Thursday May 17, 2012
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Welcome to the North Simcoe Muskoka Infection Control Network!
Located in Orillia, Ontario, the NSMICN services the North Simcoe and Muskoka region, following the geographic boundaries established for the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). We are one of fourteen Regional Infection Control Networks (RICN), that strive to be Ontario's respected regional resource for the coordination and integration of Infection Preventation and Control activities across the diverse continuum of healthcare. NSMICN provides its stakeholders with professional infection prevention and control (IPAC) consultation, networking, resources, education and training.

Our resources and services are always available to you! If you have any questions or requests, please contact us!
What's New?

Infection Prevention and Control for Rest and Retirement Homes Presentation Materials
Recently, NSMICN and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unitfacilitated a numer of workshops on infection prevention and control for rest and retirement home settings to a number of local stakeholders. These events were timely given the recent development of the Rest and Retirement Homes Act. If you missed a chance to attend the workshops, or if you would like to review the presentations provided, please feel free to download the handouts below:

IPAC Practices for Construction and Renovation in the Health Care Setting Workshop Presentation Materials

As promised, below are the presentation handouts from the speakers at NSMICN's IPAC Practices for Construction and Renovation in the Health Care Setting workshop held on March 22, 2012. Thank you for making the day a great success!

IPAC During Construction, Renovation and Maintenance by Colleen Nisbet

The Dirt on Construction Infection Control Surveillance by Barb Shea

IPAC Considerations During Facility Design by Cindi Wigston

Construction and Renovation in Health Care Settings: Pathogens of Special Concern - Aspergillus and Legionella by Dr. Giulio DiDiodato

Renovation and Construction Projects - Role of IPAC by Deb Paton

If you have any questions, please contact NSMICN.

Journal Articles by Dr. Guilio DiDiodato

Two articles written by Dr. Giulio DiDiodato in relation to the Regional Antimicrobial Utilization Review have recently been published in the Canadian Journal of Infection Control. Full text of each article is located below for your reading pleasure:

Evaluating the Impact of Clostridium difficle Infection Treatment Guidelines on Clinical Practice

Variation in Medical Management of Patients Admitted to Hospital with Pneumonia: the Regional Antimicrobial Utilization Review (RAUR) Study

 

PIDAC Document Update: "Annex A - Screen, Testing and Surveillance for AROs in All Health Care Settings"

The Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee on Infection Prevention and Control (PIDAC-IPC) has identified the need for further, more specific screening recommendations for the detection, prevention and control of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Ontario and has made a third revision to its best practice document: "Annex A: Screening, Testing and Surveillance for Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms (AROs) in all health care settings.”

 

PIDAC-IPC is recommending enhanced guidelines for the screening of patients and residents for CRE, adding a degree of precision to the recommendations for screening among contacts of cases and the infection prevention and control requirements to address CRE. To access the updated document on Public Health Ontario's (PHO) website, please visit:
http://www.oahpp.ca/resources/pidac-knowledge/best-practice-manuals/screening-testing-and-surveillance-for-antibiotic-resistant-organisms-aros.html

Further information and resources on the management of CRE can also be found on PHO's website here:
http://www.oahpp.ca/about/whatsnew/management-of-carbapenem-resistant-enterobacteriaceae.html

 

What's New at PHO?

Check out the new PHO Connections, an e-newsletter from Public Health Ontario aimed to provide stakeholder regular updates about PHO news, initatives and resources. To subscribe, please email communications@oahpp.ca to receive this publication directly.
Infection Control Week Archived Webinars!
We are happy to inform you that the 2011 Infection Control Week Educational Webinars are now available on our site at http://www.ricn.on.ca/presentationsc3378.php, along with each session's handouts. We encourage everyone who views any or all of the presentations to please share your feedback with us by completing this short survey. Your insight is valuable to us!
 

Just Clean Your Hands for LTC

The Regional Infection Control Networks continue to coach and support the Long-Term Care facilities of Ontario with the Just Clean Your Hands program. The JCYH for LTC Observation and Audit Scenarios are now available online. Please find attached for your review a helpful tip sheet for JCYH resources for auditing in long-term care.

To view the scenarios please visit:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/ms/handhygiene/video.aspx

Environmental Cleaning Discussion Board

Got any questions about Enviromental Services in your facility? Discuss with other health care professionals on the RICN Environmental Cleaning Discussion board. Check it out! You can post your comments and questions for your colleagues there and discuss the Environmental Cleaning Best Practices Toolkit. The French Discussion Forum also available.

The sample Policies and Procedures are now posted there too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Upcoming Education
Thursday May. 17 - 2012
1:30PM - (Webber Teleclass) Bug Basics – Essential Microbiology for Everyone