Where did this week go?
For those of you celebrating International Infection Prevention Week
(IIPW), I hope it was memorable with compelling stories or education initiatives
to rejuvenate your love of infection prevention and quest for improving the
lives of others. In trying to decide how
to close the week off, having been given the topic of Nosocomial, I was looking
for an upbeat rah-rah way to end the week but then thought otherwise. It’s not that I want to be a Debbie-downer or
point out flaws, but thought what better way to close out the week than with
some stories from my friends and colleagues of their friends or families that
have been impacted by a hospital associated infection. In sharing these stories
I want to remind everyone why infection prevention is so important. I have three stories; a worst case scenario
leading to death, a story of while you can recover there may be lasting health
effects and one that well...I’ll let you read about it.
For those of you celebrating International Infection Prevention Week
(IIPW), I hope it was memorable with compelling stories or education initiatives
to rejuvenate your love of infection prevention and quest for improving the
lives of others. In trying to decide how
to close the week off, having been given the topic of Nosocomial, I was looking
for an upbeat rah-rah way to end the week but then thought otherwise. It’s not that I want to be a Debbie-downer or
point out flaws, but thought what better way to close out the week than with
some stories from my friends and colleagues of their friends or families that
have been impacted by a hospital associated infection. In sharing these stories
I want to remind everyone why infection prevention is so important. I have three stories; a worst case scenario
leading to death, a story of while you can recover there may be lasting health
effects and one that well...I’ll let you read about it.
I actually blogged about my first HAI story, in November2015 – it’s the one with an unhappy ending.
A friend reached out to learn more about C.diff. Her mother-in-law had gone to the hospital
with an UTI and pneumonia and contracted C.diff. We were going to meet so I
could give her some disinfectant wipes that the family could use in the room to
clean the bedside rails and other high touch areas. We never met so I could give her the
wipes. Instead I attended a visitation.
Her mother-in-law at the age of 67 had died of an HAI and my friend’s sons who
were 4 and 6 were left wondering what was going on and asking when Grandma was
coming back. A life was lost, senselessly.
A friend reached out to learn more about C.diff. Her mother-in-law had gone to the hospital
with an UTI and pneumonia and contracted C.diff. We were going to meet so I
could give her some disinfectant wipes that the family could use in the room to
clean the bedside rails and other high touch areas. We never met so I could give her the
wipes. Instead I attended a visitation.
Her mother-in-law at the age of 67 had died of an HAI and my friend’s sons who
were 4 and 6 were left wondering what was going on and asking when Grandma was
coming back. A life was lost, senselessly.
The next story is fitting, because not only is it about
an HAI, but an HAI that was transmitted to a nurse in the line of duty. This story comes from one of my colleagues –
a family friend who is a nurse was infected with SARS during the outbreak in
2003. As a result of her bout with SARS
she has been left with breathing problems due to the severity of the
infection. From a vibrant nurse she now
has troubles walking around the house and is short of breath all the time. Her lungs have been damaged so badly that she
is no longer able to work.
an HAI, but an HAI that was transmitted to a nurse in the line of duty. This story comes from one of my colleagues –
a family friend who is a nurse was infected with SARS during the outbreak in
2003. As a result of her bout with SARS
she has been left with breathing problems due to the severity of the
infection. From a vibrant nurse she now
has troubles walking around the house and is short of breath all the time. Her lungs have been damaged so badly that she
is no longer able to work.
My last story is a little tongue and cheek, but I assure
you it is true. While it’s a happy story
in that this young woman fully recovered, the story still had a sad
ending. This story, also from a
colleague, is about a young woman who while being treated for bacterial
bronchitis ended up with C.diff. The
first “bout” lasted for about 2 weeks and then she relapsed shortly after her
antibiotics were finished. As many of us
know this is not uncommon.
Unfortunately, after a month of his girlfriend being ill, my colleague,
a young man at the time, decided it was time to move on. The young woman recovered from C.diff, but
C.diff killed her budding young romance.....
you it is true. While it’s a happy story
in that this young woman fully recovered, the story still had a sad
ending. This story, also from a
colleague, is about a young woman who while being treated for bacterial
bronchitis ended up with C.diff. The
first “bout” lasted for about 2 weeks and then she relapsed shortly after her
antibiotics were finished. As many of us
know this is not uncommon.
Unfortunately, after a month of his girlfriend being ill, my colleague,
a young man at the time, decided it was time to move on. The young woman recovered from C.diff, but
C.diff killed her budding young romance.....
IIPW is a week of celebration and a week of
education. Some of the most effective
ways to learn is to reflect on our mistakes and reminisce on past events as the
ones I have included above. While we are
all working to Target Zero, the truth is it will be sometime before we get
there. It’s not from a lack of trying,
but due to all the moving parts that need to be working in concert and perfect
precision. I am proud of the work that
my IP friends do in trying to ensure the patients in their facilities are
safe. Kudos to you! You deserve to be celebrated!
education. Some of the most effective
ways to learn is to reflect on our mistakes and reminisce on past events as the
ones I have included above. While we are
all working to Target Zero, the truth is it will be sometime before we get
there. It’s not from a lack of trying,
but due to all the moving parts that need to be working in concert and perfect
precision. I am proud of the work that
my IP friends do in trying to ensure the patients in their facilities are
safe. Kudos to you! You deserve to be celebrated!
Bugging Off!
Nicole
