 One: Focuses on the top six high priority HAIs:
- Surgical site infections
- Central line-associated bloodstream infections
- Ventilator-associated events
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
- Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections
- Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections
- Phase Two: Expands infection control efforts outside hospitals to outpatient settings including end-stage renal disease facilities and ambulatory surgical centers. Phase two also promotes better influenza vaccination rates among healthcare providers.
- Phase Three: Further expands efforts to include long-term care facilities like nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, and skilled-nursing facilities.
- Phase Four: Reviews federal antibiotic stewardship efforts in various healthcare settings, and highlights the importance of stewardship in the prevention of HAIs.
Most healthcare facilities also have their own policies and procedures for infection control. It is up to those working in these environments, however, to follow policies and procedures that will prevent HAIs and sepsis.
Sepsis Specific Guidelines
Several organizations also have specific guidelines for preventing and treating sepsis in hospitals. Many of these guidelines are similar to that of HAIs, but they address more specific factors associated with sepsis in hospitals, including factors related to the environment, patient condition, and prevention policies.
CMS guidelines are titled “Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Early Management Bundle”. These guidelines were established in 2015 with the goal of preventing sepsis, identifying infections earlier, and ensuring that treatment is initiated as soon as possible.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has guidelines for managing sepsis in healthcare settings. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign is one of the most widely-accepted sets of guidelines. Created in collaboration between the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, the guidelines include guidance from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
The guideline bundles available for hospitals include critical care, intensive care, clinical practice guidelines, and severe sepsis guidelines. All of the guidelines are based on evidence-based practices and are intended to improve outcomes for patients. The essential guidelines include:
- Hospitals must measure serum lactate levels in patients with severe sepsis within three hours of a diagnosis being made.
- Hospitals must obtain blood cultures within three hours of diagnosis.
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics must be initiated within three hours of diagnosis.
- Healthcare providers should being rapid administration of crystalloid if hypotension (low blood pressure) is diagnosed, or if serum lactate levels are below a certain level.
- If, during or after fluid resuscitation, the patient’s blood pressure is still low, vasopressors should be applied.
- If the patient is diagnosed as being in septic shock, a further series of steps must be followed within six hours.
It is important that healthcare providers and staff adhere to infection control policies in order to preserve patient safety and health.
Infection In Hospitals Could be a Sign of Negligence
Healthcare facilities have a tremendous responsibility to care for patients and maintain an environment that is safe and healthy. Often, hospitals are kept clean and safe, and infection control policies are followed. Sadly, as the data discussed above shows, there are plenty of reports of noncompliance to raise concern.
Sepsis in hospitals could be the result of unavoidable complications, or it could be a sign of negligence. If hospital staff do not follow infection control guidelines, then patients may be at risk for developing preventable illnesses or complications.