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The positivity rate of the Covid-19 in Allegheny County in Pittsburgh has surged to 26.4%, as the omicron variant continues to spread quickly, according to news on TRIBLIVE. While omicron is less severe than other Covid-19 variants, it’s highly transmissible like most hospital superbugs. In Pittsburgh, hospital drug-resistant superbug or bacterial infections are common. For example, in 2019, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital registered 12 staph infections caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Other superbugs reported in hospitals are Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter. These types of bacteria are difficult to treat due to their drug-resistant nature, but they are preventable. Read on to learn effective ways hospitals in Pittsburgh prevent the spread of superbugs to ensure they take the best care of your health.
Prioritizing Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene is the single most effective tactic to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infections and drug-resistant organisms. Because of this, staff in Pittsburgh hospitals wash their hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Typically, healthcare workers should wash hands before and after providing care and between treating patients, drinking, and eating. Visitors should also wash their hands thoroughly when visiting a patient’s room.
While healthcare providers understand the importance of handwashing in hospitals, some don’t comply with hand hygiene standards. This could be due to a lack of proper hand washing supplies, poor feedback on hand hygiene compliance, and lack of knowledge regarding hand hygiene. To ensure health care staff and visitors comply with hand washing standards, hospitals should restock handwashing products and educate staff members about hand hygiene. It’s also critical to offer feedback on compliance via email, charts, and during staff meetings to ensure hospital workers wash their hands correctly.
Investing In Professional Cleaning And Sanitization Services
Using hospital-grade cleaning products to disinfect rooms and high-touch areas like doorknobs, bed rails, and switches is a sure way of reducing pathogens in health care facilities. However, terminal disinfection only eliminates half of the viruses and germs that spread infections. For this reason, many Philadelphia hospitals choose to hire professional cleaning services. According to those specializing in hospital cleaning Philadelphia hospital cleaners understand the risks linked to bacterial or bug infection spread in a healthcare facility. So, they work to ensure all surfaces, including walls, floors, and windows, are cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized. They also utilize advanced janitorial tools to deep clean hospital facilities to maintain high levels of hygiene for the better treatment of patients.
Using Isolation Appropriate PPEs
When Pittsburgh hospitals detect contagious illnesses that spread quickly from one patient to another, they implement crisis-level precautions. This step includes isolating patients and restricting health care specialists treating them from caring for other patients. Most importantly, health care facilities utilize personal protective equipment for infection control. This includes gloves, face shields, masks, waterproof gowns, head covers, and shoe covers.
Hospital-acquired infections caused by superbugs or drug-resistant bacteria are life-threatening. Fortunately, healthcare facilities can prevent the spread of superbugs by ensuring all hospital staff and visitors comply with hand hygiene standards. Hospitals should also use personal protective equipment and hire professional cleaners to deep clean rooms and wards.
