worse shape than when you entered. Think of both as a battlefield and carry the necessary armor and weapons: knowledge and the nerve to "speak up."


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