MOVING ANNOUNCEMENT
We have moved our hand hygiene blog to another location. Our new site will give the chance to comment our posts and search older posts easier. We hope that these changes will bring us closer.
Better hand hygiene through humiliation
2014.09.01.
As doctors and nurses move through hospitals, they aren’t the only ones making rounds—hitching a ride on their hands are dangerous bacteria that can lead to infections ranging from antibiotic-resistant staph to norovirus. According to the CDC, healthcare-related infections affected nearly 650,000 Americans and led to about 75,000 deaths in 2011 alone. Read more
Ebola – still raising numbers
2014.08.25.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is going to get worse before it gets better, according to the top US public health official. The current outbreak is the deadliest since Ebola was discovered in 1976. Read more
Preventing norovirus outbreak
2014.08.22.
Norovirus often gets attention for outbreaks on cruise ships, but those account for only about 1% of all reported norovirus outbreaks. Norovirus is very contagious, and outbreaks can occur anywhere people gather or food is served. People with norovirus usually vomit and have diarrhea. Read more
Norovirus outbreaks of international cruise ships
2014.08.18.
Cruise ships participating in the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) are required to report the total number of gastrointestinal (GI) illness cases–including zero–evaluated by the medical staff before the ship arrives at a U.S. port, when sailing from a foreign port. Read more
Flashing red light as a reminder for hand washing
2014.08.11.
D’Egidio, et al. (2014) describe their experience with an attention theory-based hypothesis which tested whether a simple red light flashing at 2-3 Hz affixed to the alcohol gel dispensers within a main hospital entrance would increase hand hygiene compliance over the baseline rate. Baseline and intervention observations were completed over five 60-minute periods (Monday through Friday) from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. using a covert observation method. Read more
Clean hands save lives – the book
2014.08.08.
Every year hospital-related infections kill 16 million patients. A Swiss doctor is reducing these numbers by half thanks to a very simple procedure: disinfecting hands using alcohol-based handrubs. We owe the existence of this procedure to Professor Didier Pittet, who has revolutionized the fight against nosocomial illnesses. Read more
Electronic reminder for patients can reduce SSIs
2014.08.04.
The use of electronic reminders such as text messages, emails or voicemails is highly effective at getting surgical patients to adhere to a preadmission antiseptic showering regimen known to help reduce risk of surgical site infections (SSIs), according to a first-of-its-kind study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Read more