HAP Works With Pennsylvania Hospitals to Reduce Patient Infections
HAP is helping Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems to eliminate health care-associated infections such as:
- Central Line Infection Prevention—Central line-associated bloodstream infections are serious infections that occur when germs enter the bloodstream through a central line. Central lines are tubes placed in a large vein in the neck, chest, or arm to give fluids, blood, or medications. There are “bundles” of best practices that providers should follow during insertion and maintenance of the line. These practices help to prevent infection of the blood. Every day, the staff should evaluate if the central line is still needed.
- Catheter Infection Prevention—A urinary tract infection (UTI) in the bladder is the most common infection that patients develop while in the hospital. When a catheter is inserted, the risk of developing a UTI increases because bacteria can travel along the catheter tube into the bladder. These infections are called catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). Staff should insert the catheter without contaminating it and secure it to the patient’s leg. The drainage bag should be located below the level of the bladder and drain freely. Every day, the staff should evaluate if the catheter is still needed.
- Ventilator Infection Prevention—Ventilator-associated pneumonia or event is a lung infection that develops in a person who is on a ventilator. A ventilator is a tube inserted into the lungs to help a patient breathe. A patients lungs can be exposed to germs that enter the body through the tube. Staff help to prevent infections by keeping the head of the bed elevated to prevent aspiration. The patient should be monitored daily to determine if they can breathe on their own.
- Surgical-Site Infection Prevention—When an incision is made into the skin during surgery or a medical procedure, the patient is at risk of microorganisms (such as bacteria from the skin) entering the body. This could cause the patient to develop a surgical site infection. There are “bundles” of best practices to help prevent surgical site infections. Some of these are performed by the patient such as bathing with an antibacterial soap the night before surgery and the morning before surgery. Sometimes the doctor orders a nose culture to look for harmful bacteria, and if the culture is positive, the doctor may order an ointment to kill off the bacteria. During surgery a staff member keeps the patient warm, checks blood sugar, and gives antibiotics and extra oxygen. All these help the body recover faster from the incision and surgery.
- Clostridioides difficile Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship—Clostridioides difficile infection (or C. diff) is a major health issue for elderly hospitalized patients. It is sometimes triggered by using antibiotics. It is important that antibiotics be given only when needed and discontinued when appropriate. At home, patients should take their antibiotics as prescribed and not take a prescription that does not belong to them. Patients should not ask for an antibiotic when they have a viral infection.
HAP Contacts
For more information or with questions, contact Lauren Geary, project manager. Media inquiries should be directed to Kim Yakowski, manager, media relations.