Outbreak of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae at a long-term acute care hospital: sustained reductions in transmission through active surveillance and targeted interventions.

Objective: To describe a Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) outbreak and interventions to prevent transmission.

Design, Setting, And Patients: Epidemiologic investigation of a CRE outbreak among patients at a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH).

Methods: Microbiology records at LTACH A from March 2009 through February 2011 were reviewed to identify CRE transmission cases and cases admitted with CRE.

A novel objective structured clinical examination for the assessment of transfusion practice in anaesthesia.

Background: In 2008 there were 262 episodes of incorrect blood component transfusion. Safer Practice Notice 14, Right patient, right blood, introduced a mandatory requirement for all clinical staff involved in the blood transfusion process to be assessed against competencies developed on a national basis. It was recommended that the assessment should be an observed, formalised process.