Central Sterile Processing and Multidrug-Resistant Organisms
Over 2.8 million people get a serious infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms every year in the U.S. (CDC, 2019a). More than 35,000 people die from these infections and many more experience complications, such as prolonged antibiotic therapy, extended hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time, and the World Health Organization (WHO) lists antibiotic resistance as 1 of the 3 most important public health threats of the 21st century (CDC, 2019b; Munita & Arias, 2016).
The central sterile processing department is the first link in the chain of infection prevention for patients undergoing surgery and procedures. This course discusses factors that contribute to the problem of multidrug-resistant organisms, how these organisms become resistant to antibiotics, and which organisms pose the greatest threats in the U.S. It also reviews strategies for reducing the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms.
The goal of this course is to equip central sterile processing staff with knowledge of multidrug-resistant organisms and infection prevention strategies.
Over 2.8 million people get a serious infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms every year in the U.S. (CDC, 2019a). More than 35,000 people die from these infections and many more experience complications, such as prolonged antibiotic therapy, extended hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time, and the World Health Organization (WHO) lists antibiotic resistance as 1 of the 3 most important public health threats of the 21st century (CDC, 2019b; Munita & Arias, 2016). The central sterile processing department is the first link in the chain of infection prevention for patients undergoing surgery and procedures. This course discusses factors that contribute to the problem of multidrug-resistant organisms, how these organisms become resistant to antibiotics, and which organisms pose the greatest threats in the U.S. It also reviews strategies for reducing the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms. The goal of this course is to equip central sterile processing staff with knowledge of multidrug-resistant organisms and infection prevention strategies.
