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Hospital Patients Dying From Preventable Infections

Simple procedures can reduce deaths, says CDC

By Unaffiliated, Newser User

Posted Jul 13, 2010 7:01 PM CDT | Promoted on Newser Jul 13, 2010 7:35 PM CDT

(User Submitted) – Wash your hands, doc! The CDC estimates that 80,000 people annually develop bloodstream infections from improper procedure while inserting catheters and IVs, with 30,000 of those patients dying. According to a survey of medical professionals, these deaths occur because hospital administrators fail to pay attention to these easily preventable illnesses, and allow their hospitals to operate with a culture that is lax in attention to sterilization details, reports the Washington Post.

The recommended fix is simple. Ensure that hospital docs, nurses, and lab techs: wash their hands; put on a sterile hat, mask, and gloves; clean the patient's skin, have the patient wear a sterile gown; and put a sterile dressing over the catheter site. A program paid for by the federal government reduced these infections by two-thirds.

Steven Kurtz poses with a bacteria culture at his art exhibition in Buffalo, N.Y., Tuesday, June 17, 2008. (AP)

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Showing 3 of 24 comments

JohnEd

Jul 14, 2010 8:12 AM CDT

I've been an RN for over 20yrs, if you ain't dyin' stay the hell away from hospitals!!!

kokuaguy

Jul 14, 2010 2:26 AM CDT

Great job, Unaffiliated. Congratulations on your fine story being promoted. This is the first that I've seen of the new Writer's Opinion coment box. I like it.

Nope, sorry.

Jul 13, 2010 8:39 PM CDT

This guy's been talking about this subject for quite awhile now. With the results in reduced infections (2/3 reduction in first year used at Johns Hopkins. That's HUGE) that his checklist produces, it's a bit ridiculous that it hasn't been implemented nationwide. http://gawande.com/ http://gawande.com/uncategorized/daily-show

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Hospital Patients Dying From Preventable Infections

Simple procedures can reduce deaths, says CDC

hospitals • infection

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