Editors’ pick: Top 10 infection control stories for 2017

Infection control is one of the top challenges in U.S. nursing homes. This year brought tougher mandates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on recurring infection rates, new definitions for urinary tract infections in the 2017 RAI User’s Manual and the latest surveillance data on multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

Meanwhile, the growing concern worldwide over the emergence of “superbugs,” infectious organisms that are resistant to most (or all) current antibiotic treatments, has senior care providers focused on prevention, protocols and awareness.

Here are our picks for our Top 10 infection control stories of 2017:

Championing infection control

As the new CMS regulations for infection control programs kick in, providers are finding that leadership matters as much as training.

Suppressing the Superbug: The CDC’s Infection Control Best Practices for MDROs

Nimalie Stone, MD, medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explains how to identify infections risks and reduce the spread of disease in the nursing home setting.

New antibiotic for UTI hits market

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new antibacterial drug to treat complicated urinary tract infections.

Superbug Surveillance: CDC Shares the Latest MDRO Data & Collaborative Prevention Efforts

Jeneita Bell, MD, medical epidemiologist and team leader at the CDC’s Long-term Care Team for Healthcare Quality and Promotion, discusses the impact of multidrug-resistant organisms and how nursing homes can help public health agencies track them.

2017 RAI User’s Manual updates: The new survey era

Plenty of changes are in place to synch the MDS with new regulations starting in November—including the way urinary tract infections are defined.

Drug-resistant bacteria on hand—and in the nursing home

A new review shows that, on average, 27 percent of nursing home residents had multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB) on them, highlighting the importance of infection prevention programs.

High-tech healing

The latest in wound and pressure injury assessment technology has nurses tossing their rulers.

Fighting superbugs with genetic warfare

As antibiotic resistance grows, scientists are learning how to attack killer bacteria at the genetic level.

NADONA and Ocean Spray partner to target antibiotic stewardship

The long-term care nursing organization and the juice company are teaming up on educational efforts to combat antibiotic resistance.

New C. diff treatment reduces recurrent infections by 40%

Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is the bane of nursing homes, since it tends to return over and over again. British researchers have found a drug that could stop the cycle in its tracks.

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