| ■ Do More to Cut Blood Infections In Hospital Patients: Survey | 2010.07.16 |
| A lack of resources and attention to the problem are why deadly but easily preventable bloodstream infections continue to be a problem for American hospitals, according to a newly-released survey of medical professionals. Each year, about 80,000 hospital patients in the U.S. develop catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) and about 30,000 die, accounting for nearly one-third of all deaths from hospital-acquired infections, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Washington Post reported. The survey, conducted by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, included 2,075 respondents, most of whom were infection control nurses who work at hospitals. The survey found that: 70 percent of the respondents said they aren't given enough time to train other hospital workers on proper procedures; more than half said they have to use a paper-based patient condition tracking system that can make it difficult to spot infections in real time; nearly one-third said their greatest challenge was enforcing best practice guidelines; and 20 percent said hospital administrators aren't willing to spend the money needed to prevent CRBSI's, the Post reported. |