…some latest news and initiatives on infection prevention and safety…..

“Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients” – CDC is launching a new program called Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients, featuring tools to help both clinicians and patients prevent infections. CDC worked with partners to develop a Basic Infection Control and Prevention Plan for Outpatient Oncology Settings, which can be used by outpatient oncology facilities to standardize – and improve – infection prevention practices.  The Basic Infection Control and Prevention Plan for Outpatient Oncology Settings and a link to the Web site are available at Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients .

Improperly disposed sharps pose a public health risks –  this shouldn’t be a surprise to us nurses but the FDA launched a new website for patients and caregivers on the safe disposal of needles and other so-called “sharps” that are used at home, at work and while traveling. The website will help people understand the public health risks created by improperly disposing of used sharps and how users should safely dispose of them. Here’s what the FDA recommends.

For the safe disposal of needles and other sharps used outside of the health care setting, the FDA recommends the following:

DO:

• Immediately place used sharps in an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container to reduce the risk of needle-sticks, cuts or punctures from loose sharps. (A list of products and companies with FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers is available on the FDA website. Although the products on the list have received FDA clearance, all products may not be currently available on the market.)
• If an FDA-cleared container is not available, some associations and community guidelines recommend using a heavy-duty plastic household container as an alternative. The container should be leak-resistant, remain upright during use and have a tight fitting, puncture-resistant lid, such as a plastic laundry detergent container.
• Keep sharps and sharps disposal containers out of reach of children and pets.
• Call your local trash or public health department in your phone book to find out about sharps disposal programs in your area.
• Follow your community guidelines for getting rid of your sharps disposal container.

DO NOT:

• Throw loose sharps into the trash.
• Flush sharps down the toilet.
• Put sharps in a recycling bin; they are not recyclable.
• Try to remove, bend, break or recap sharps used by another person.
• Attempt to remove a needle without a needle clipper device.

Septicemia….caused by blood infections with bacteria such as E. coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), was the single most expensive condition treated in U.S. hospitals at nearly $15.4 billion in 2009, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Data include cases of septicemia acquired within the community and during hospital stays. For more information...click here

Photo from the FDA website..http://bit.ly/sZpIAf