Publications by authors named "Candice Krill"

Coronavirus disease 2019 can be indistinguishable from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) caused by other viral and bacterial agents. This likely contributed to antimicrobial use (AU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during the pandemic. Our antimicrobial stewardship program targeted the selection and duration of therapy for LRTIs and led to a reduction in AU and AMR.

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Article Synopsis
  • Broad-spectrum antimicrobials are medicines that fight germs, but using them too much can make germs stronger and harder to treat.
  • At a community hospital, doctors started a program to use these medicines only when they were really needed, focusing on common infections.
  • This program helped lower the number of strong germs, reduced the use of certain expensive medicines, and saved money.
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Overuse of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) can lead to idle central line (CL) days and increased risk for CL-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). We established a midline prioritization initiative at a safety-net community hospital. This initiative led to possible CLABSI avoidance and a decline in PICC use.

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Cultures from urinary catheters are often ordered without indication, leading to possible misdiagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), increasing antimicrobial use, and . We implemented a diagnostic stewardship intervention for urine cultures from catheters in a community hospital that led to a reduction in cultures and CAUTIs.

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Background: Device utilisation ratios (DUR) correlate with device-associated complications and rates of infection. We implemented a hospital-wide Daily Interdisciplinary Safety Huddle (DISH) with infection control and device components. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of DISH on DURs and rates of infection for indwelling urinary catheters (IUC) and central venous catheters (CVC).

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Strategies for pandemic preparedness and response are urgently needed for all settings. We describe our experience using inverted classroom methodology (ICM) for COVID-19 pandemic preparedness in a small hospital with limited infection prevention staff. ICM for pandemic preparedness was feasible and contributed to an increase in COVID-19 knowledge and comfort.

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Although evidence supports safe patient handling practices, nurses are not always involved in the process of evaluating and selecting lifting equipment. This study used a descriptive design to: (1) assess staff's perceived barriers and attitudes toward safe patient handling, (2) identify staff needs for equipment and education concerning safe patient handling, and (3) involve staff in the equipment selection process before implementing a safe patient handling program. Overall, staff on all units indicated that they wanted more equipment and education.

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