Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Commons^™

Superbugs Versus Outsourced Cleaners: Employment Arrangements And The Spread Of Health Care-Associated Infections, Adam Seth Litwin, Ariel C. Avgar, Edmund R. Becker

Adam Seth Litwin

On any given day, about one in 25 hospital patients in the United States has a health care–associated infection (HAI) that the patient contracts as a direct result of his or her treatment. Fortunately, the spread of most HAIs can be halted through proper disinfection of surfaces and equipment. Consequently, cleaners—“environmental services” (EVS) in hospital parlance—must take on the important task of defending hospital patients (as well as staff and the broader community) from the spread of HAIs. Despite the importance of this task, hospitals frequently outsource this function, increasing the likelihood that these workers are under-rewarded, undertrained, and detached …

The Effect Of Bundled Interventions On Prevention Of Hospital Acquired Clostridium Difficile Infection, Kaitlin Kendys

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates have steadily increased in hospitalized patients due to the change in epidemiology. Approximately 13 of every 1,000 inpatients are either infected or colonized with C. difficile (CDC, 2013). CDI rates continue to rise due to the hyper-virulent strain of C. difficile and length of therapy needed to treat CDI. The average cost for a single inpatient CDI is more than $35,000, and the estimated annual cost burden for the healthcare system exceeds $3 billion (Walsh, 2012). The purpose of this evidence-based project (EBP) was to reduce hospital-acquired CDI rates over a 3-month period-oftime from November …

What Are The Barriers And Facilitators To Nurses’ Utilization Of A Nurse Driven Protocol (Ndp) For Indwelling Urinary Catheter (Iuc) Removal?, Brenda Clark

Interprofessional Research and Innovations Council

What are the barriers and facilitators to Nurses’ utilization of a Nurse Driven Protocol (NDP) for Indwelling Urinary Catheter (IUC) removal?

By Brenda Clark, BSN, RN, CMSRN

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients; 80% of UTIs are related to using indwelling urinary catheters.

Reducing these infections is recognized as a National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) by the Joint Commission; the American Nurses Association (ANA) has classified catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) as one of the nurse-sensitive indicators that reflect the quality of nursing care. Centers for Medicare …

Fluoride Varnish Application In The Pediatric Population, Ellen Gnaedinger

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Purpose: The United States (U.S.) has a persistent problem of dental caries in primary teeth with a greater prevalence of dental caries found in minority and poor children. The majority of children in the U.S. experience dental caries in their primary teeth by age eight. This problem could be addressed by primary care providers applying fluoride varnish (FV) to children's teeth starting at the age of primary tooth eruption. The causes of dental caries in children’s primary teeth are multifactorial and therefore require multiple interventions. Around the world providers are utilizing FV as an effective and easily administered strategy. This …