Health care settings around the globe face the staggering challenge of keeping patients and staff free of infection, including healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The statistics are sobering: In the United States, approximately 1 in 30 hospital patients develops an HAI on any given day, and about 70,000 individuals die each year as a direct or indirect result of such infections. These infections also carry a significant financial burden, especially in low- and middle-income nations. In the United States alone, treating patients who develop HAIs costs billions of dollars annually.
The need for a strong and consistent infection prevention and control program in every type of health care setting is clear. And because an organization’s ability to prevent and control infection is inextricably linked to its physical environment, a thoughtfully managed environment is a crucial piece in the infection prevention and control puzzle.
The fourth edition of the best-selling Infection Prevention and Control Issues in the Environment of Care is designed to help infection prevention and control (IPC) practitioners and physical environment professionals collaborate to design, improve, and manage an IPC program that will protect patients, staff, and visitors. This edition explores the keys to maintaining a safe, infection-free environment, which include reducing and controlling environmental hazards and risks. It examines various infection risks, both in the United States and abroad, that can be minimized or eradicated through proper management of the physical environment. New and/or expanded topics in the fourth edition include:
You’ll also find case studies profiling IPC plans and projects that have proven effective in health care facilities, useful tools and checklists to help your health care organization assess and address IPC risks in the care environment, mock tracer scenarios and questions to identify infection risks and monitor compliance, and helpful sidebars that will guide your organization in assessing compliance with Joint Commission/Joint Commission International standards and other guidelines and requirements.
"This book examines a considerable number of topics that are useful for IPC professionals. It is exhilarating to gain insights from the Joint Commission for an area that is a comprehensive focus of their accreditation process..."
"Because of the topics new to this edition, it is essential to replace the previous edition."
-- Dyanne Medlock, BSN (VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System) Doody's Review
The audience is infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals, although the book includes references and tools for those in other disciplines that IPC professionals closely work with. The book meets the basic needs of individuals working in a variety of areas in infection prevention. The Joint Commission is undeniably a credible authority on the topic of an environment of care and this book provides a starting point for further discovery about each of the topics.