A safer, less costly SSI prevention protocol-Universal versus targeted preoperative decolonization.

Surgical site infection after total joint replacement results in significant patient suffering and health care costs. To reduce the risk of surgical site infection after total joint procedures, 1 hospital instituted preoperative universal nasal and skin decolonization, using an alcohol based nasal antiseptic and chlorhexidine bathing. This resulted in reduced infection rates, and associated patient morbidity and costs to the facility.

Wrong-Patient Blood Transfusion Error: Leveraging Technology to Overcome Human Error in Intraoperative Blood Component Administration.

Background: Confirmation of match between patient and blood product remains a manual process in most operating rooms (ORs), and documentation of dual-signature verification remains paper based in most medical institutions. A sentinel event at Johns Hopkins Hospital in which a seriously ill patient undergoing an emergent surgical procedure was transfused with a unit of incompatible red blood cells that had been intended for another patient in an adjacent OR led the hospital to conduct a quality improvement project to improve the safety of intraoperative blood component transfusions.

Methods: A multidisciplinary quality improvement project team led a four-phase implementation of bedside bar code transfusion verification (BBTV) for intraoperative blood product administration.

A comparison of communication using the Apple iPad and a picture-based system.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions have been shown to improve both communication and social skills in children and youth with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. AAC applications have become available for personal devices such as cell phones, MP3 Players, and personal computer tablets. It is critical that these new forms of AAC are explored and evaluated.

Using a monitored test to assess risk of aspiration in postoperative patients.

Pulmonary aspiration is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Older adult patients have been shown to be particularly at risk for aspiration. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the efficacy of a simple, noninvasive screening test-the monitored sip test-in identifying patients at risk for aspiration, including "silent aspirators.