I read an article today from a piece that aired on CNN on January 6, 2011. The title is Don’t Let a Hospital Kill Your Child. It described how a young girl went into a hospital to have an operation and contracted an infection. The infection was C-diff and it is more common than ever among hospitalized children. A study found that C-diff infections have gone up 15% in hospitalized children. Dr Peter Pronovost from Johns Hopkins University says “most of these infections are preventable”.
I agree that many infections can be prevented. But the healthcare facilities need more to aid in the fight. Most infection prevention and control programs are people dependent . If staff or a visitor forgets to wash their hands or use precaution, there is risk. With the widespread rise in antibiotic resistant infections, maintaining a sanitary work environment is essential. Due to the fast pace of the hospital environment, people do forget sometimes. Being careful is not always enough.