PSQH: The Podcast Episode 61 – Fighting the Rise of Antimicrobial Resistance
On episode 61 of PSQH: The Podcast, Dr. Anthony Senagore, senior medical director of PolyPid, talks about the trend of rising antimicrobial resistance.
Survey Time: Check Your Ice Machine Outlets, Brush Up on IC, Staff Safety
The Joint Commission (TJC) is still catching up on the surveys backlogged during the COVID-19 pandemic—but they are catching up. Be aware that you might soon be getting a notice that your survey is scheduled, although you still won’t be told an exact date because CMS requires the visits to be unannounced.
One PHE Declared as Another is On Its Way Out—Maybe
On August 4, two days after appointing a national monkeypox response team, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra declared the infectious disease a U.S. public health emergency (PHE). Cases are now being reported in all U.S. states and some territories.
Even After Infectious Outbreaks, Nursing Home Staffing May Never be Fully Replaced
The study, Staffing Patterns in US Nursing Homes During COVID-19 Outbreaks, noted that significant staffing declines during a severe COVID-19 outbreak continued even as much as 16 weeks after the outbreak’s start. And even though facilities temporarily increased hiring, contract staff, and overtime to boost staffing, these measures did not fully replace lost staff—particularly certified nursing assistants.
Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance Following COVID-19
Before COVID-19, deaths from antimicrobial resistance were headed in the right direction, decreasing by nearly 30% in hospitals between 2012 and 2017. But in 2020, resistant hospital-onset infections and deaths both increased by 15% compared to 2019.
Tracking Trends in Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship
We’ve reached a moment in time where many officials are rolling back mitigation efforts like masking, testing, and rules about gathering. The CDC has updated its guidance to measure community risk for COVID-19 through three primary metrics: new cases, new hospitalizations for COVID-19, and current hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. These metrics underscore the importance of leveraging in-depth data to assemble a more detailed view of near-term risk that goes beyond case numbers.
Establish Monkeypox Infection Control Team, Monitor Community Outbreaks
The World Health Organization declared the contagion a global health emergency July 23 and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said the declaration “is a call to action for the global health community,” and that his agency and others will be accelerating plans to make “to make vaccines, testing, and treatments available to people in need.”
CDC Updates Enhanced Barrier Precautions for Nursing Home Residents
Nursing home residents are at increased risk of developing infection with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBPs) for nursing facilities to protect residents.
Monkeypox: CDC Updates Guidance for Medical Waste Handling
The CDC has updated its guidance on infection control of monkeypox for healthcare settings, reminding providers that any case suspected of being of the more deadly Congo Basin clade requires more extensive precautions, including the handling of hazardous medical waste.
CMS Updates IC Interpretive Guidelines for Hospitals
The long-awaited updates were among the many new requirements from its 2019 final rule burden reduction as well as other rules on discharge planning published just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.