industry news WHO: Hand Hygiene Lacking In Hospitals New research from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Columbia University School of Nursing indicates that further improvement of hand hygiene prac-tices in U.S. hospitals is needed, according to Infectious Disease News. More than 2,000 U.S. hospitals were invited to complete an online survey about hand hygiene in their facilities. Overall, 77.5 percent of participants indi-cated that alcohol-based hand rub was continuously available throughout their facility, while about 84 percent of facili-ties conduct annual mandatory training that states hand hygiene is required of all healthcare workers. In a press release, study researcher Laurie Conway, RN, MS, CIC, and a Ph.D. student at Columbia University School of Nursing said, “When hospitals don’t focus heavily on hand hygiene that puts patients at an unnecessary risk for preventable healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).” “The tone for compliance with infection control guidelines is set at the highest levels of management, and our study also found that executives aren’t always doing all that they can to send a clear message that preventing infections is a priority,” Conway continued. vices to cleaning organizations interested in complying with the standard and preparing to become CIMS/CIMS-GB certified. To learn more and register for the work-shop, visit ISSA.com. for two years, according to the Norwich Evening News . A combined attack of improved standards of cleanliness, prudent antibiotic prescribing and regular testing have helped the hospi-tals protect patients from getting the bacte-rial infection that is resistant to a number of widely-used antibiotics. Officials from the N&N have cracked down on the superbug by “swabbing every patient admitted to the Colney hospital” and putting processes in place to isolate patients who are assessed as being at higher risk of MRSA. Going two years MRSA-free is the result of a team effort and relentless attention to detail, according to Chief Executive Anna Dugdale. The work was headed up by an infection prevention and control team led by Dr. Ngozi Elumogo with support from all staff. This includes cleaners, porters, laboratory staff, doctors, nurses, administrative staff and volunteers. Officials at two of the hospitals are also looking to improve infection control standards by introducing an Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) testing pilot to track cleanliness in hos-pital wards. CMI And Smart Inspect Partner Again CMI will host their next Train the Trainer of 2014 in Albany, New York, on May 13-15, 2014. CMI has once again joined forces with Smart Inspect to provide a free six month subscription, and the estimated value of this package is between $1,200 and $1,500. Not only will the training session attendees receive the package for free, Smart Inspect also will join CMI at Train the Trainer to provide a brand new section of training. Smart Inspect experts will provide a hands-on training session with their quality app and a lecture on quality assurance. The free six month Smart Inspect subscrip-tion includes a customized set-up, configura-tion, website and unlimited support. Smart Inspect is a janitorial quality improve-ment tool designed and supported by Core Management Services, the cleaning indus-try’s leading consulting firm. Core Management Services has been in the janitorial quality inspections business since its inception in 1996. Core originally created the Smart Inspect tool in 2002 as response to its own need for a web-based quality tool that would be: Specific to the cleaning industry, simple to use and powerful in its reporting capabilities. For more information about the Train the Trainer event, visit CMInstitute.net. Program Prepares Janitors’ Children For College Texas State University has launched a new program that will help the children of Central Texas janitors and custodial workers go to col-lege, according to Texas Public Radio. The outreach program seeks to “empower parents with knowledge of childhood mile-stones that prepare young students for col-lege.” The university’s P-16 initiative targets low-income families in Central Texas to educate children from pre-K through four years of college. Construyendo La Casa — building the house — was developed for janito-rial employees because “they are low-paid, often don’t speak English and are less famil -iar with resources that are available for their families.” CM Trade Show To Host CIMS ICE Workshop Supply Line 2014, the annual trade show for NJSSA, the Association of Mid-Atlantic Cleaning Experts, will host an ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) ISSA Certification Expert (I.C.E.) workshop on April 29, according to ISSA. The I.C.E. workshop is a one-day program that provides a comprehensive review of the CIMS program and what it takes to manage a quality customer-focused and sustainable cleaning organization. Graduates are equipped with the knowl-edge to provide training and consulting ser-Hospitals MRSA-free For Two Years Front-line staff at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn are being praised for their part in the hospitals being completely clear of MRSA blood stream infections For daily industry news, sign up for CM e-News Daily at www.CMMOnline.com/Sign-Up. Please send any news or press releases to Editor Phillip Lawless at [email protected]. 8 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® April 2014
CMM – Archives April 2014: 8
