Category: Infection Control

Rubber band seal brings surgical mask protection to N95 levels, study finds

Standard surgical masks don’t fully seal around a person’s face, allowing for more participle exposure. But simply adding two rubber bands may improve the seal and offer N95 respirator-level protection, according to researchers at Michigan Medicine in …

Glove misuse’s effect on patient safety during COVID-19: 3 report notes 

Misuse of gloves may have increased rates of hospital-acquired infections during COVID-19, a report published Aug. 29 in Nursing Times found.

5 states with highest, lowest CAUTI rates

Vermont hospitals have the highest catheter associated urinary tract infection rate in the country, while hospitals in Washington, D.C., have the lowest, CDC data shows. 

5 states with highest, lowest MRSA rates

Hospitals in Vermont have the lowest rate of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in the country, CDC data shows. 

Healthcare workers who use respirators 40% less likely to get COVID-19, study suggests

A study of more than 2,900 healthcare workers in Switzerland found those who reported using respirator masks were 40 percent less likely to contract COVID-19 than those wearing surgical masks after being exposed to COVID-19 patients. 

C. auris growing more drug-resistant, experts say

Infections caused by the fungi Candida auris and Aspergillus are becoming harder to treat with medication, experts told NBC News in an Aug. 13 report. 

Early warnings, few false alerts: What physicians want out of AI sepsis detection tools

A new artificial intelligence sepsis detection system had an 89 percent adoption rate by physicians and nurses, higher than other legacy tools, which typically garner a 10 percent adoption rate, a study published July 21 shows.

5 states with highest, lowest central line infection rates

New Mexico hospitals have the highest central line-associated bloodstream infection rate in the country while hospitals in North Dakota have the lowest, CDC data shows. 

5 states with highest, lowest C. diff rates

Hospitals in Alaska have the lowest Clostridioides difficile infection rate in the country, CDC data shows. 

2 infectious disease experts among Fast Company’s 56 most creative people in business

Two infectious disease experts from Houston-based Texas Children’s Hospital were recognized among Fast Company’s 14th annual list of the most creative people in business.