Man wearing surgical mask

Contact Precautions – MRSA

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The effectiveness and importance of contact precautions for endemic pathogens has long been debated, and their use has broad implications for infection control of other pathogens. Antibiotic-resistant pathogens are a serious public health concern, and the association between coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and personal protective equipment supply availability has strained infection control programs across the country. Given the role of …

Antimicrobial Stewardship During Pandemic

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

In the spring of 2020, New York City quickly became a hotspot for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, putting a strain on local healthcare systems. Antimicrobial stewardship programs faced diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainties as well as healthcare resource challenges. With the lack of effective antivirals, antibiotic use in critically ill patients was difficult to avoid. Uncertainty drove antimicrobial …

Medication capsules scattered

Drug-Resistant Infections

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, News

As COVID-19 took hold over the last year, nursing homes used and reused protective equipment, masks, gloves, gowns, etc. to assist in preventing the spread of the virus. Bring on opportunistic, drug-resistant bacteria and fungi! These bacteria and fungi, like COVID-19, prey on older people, those with compromised immune systems. These bacteria and fungi can cling tenaciously to clothing and …

pills

Antibiotic Prescribing and Use – CDC Current Report

Angie SzumlinskiFeatured, Health

Antibiotic stewardship, or improving how antibiotics are prescribed and used, is critical for optimizing the treatment of patients who have infections, protecting patients from harm, and combating antibiotic resistance. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released “Antibiotic Use in the United States, 2018 Update: Progress and Opportunities”, which included information on how antibiotics were being used …

white pill on white background with bottle

National Antibiotic Stewardship Week 11/18-11/24

Angie SzumlinskiNews

This week is National Antibiotic Stewardship Week. Antibiotics save lives and are critical tools for treating a number of common and more serious infections, like those that can lead to sepsis. However, at least 30% of the antibiotics in U.S. outpatient settings are prescribed unnecessarily.  We’ve gathered some interesting posts and resources to bring awareness to antibiotic stewardship.: The CDC …