Infection Prevention in the Emergency Department

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Ann Emerg Med
• Personal Author:
  Liang, Stephen Y. ; Theodoro, Daniel L. ; Schuur, Jeremiah D. ; Marschall, Jonas
• Description:
  Infection prevention remains a major challenge in emergency care. Acutely ill and injured patients seeking evaluation and treatment in the emergency department (ED) not only have the potential to spread communicable infectious diseases to health care personnel and other patients, but are vulnerable to acquiring new infections associated with the care they receive. This article will evaluate these risks and review the existing literature for infection prevention practices in the ED, ranging from hand hygiene, standard and transmission-based precautions, health care personnel vaccination, and environmental controls to strategies for preventing health care-associated infections. We will conclude by examining what can be done to optimize infection prevention in the ED and identify gaps in knowledge where further research is needed. Successful implementation of evidence-based practices coupled with innovation of novel approaches and technologies tailored specifically to the complex and dynamic environment of the ED are the keys to raising the standard for infection prevention and patient safety in emergency care.
• Subjects:
  Catheter-Related Infections Cross Infection Emergency Service, Hospital Health Personnel Humans Immunization Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated Urinary Catheterization
• Source:
  Ann Emerg Med. 2014; 64(3):299-313
• Pubmed ID:
  24721718
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4143473
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R18HS020013/HS/AHRQ HHSUnited States/ ; K08 HS018092/HS/AHRQ HHSUnited States/ ; R18 HS020013/HS/AHRQ HHSUnited States/ ; K08 HS18092/HS/AHRQ HHSUnited States/ ; K12 HD001459/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; KL2RR024994/RR/NCRR NIH HHSUnited States/ ; U54 CK000162/CK/NCEZID CDC HHSUnited States/ ; KL2 RR024994/RR/NCRR NIH HHSUnited States/ ; KM1CA156708/CA/NCI NIH HHSUnited States/ ; UL1RR024992/RR/NCRR NIH HHSUnited States/ ; UL1 RR024992/RR/NCRR NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R13HS021616/HS/AHRQ HHSUnited States/ ; UL1 TR000448/TR/NCATS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; KM1 CA156708/CA/NCI NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R13 HS021616/HS/AHRQ HHSUnited States/ ; 5K12HD001459-13/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; KL2 TR000450/TR/NCATS NIH HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  64
• Issue:
  3
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:6c5bdd16a0108be7a34cbda7b24f682f74e0c7ff8a45edab27c6043618a2761e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/30091/cdc_30091_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 320.54 KB ]