Nursing Home Infection Rates on the Rise According to New Study

In October, the Columbia University School of Nursing published a news release about a study that found rising infection rates at nursing homes. The study found increasing rates of a variety of infections, including multiple drug-resistant organisms (MDROs), after examining infections in nursing homes in the United States over a five-year period.

“Infections are a leading cause of deaths and complications for nursing home residents, and with the exception of tuberculosis we found a significant increase in infection rates across the board,” said lead study author Carolyn Herzig, MS, project director of the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections & Cost Effectiveness in Nursing Homes (PNICE-NH) study at Columbia Nursing. “Unless we can improve infection prevention and control in nursing homes, this problem is only going to get worse as the baby boomers age and people are able to live longer with increasingly complex, chronic diseases.”

The study found an 18% increase in multiple drug-resistant bacterial infections and an 11% increase in pneumonia. The news release goes on to discuss how hand hygiene, contaminated surfaces and air can all play a role in infection rates in nursing homes.

“With organisms like MRSA, C. diff, CRE, and others on the rise, it is essential that people in nursing homes and others who may have a weakened immune system not be around these organisms,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Proper hand hygiene, surface disinfection and good air quality are all essential to prevent the spread of infections. At EMSL, we offer a wide range of environmental pathogen testing services to identify bacteria and fungi before they cause disease or to help pinpoint their location if an outbreak has already occurred.”

EMSL recently sponsored a three-part series about healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) that can be seen at:

Part 1:  http://youtu.be/FwO9oUFFIps
Part 2:  http://youtu.be/UaOGwK35Stk
Part 3:  http://youtu.be/DLQX2f2niFk

To learn more about testing for environmental pathogens and HAIs in nursing homes, hospitals and other locations, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com .
 
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental, indoor air quality and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public.  The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

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