Infection Prevention & Control News & Events

National Division of Infection Control Nurses conference

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:50:00 +1200

Infection Prevention & Control

Meet and learn from international and nationally renowned experts, as well as our own infection control personnel. The conference will create an opportunity for networking, collaboration and sharing of information. You will be able to consider the achievements in science, technology, and practice and discern the advances still to come.

For more information visit the conference website: http://www.ipcnc2013.org/home.

World Hand Hygiene Day 2013: Clean hands mean safer patient care

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:17:00 +1200

Infection Prevention & Control

As World Hand Hygiene Day approaches on Sunday 5 May 2013, district health boards (DHBs) and health care workers throughout New Zealand can celebrate a positive step in improving hand hygiene practice.

Since October 2012, all 20 DHBs have been actively participating in the Hand Hygiene New Zealand programme – a national quality improvement programme to reduce healthcare associated infections by improving hand hygiene practice in New Zealand health care facilities. Each DHB has a well-developed local hand hygiene programme that includes auditing and reporting of hand hygiene compliance to a national hand hygiene database three times a year.

“The latest national hand hygiene results are very encouraging. The data shows hand hygiene practice has significantly improved since the beginning of the programme,” says Dr Joshua Freeman, Clinical Lead, Hand Hygiene New Zealand.

“Preliminary data also suggest that Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections are decreasing.”

He says improving hand hygiene means a safer environment is created for patients, which is the ultimate aim of the programme.

March 2013 audit results showed a significant increase of more than four percent in the national compliance rate since October 2012, from 62.1 percent to 66.6 percent, and the number of DHBs with a compliance rate above seventy percent has increased from four to seven.

“These results are a huge credit to the work each and every DHB is doing to make hand hygiene an organisational priority,” says Dr Freeman.

“We thank each DHB, infection control teams and health care workers for their commitment to improve hand hygiene practice and prevent harm to patients.

“Changing habits and establishing effective system changes to improve hand hygiene practice throughout large organisations and among diverse professional groups takes time, but we are reaching an exciting point where a shift is beginning to occur.”

Despite this positive outlook, it is still important DHBs continue to build on the gains made.

Looking at new ways to change organisational culture and practices is a critical next step. In line with the World Health Organization’s focus for World Hand Hygiene Day, Hand Hygiene New Zealand is exploring the opportunity for DHBs to introduce patient participation into their hand hygiene programmes. This includes the development of a patient participation guidance document for DHBs.

“The responsibility for hand hygiene always rests firmly with the health care worker,” says Dr Freeman.

“However, empowering patients to remind health care workers about hand hygiene at the appropriate times can play a powerful role in driving further improvements in practice, ultimately resulting in better patient outcomes.”

Hand Hygiene New Zealand recommends health care workers perform hand hygiene according to World Health Organization’s 5 moments for hand hygiene approach. This requires hand hygiene to be performed at the following times (irrespective of whether or not gloves are used):

Before patient contact
Before a procedure
After a procedure or body fluid exposure risk
After patient contact
After contact with patient surroundings.

Hand Hygiene New Zealand is one component of the Health Quality & Safety Commission's Infection Prevention and Control programme, which aims to reduce healthcare associated infections in New Zealand. The HHNZ programme is delivered by Auckland District Health Board on behalf of the Health Quality & Safety Commission.

World Hand Hygiene Day: Clean hands save lives

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:08:00 +1200

Infection Prevention & Control

Press release from Hon Jo Goodhew

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says World Hand Hygiene Day on 5 May is an important reminder of the vital role hand hygiene plays in preventing harm to patients.

“Clean hands save lives – it’s as simple as that,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“Cleaning their hands at the right times while caring for a patient is the single most important thing health care professionals can do to prevent a patient from developing a healthcare associated infection.”

Healthcare associated infections can lead to longer hospital stays, long-term disabilities, extra time off work, greater expense and, occasionally, death. They also cause considerable distress for patients and their families.

To combat this, New Zealand has in place rigorous standards for hand hygiene based on World Health Organization recommendations.

“All 20 district health boards in New Zealand are taking part in a national hand hygiene improvement programme,” Mrs Goodhew says.

“This is having an impact, with hand hygiene rates in hospitals improving and infection rates falling.”

For example, Auckland DHB’s work on hand hygiene has included appointing a dedicated hand hygiene coordinator, reviewing its staff education materials, and giving each area feedback on things to improve.

In Waitemata DHB, alcohol hand gel is provided at hospital main entrances, ward entrances and room entrances, and at the ends of patients’ beds. A hand hygiene transparency report grades wards on the success of their hand hygiene improvements.

“The work has paid off – both Auckland and Waitemata DHBs have seen staff increase their hand hygiene compliance by 11 per cent in the past year,” Mrs Goodhew says.

As part of the national programme, DHBs now collect and report hand hygiene compliance data and Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia information to a national database three times a year.

“During the last four months the national hand hygiene compliance rate increased by over four percentage points and initial data suggests rates of Staphylococcus aureus infections reported by DHBs are beginning to trend downward,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“We know health care workers want to provide the safest care possible for their patients. The challenge now is to build on this recent progress and continue to increase good hand hygiene practice.”

Further information on the national hand hygiene programme can be found at http://handhygiene.org.nz.

May 2013 issue of the Clean Hands Chronicle out now

Fri, 03 May 2013 14:00:00 +1200

Infection Prevention & Control

The May issue of the Clean Hands Chronicle is now available on the Hand Hygiene New Zealand website

This issue features a celebration of World Hand Hygiene Day, messages of support from senior executives about the importance of hand hygiene and an editorial from Professor Didier Pittet of the World Health Organization. Winners of the Clean Hands Champion competition are announced, and there is examination of how the theory of planned behaviour can support culture change.

To read it now, please click here.

Hand Hygiene NZ April 2013 eBulletin out now

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:43:00 +1200

Infection Prevention & Control

The latest Hand Hygiene New Zealand eBulletin is now available on the HHNZ website.

This issue features a review of the first gold auditor training workshop, World Hand Hygiene Day information, a hand hygiene video from Waikato DHB and much more!

Click here to read the Hand Hygiene NZ April 2013 eBulletin.

This issue features a review of the first gold auditor training workshop, World Hand Hygiene Day information, a hand hygiene video from Waikato DHB and much more!

Click here to read the April eBulletin.

Project reduces infections in Hawke’s Bay Hospital

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:55:00 +1200

Infection Prevention & Control

Press release from Hon Jo Goodhew

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has congratulated Hawke’s Bay District Health Board for its participation in a quality and safety project that has reduced bloodstream infections in hospitals.

“Hawke’s Bay’s Intensive Care Unit has had only one CLAB infection the past 18 months, which is a dramatic reduction from the previous five to 10 infections a year,” says Mrs Goodhew, who visited the ICU today.

Hawke’s Bay DHB has been part of a national project being led by the Health Quality & Safety Commission and Ko Awatea, the Centre for Health System Innovation and Improvement at Counties Manukau DHB. The project aims to prevent bloodstream infections that can occur when central line catheters are inserted to administer medications or fluids directly into a patient’s bloodstream. These are called Central Line Associated Bacteraemia or CLAB infections.

“I am very impressed with the clinical leadership at Hawke’s Bay DHB and with the increased focus and attention on preventing bloodstream infections,” Mrs Goodhew says.

The project has been led in Hawke’s Bay ICU by Dr Michael Park and Associate Clinical Nurse Manager Anne Stuart. It involves using standardised checklists to ensure all medical professionals follow the same, best-practice process for inserting a central vein catheter, maintaining the catheter, and looking for any symptoms that could lead to an infection.

Fewer infections reduce complications, pain and suffering for patients, says Dr Park.

“Patients will also spend less time in hospital, which can make a significant reduction to hospital costs.”

Hawke’s Bay DHB has now rolled the initiative out to its radiology department, renal department and operating theatre, and will soon introduce it into its special care baby unit and child health unit.

Hand Hygiene NZ March 2013 eBulletin out now

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:03:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

The latest Hand Hygiene New Zealand eBulletin is now available on the HHNZ website.

This issue features auditing information, an update on HHNZ’s Implementation Guidelines and Auditing Manual, a reminder about our Clean Hands Champion competition, hand hygiene news from Whanganui DHB and teleclass recordings.

Click here to read the Hand Hygiene NZ March 2013 eBulletin.

March 2013 issue of the Clean Hands Chronicle out now

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:40:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

The March 2013 issue of the Clean Hands Chronicle has just been published and is ready for viewing on the Hand Hygiene New Zealand website.

This issue investigates the evolution of electronic hand hygiene surveillance, examines how patient engagement can support hand hygiene programmes, highlights the fantastic HHNZ Quarterly Award winners and much more.

To read all this and more click here.

Radio NZ: Hospitals work to prevent infection in critical patients

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:17:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

Radio NZ reports basic changes in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) have slashed the number of seriously ill patients who get a central line associated bacteraemia (CLAB) infection while in hospital.

Karen Brown interviews Commission Chair Prof Alan Merry, and clinical lead for the Target CLAB Zero initiative, Dr Shawn Sturland. The improvements are of major benefit to patients, while also saving money for the health care system.

Listen to the full interview on the Radio NZ website.

Pilot sites chosen to survey surgical site infections

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:07:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

Eight district health boards (DHBs) throughout New Zealand will soon pilot an exciting new patient safety programme that aims to reduce surgical site infections.

The surgical site infection (SSI) programme is overseen by the Health Quality & Safety Commission and delivered by joint lead agencies – Auckland and Canterbury DHBs. The programme seeks to reduce infections following surgery through the development of sustainable quality improvement activities and a nationally consistent, evidence-based approach to the surveillance of SSIs.

Dr Sally Roberts, chair of the SSI surveillance programme steering committee and clinical lead for the infection prevention and control programme at the Commission, says that a significant proportion of SSIs are preventable. They remain, however, the second most common healthcare associated infection and occur in two to five percent of patients undergoing surgical procedures.

“Surgical site infections can cause emotional and financial stress, serious illness, longer hospital stays, long-term disabilities, and may even result in loss of life. The consequences for both health services, and most importantly the patient, mean that the prevention of surgical site infections is extremely important,” says Dr Roberts.

“By developing a national standardised approach to surveillance and feedback, health care professionals will have access to verifiable information that will allow them to drive quality improvements in clinical practice, contributing to national and international efforts to improve patient safety,” she adds.

Year one of the programme will focus on hip and knee surgeries. A development (pilot) phase will commence in March 2013 and national roll-out is anticipated in July 2013.

DHBs participating in the pilot phase are:

Auckland
Canterbury
Waitemata
Nelson Marlborough
Hawkes Bay
Capital and Coast
Hutt Valley
Bay of Plenty.

“The pilot phase provides DHBs with an opportunity to trial, and have input into, a range of guidance materials for SSI. These materials include standard practices that should be considered for each patient to reduce SSIs, known as bundles of care,” says Dr Roberts.

The SSI programme is one of three components of the Commission’s infection prevention and control programme, which aims to improve patient safety by reducing the harm caused by healthcare associated infections.

For more information about the SSI programme visit: http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/infection-prevention-and-control/projects/surgical-site-infection-surveillance/.

Project reduces infections in intensive care units

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:07:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

Press release from Hon Jo Goodhew

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has welcomed a report linking a national quality and safety project to a reduction in blood stream infections.

“In 2011, about four to six patients per month in New Zealand intensive care units developed a bloodstream infection called central line associated bacteraemia or CLAB. I am very pleased that the rate has now reduced to between zero and two patients per month,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Since October 2011 the Health Quality & Safety Commission has been working with Ko Awatea on a national project to reduce the number of these infections. Ko Awatea is the Centre for Health System Innovation and Improvement at Counties Manukau DHB.

“People who develop this type of infection are very ill, have to stay longer in hospital and have more medical complications,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“In addition to the personal consequences for patients and their families, each case of CLAB costs about $20,000. Reducing infection rates means this funding is able to be spent by DHBs in other areas of health care.

“Clinical leadership has been vital within DHBs and at a regional level, and I am very impressed with the increased focus and attention on preventing blood stream infections. I look forward to seeing CLAB rates remain at zero or nearly zero.

“The process of measuring infection and collecting and understanding the information has also greatly improved since the start of the project, with few intensive care units previously measuring CLAB rates.

“While the initial focus has been on intensive care units, the aim is for more clinical areas to have joined the programme by April 2013.”

The report Target CLAB Zero National Collaborative to Prevent Central Line Associated Bacteraemia, Annual Report September 2011 to August 2012 is available below.

Project reduces infections in intensive care units

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has welcomed a report linking a national quality and safety project to a reduction in blood stream infections.

“People who develop this type of infection are very ill, have to stay longer in hospital and have more medical complications,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“While the initial focus has been on intensive care units, the aim is for more clinical areas to have joined the programme by April 2013.”

The report Target CLAB Zero National Collaborative to Prevent Central Line Associated Bacteraemia, Annual Report September 2011 to August 2012 is available on the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s website

HHNZ competition 'clean hands champion of the year'

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:37:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

Hand Hygiene New Zealand (HHNZ) has launched an exciting new competition that seeks to crown an individual health care worker as 'clean hands champion of the year'!

HHNZ are on the lookout for a hand hygiene star that practises, champions and role models fantastic hand hygiene behaviour in their hospital. Two great prizes are on offer for first and second place.

Click here for more information, competition guidelines and an entry form.

Hand Hygiene NZ January eBulletin out now

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:11:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

The January 2013 eBulletin is now available on the Hand Hygiene New Zealand (HHNZ) website.

This issue features information about the new gold auditor training programme, a call for patient stories, information about world hand hygiene day and a reminder about the Quarter 2 HHNZ quarterly awards.

Click here to read the eBulletin.

December 2012 issue of Target CLAB Zero newsletter now out

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:58:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

Issue 3 of the Target CLAB Zero project newsletter. Target CLAB Zero is a collaborative project that aims to reduce the rate of central line associated bacteraemia (CLAB) in intenisve care units to zero by 2013.

Click the link below to read the newsletter.

Hand Hygiene NZ December eBulletin out now

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:48:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

The December eBulletin is now available on the Hand Hygiene New Zealand website.

This issue features a reminder and further information about the upgrade to the Hand Hygiene Compliance Application, a call for Quarterly Award nominations, information about planning for auditing, and much more.

Click here to read the eBulletin.

November issue of the Clean Hands Chronicle out now

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 09:44:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

The November issue of the Clean Hands Chronicle has just been published and is ready for viewing on the Hand Hygiene New Zealand website.

This issue highlights the role of opinion leaders in creating widespread hand hygiene improvement; examines glove use and its impact on hand hygiene; profiles our video competition and quarterly award winners; and discusses how expanding messages about ‘why’ hand hygiene is important can be a powerful motivator.

To read all this and more click here.

Hand Hygiene New Zealand commends infection prevention control teams

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:21:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

As we celebrate International Infection Prevention Week (14 – 20 October 2012), Hand Hygiene New Zealand (HHNZ) commends infection prevention control teams for their ongoing dedication and commitment to driving the HHNZ programme forward in District Health Boards throughout New Zealand.

Read the full article on the Hand Hygiene website.

Hand Hygiene New Zealand (HHNZ) video competition winner announced

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:34:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

From bugs and busters, to singing, dancing, and cleverly designed Lego videos; competition was stiff between teams vying to win Hand Hygiene New Zealand’s (HHNZ) national hand hygiene video competition.

After five months of planning, rehearsing and filming by teams, HHNZ is delighted to announce that MidCentral District Health Board’s infection prevention control and associates team has scooped top prize – $1000 for charity – with their toe-tappingly catchy 'hand hygiene I care' video.

Hand Hygiene NZ October eBulletin out now

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:42:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

The latest Hand Hygiene New Zealand eBulletin is now available on the HHNZ website.

This issue showcases the video entries received as part of the HHNZ video competition, discusses auditing planning, highlights the importance of hand hygiene in reducing the spread of Norovirus, asks whether you've developed any hand hygiene resources, and opens nominations for the Q1 2013 HHNZ Quarterly Awards.

Click here to read the Hand Hygiene NZ October eBulletin.

International Infection Prevention Week 14 - 20 October 2012

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:25:00 +1300

Infection Prevention & Control

International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) provides a focal point for infection preventionists, healthcare professionals, consumers, organisations, and industry partners to shine a light on infection prevention and its power to save lives.

Imagine a healthcare setting where every healthcare professional performs appropriate hand hygiene before and after touching a patient. Imagine a community where every individual uses proper respiratory etiquette by coughing and sneezing into their elbow during cold season. Imagine the impact on preventing the spread of infection.

To find out more about International Infection Prevention Week, visit the IIPW website.