Healthcare-associated infections are common adverse events in healthcare settings, causing significant morbidity and mortality. There has been a significant increase in the commitment to Infection Prevention and Control worldwide in recent years. This important role and responsibilities are relying on the infection prevention and control practitioners (IPCPs). The competencies of IPCP is thus critical to the success of infection surveillance, prevention, and control program. IPCPs must ensure that they are competent in addressing the challenges they face and are equipped to be competent in fulfilling their duties. Core competencies and professional development of IPCP differ among countries while some are more progressive than the others. This review is aiming to be a reference to develop IPCP core competencies framework and professional development conducive for Asia Pacific region.
Coronavirus disease 2019 has been widespread in Hubei province since the beginning of 2020. Many medical teams went to aid Hubei from the whole country. The medical team of West China Hospital of Sichuan University arrived in Jianghan district of Wuhan on January 25, 2020. As one of the earliest teams arriving Hubei, we explored the measures for infection prevention and control of resident, in order to reduce the risk for infection of medical team. The infection prevention and control experiences on the establishment of infection control team, process management, behavior management, clean disinfection, infection monitoring and emergency response and emergency response to exposure of the medical team of West China Hospital were summarized in this article.
Objective To evaluate the current status of human resources in healthcare-associated infection prevention and control (infection control) in Jiangxi Province, and explore the impact of emergency public health events on the human resources of infection control professionals in various levels and types of medical institutions. Methods From October 1st to 31st, 2023, questionnaire and on-site interviews were conducted to investigate the human resources situation of infection control professionals in various levels and types of medical institutions in Jiangxi Province. Three stages were selected for the investigation: before the outbreak of COVID-19 (before the event, December 2019), during the event (June 2022), and after the transition of COVID-19 (after the event, June 2023), focusing on the characteristics of human resources between before the event and after the event by the comparative analysis. Results Finally, 289 medical institutions were included. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of infection control professionals in medical institutions among 2019, 2022, and 2023 (χ2=189.677, P<0.001). The number of infection control professionals in 2019 was lower than that in 2022 (P<0.001) and 2023 (P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant difference between 2022 and 2023 (P=0.242). The number of infection control professionals per thousand beds in 2019, 2022, and 2023 was 4.40, 6.16, and 5.76, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between 2019 and 2023 in terms of professional titles, gender, educational level, or professional background (P>0.05). Conclusion Emergency public health events have promoted the increase in the number of infection control professionals, but there is no statistical significance in the professional titles, educational level, or professional background of infection control professionals.
Targeted initiatives of West China Hospital of Sichuan University to cope with coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic in three stages were summarized, including “three reconstructions” to mobilize in pre-epidemic stage, “three earlies” strategy to precisely treat critically ill patients in epidemic stage, and “three orderlies” to resume hospital operation in post-epidemic stage. The development of comprehensive hospitals in China after the epidemic was also discussed. It’s recommended to continuously strengthen the role of emergency response, early warning, comprehensive treatment, high-level talent training, international exchange, regional leadership, and collaborative innovation, in response to the shortcomings exposed in the epidemic.
Peripheral inserted central catheter (PICC) is the most commonly used central venous catheter in hospitalized patients, and catheter-related bloodstreams infection (CRBSI) is one of the most serious complications during PICC retention, which can affect patient prognosis and treatment. Reducing the incidence of intravascular CRBSI is one of the goals of medical quality and safety management, which continues to attract the attention of domestic and foreign experts and scholars. Authoritative institutions at home and abroad have successively issued a series of prevention and control guidelines and expert consensus, and related research on risk assessment of CRBSI is also rapidly developing. This article reviews the risk assessment, prevention and control measures, and information monitoring and feedback of PICC-related bloodstreams infection, in order to provide reference for building a PICC-related bloodstreams infection prevention and control system.
ObjectiveTo construct a rapid screening tool for the donor of heart dead organ donation (donation after circulatory death, DCD) in the background of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection.MethodsBased on literature analysis and core group discussion, two rounds of expert consultation were carried out by Delphi method to establish dimension and index.ResultsThe screening tool included 3 dimensions, including epidemiological history, hospital exposure history, and clinical manifestations, with 15 entries. The mean of the two rounds of expert authority coefficient was 0.757 and 0.768, and the effective recovery rate of the expert consultation questionnaire was 88% and 100%, respectively. The second round dimension and index coordination coefficients was 0.417 and 0.319, respectively. The content validity of the questionnaire was 0.91.ConclusionsThe DCD liver transplant donor's new rapid screening tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection is scientific and reliable. During the epidemic period, the DCD liver transplant donor risk screening tool is of great significance to the prevention and control of liver transplantation risk.
World Health Organization (WHO) published Core Competencies of Infection Prevention and Control Practitioners in 2020. This WHO document is a very useful guide for implementing the core competencies among infection prevention and control professionals (IPCPs). It is useful for standardisation of the competencies in the field of infection control through relevant formal training, practicum and assessment. This paper explains the framework of the WHO-list of core competencies in relation to the role and responsibilities of IPCPs. The value of introducing core competencies to IPCPs is really vital in the recognition of infection prevention and control as a medical specialty field. The IPCPs core competencies is also an essential guide for practitioners to advance in their professional and career development from novice to expert in the infection prevention and control field.
Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungus that has become a significant global public health threat due to its strong resistance to antifungal agents and its ability to spread within healthcare facilities. This paper reviews the global epidemiological trends of Candida auris and the current status of existing prevention and control systems, focusing specifically on pathogen epidemiological characteristics, domestic and international epidemic situations, current prevention and control frameworks, and the construction of prevention networks. In response to the challenges posed by the international spread of Candida auris , China’s fungal disease prevention system should advance towards a more systematic and scientific direction. By integrating resources from medical institutions, disease control agencies, and research institutes, and combining multidisciplinary knowledge and technologies, China should establish a multi-level coordinated prevention and control mechanism to improve its monitoring, prevention, and treatment systems. In the future, China’s fungal disease prevention and control system needs to further strengthen talent cultivation, improve surveillance networks, promote technological innovation, and build a comprehensive, multi-level modern prevention and control system.
Objective To investigate the organizational structure, routine management, emergency response, and material reserves related to the prevention and control of infectious diseases in maternal and child health institutions at all levels in Sichuan, and to understand the construction of emerging infectious diseases prevention and control system in maternal and child health institutions throughout the province. Methods We conducted a survey on the current situation of the epidemic prevention and control system in maternal and child health institutions using a self-developed questionnaire, which was conducted in October 2020 and July 2021, respectively. We conducted comparative analysis on the basic situation, the construction of emerging infectious disease prevention and control systems, and the setting and management of fever clinics/rooms of maternal and child health institutions at all levels in Sichuan in 2020 and 2021. Results In 2020, a total of 166 maternal and child health institutions participated in the survey, and 166 questionnaires were collected, including 17 at the provincial and municipal levels and 149 at the county level. In 2021, a total of 182 maternal and child health institutions participated in the survey, and 182 questionnaires were collected, including 17 at the provincial and municipal levels and 165 at the county level. In 2021, all levels of maternal and child health institutions in Sichuan had established epidemic prevention and control leadership groups. Compared with 2020, the construction of the emerging infectious disease prevention and control system in maternal and child health institutions at all levels in Sichuan in 2021 had improved to a certain extent in terms of establishing epidemic prevention and control leadership groups, hospital area three channel management, three-level pre-examination triage, inpatient area allocation, staff management, and patient management (P<0.05). Compared with 2020, fever clinics that met the requirements of three zones and two channels management, fever clinics that met the requirements of closed-loop management, and management of fever clinics/rooms in maternal and child health institutions at all levels in Sichuan in 2021 had improved to a certain extent (P<0.05). Conclusion Through strengthened construction during the epidemic prevention and control period, the construction of the emerging infectious disease prevention and control system in maternal and child health institutions in Sichuan has improved, but still faces continuous challenges in normalized prevention and control.
Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) has emerged as a significant global public health challenge and placing infected patients at risk of potentially untreatable infections. When resistance to carbapenems occurs, there are often few alternative treatments available. Numerous international guidelines have performed systematic and evidence review to identify new strategies to prevent the entry and spread of CPE in healthcare settings. Several key strategies have been shown to be highly effective. Firstly a new strategy that is proven to be effective is the early identification of the CPE carrier patients through active surveillance cultures. While waiting for the screening results, suspected CPE carriers will be put on preemptive isolation in single room and healthcare worker will at the same time practice contact precautions. The active surveillance culture and prompt preemptive isolation will limit the entry and spread of CPE from getting into hospital. Secondly, it is of utmost importance to incorporate enforcement of the basic infection prevention and control best practices in the hospital including, full compliance to hand hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment, execute antibiotic stewardship program to control abuse of antibiotics, effective environmental cleaning and decontamination, staff education and feedback, as well as surveillance of healthcare-associated infections. Such a holistic approach has been shown to be effective in inhibiting CPE from gaining foothold in the hospital.