1. Smaller community hospitals have been most affected by the COVID-19-related uptick in healthcare-associated infections, a study published Aug. 23 in Clinical Infectious Diseases found.
2. The prevalence of Clostridioides difficile infections decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but inpatient mortality and treatment costs went up, a study published Aug. 25 in Open Forum Infectious Diseases found.
3. Standard surgical masks do not 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 Ann Arbor.
4. Misuse of gloves may have increased rates of hospital-acquired infections during COVID-19, a report published Aug. 29 in Nursing Times found.
5. 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.
6. The CDC found 1 in 10 infections caused by a type of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogen are community-associated, occurring in patients who had not been exposed to healthcare-linked risks, like hospitalizations.
7. The pandemic has exacted a significant toll on infection prevention professionals working in hospitals and other healthcare settings nationwide, according to a study published July 13 in the American Journal of Infection Control.
8. Antimicrobial-resistant infections have increased during the pandemic, with deaths rising by 15 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to the CDC’s “COVID-19: US Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance, Special Report 2022.”
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
