Infection Control Horizon Scanning Volume 2 Issue 1

Medical device alert issued for all types of mattress

Source: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

For fulltext link here

Date of publication: January 2010

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: The MHRA have issued a medical device alert for all types of mattresses, following reports of damaged covers and associated interior mattress contamination. An accompanying poster on mattress decontamination has also been produced.

Length of publication: 5 pages (plus 1-page poster)

Acknowledgement: NursingTimes.Net news item

Scientists use DNA to track the spread of infection

Source: The Times Online

For fulltext link here

Date of publication: January 2010

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: As part of a Modernising Medical Microbiology initative , scientists from a UK-wide consortium have embarked on an ambitious project to read the complete genetic codes of pathogens taken from hundreds of people, so that DNA can be used to track the spread of infection and to identify the source of outbreaks of disease. The £6 million initiative is funded by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration. Work has begun on sequencing 300 different samples of S. aureus and C. difficile, and the tuberculosis research will start this year.

Length of publication: Web page

Irish hospital introduces copper door handles to reduce infection

Source: eGov Monitor

For fulltext link here

Date of publication: January 2010

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: St Francis Private Hospital, a 140-bed facility located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, and its associated nursing home, St Clair’s, have become the first institution to replace all existing handles with antimicrobial copper. Research has shown that copper surfaces can reduce microbial contamination by 90-100%.

Length of publication: Web page

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Infection Control Horizon Scanning Volume 1 Issue 9

Using a “Days Between Events” graph to measure days between healthcare infections

Source: Clean, Safe Care

For fulltext link here

Date of publication: November 2009

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: Produced by the Intelligence and Data Team at the Health Care Associated Infection Improvement Programme, this document describes step-by-step how to produce a graph measuring the days between healthcare infections.

Length of publication: Web page

High Impact Intervention (HII): Care bundle to improve the cleaning and decontamination of clinical equipment

Source: Clean, Safe Care

For fulltext link here

Date of publication: November 2009

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: High Impact Interventions (HII) are simple evidence based tools that provide guidance on the practical actions that clinical staff need to undertake to significantly reduce health care associated infections. This care bundle offers guidance on ways to improve the cleaning and decontamination of clinical equipment.

Length of publication: 6 pages

Dedicated infection control nurses needed in intensive care during pandemic

Source: NursingTimes.net

For fulltext link here

Date of publication: December 2009

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: Recent research, due to be published in a forthcoming edition of the International Journal of Nursing Studies, suggests that it is beneficial to appoint a dedicated Infection Control nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) during a flu pandemic.

Length of publication: Web page

Clostridium difficile infection: a critical analysis of the guidance

Source: British Journal of Nursing 18 (21) pp.1328-32

Follow this link for Full Text (NHS Athens username and password required)

Date of Publication: November 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a Nutshell: Looks at implementation of the report Clostridium Difficile Infection: How to deal with the problem.  Identifies that while it puts in place a structure for clinical governance it pays scant regard to the financial implications of implementation.  The article highlights the reports limitations in an acute setting.

Length of publication: 5 pages

MRSA objective: recommendations from the National Quality Board

Source: DH

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of Publication: December 2009

In a Nutshell: The MRSA objective reflects a zero tolerance approach to preventable infections and the aim of reducing variation in performance on MRSA bloodstream infections.  NHS organisations will be set an objective for reducing MRSA infections, relative to the median, with the best-performers setting their objectives locally.

Length of Publication: 3p.

 

Additional Papers:

1. Supplementary paper 1 – MRSA objective – detail of recommendations
2. Supplementary paper 2 – MRSA objective – detail of recommendations
3. Letter from Secretary of State, Andy Burnham, to NHS Chief Executive
4. Impact assessment of proposals to set an objective for MRSA reductions
5. Equality impact assessment