Becker's Hospital Review

38 CMO / CARE DELIVERY Geisinger detects source of NICU infections that killed 3 infants By Mackenzie Bean D anville, Pa.-based Geisinger Med- ical Center identified contami- nated equipment as the source of Pseudomonas bacteria that killed three infants and sickened five others in its neonatal intensive care unit during fall 2019, reported The Daily Item. The hospital's infection control team used DNA testing to trace the bacteria back to equipment used to measure donor breast milk. The Pennsylvania De- partment of Health visited Geisinger Oct. 18 and cited the hospital for not having a written policy to clean this equipment. "We immediately corrected the citation and drafted a new policy," Edward Har- tle, MD, executive vice president and CMO at Geisinger, said in a statement cited by The Daily Item. As of November, Geisinger continued to transfer premature infants and women expected to give birth before 32 weeks to other hospitals as a precaution. n 1,100+ patients potentially exposed to HIV, hepatitis at Indiana hospital By Mackenzie Bean G oshen (Ind.) Hospital notified 1,182 surgical patients of a potential exposure to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV due to inadequate sterilization practices, reported CBS affiliate WSBT. Hospital leaders discovered a technician was skipping a necessary step in the steril- ization process. The affected surgical tools were still treated with chemical disinfectant and run through a machine sterilization process, but may not have been completely sterile before use, Goshen Health said in a statement cited by WSBT. Patients who underwent surgery between April 1 and Sept. 20, 2019, were potential- ly exposed to infectious diseases, although Goshen Health says the risk is low. The hospital immediately corrected the issue and offered free disease testing to patients. "As with any patient safety concern, we rigorously investigated all aspects around the incident," Daniel Nafziger, MD, CMO of Goshen Hospital, said in the statement. "We have put strict policies and additional safety measures in place to ensure it does not happen again." n New York hospital suspends nurses for declining flu shots By Mackenzie Bean A lbany (N.Y.) Medical Center sus- pended nine nurses who refused to get their flu shots under a new hospital policy, reported CBS 6 Albany. e suspended nurses were given sev- en days to get vaccinated or face poten- tial termination. ese nurses account for less than 1 percent of the more than 2,000 nurses who work at the hospital, a spokesperson for Albany Medical Center, told Becker's via email. Eric Smith, area director at the New York State Nurses Association, said Albany Med- ical Center is the only organization they rep- resent that has such a policy. Other hospitals require nurses who refuse the flu vaccine to follow a detailed masking procedure. "We have not heard of massive flu out- breaks where masking is allowed," he told CBS 6 Albany. Albany Medical Center implemented the flu shot policy in May, which applies to all clinical and nonclinical employees, students and volunteers at the organiza- tion. e hospital said the policy aligns with its commitment to create safe care environments and protect the health of its patients and employees. "Hospitals and healthcare settings around the country have been working to increase immunization rates among healthcare workers," the hospital said in a statement cited by CBS 6 Albany. "A mandatory poli- cy is the best way to reduce exposure when our patients are at risk for acquiring a po- tentially life-threatening disease." Albany Medical Center told Becker's the suspensions did not affect patient care. n Joint Commission rolls out new maternal care standards in 2020 By Mackenzie Bean T he Joint Commission will imple- ment two new hospital accredita- tion standards on maternal care this year, reported AHA News. Three things to know: 1. The new standards, outlined in a Joint Commission advisory released in November, will take effect July 1, 2020. 2. They will offer updated care guide- lines for preventing maternal hem- orrhage and severe hypertension in pregnant women. 3. About 51 percent of maternal death and severe morbidity cases reported to The Joint Commission between 2010 and August 2019 listed maternal hem- orrhage as a contributing factor. n

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