In the long-term care sector, we have to address patients who may have been through multiple hospital visits and may have been infected with a wide range of multi-drug resistant organisms. Some of them...
Antibiotics in LTC: Changing from ‘Just in case’ to ‘Only when needed’
By
Philip D. Sloane, M.D., MPH and Sheryl Zimmerman, Ph.D.
Mar 01, 2017
Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, the most common cause of death was infection. There was no good treatment for pneumonia, complications of urine or ear infections were common, and many people died...
Preventing C. diff infections with probiotics
By
Donna L. Parker, RN
Oct 06, 2016
I realized that it was not the infection control processes in place that were the problem and set out to find a way to reduce the C. diff rate in our facility.
Infectious diseases specialists vital in LTC facilities
By
Russell M. Petrak, M.D.
Aug 18, 2014
Coping with the complicated management of infectious diseases is among the many challenges facing long-term care facilities today. Residents with multiple comorbidities often are prescribed broad-spectrum...
C. diff spotlight: Vaccine trial and caregiver checklist
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 07, 2013
Back in June, I declared medication to be the long-term care topic of the summer. But this week, a different topic has stolen the spotlight: Clostridium difficile.
Taking steps to prevent Clostridium difficile infections
By
Irena Kenneley, Ph.D.
Feb 15, 2013
The numbers are in and they are grim. There are 165,000 cases, $1.3 billion in excess costs, and 9,000 deaths from Clostridium difficile infections that are healthcare-acquired in the United States annually.
Healthcare’s dirty secret
By
Elizabeth Newman
Nov 20, 2012
If there’s one topic where I feel that healthcare publications tend to repeat themselves, it’s around infection control.
September 11 death count, times 10
By
John O'Connor
Aug 27, 2012
Many people shudder when they think about the 9/11 tragedy, and rightfully so. The four suicide attacks carried out on September 11 of 2001 caused nearly 3,000 deaths. But imagine if there were 10 such...