Needle-free flu vaccine to benefit NSW and QLD children
No-cost needle-free influenza vaccinations for young children in New South Wales and Queensland have been welcomed as a major step forward in public health, with calls for other states and territories to follow. The NSW and QLD governments announced this week the intranasal influenza vaccine (FluMist) for children aged two to under five will be […]
CLEEN study: Wiping infections away
Cleaning shared medical equipment at least once a day, even with a disinfectant wipe, can save lives by reducing infections in hospitals, new world-first research shows. The finding is based on results from the CLEEN study, an Australian randomised control trial which found the intervention resulted in a 35% reduction in healthcare-associated infections. The research, […]
World Sepsis Day: Ask ‘Could it be sepsis?’
On a seemingly ordinary day in 2023, Laura Remy’s life took a dramatic turn. What started off as a mild cough and fever, quickly escalated into life-threatening sepsis. “I initially continued to work and dismissed my symptoms as minor. However, the symptoms worsened dramatically overnight, with chest pain, severe chills, and vomiting. I had an […]
Nurse recognised for research tackling infection prevention in hospitals
One in 10 patients across Australian hospitals develops an infection during their stay. A major burden, on both patients and the healthcare system, this equates to about 165,000 such infections each year. For the past decade, nurse Brett Mitchell, Professor Health Services Research and Nursing at Avondale University in NSW, has been investigating ways to […]
An infection control link nurse network in Residential Aged Care: Innovation in collaboration
An infection control link nurse network in Residential Aged Care: Innovation in collaboration
Antibacterial soaps are fuelling superbugs and should be banned, researchers claim
Soaps claiming to be ‘antimicrobial’ or ‘antibacterial’ are no better than the ordinary variety when it comes to hand hygiene, in fact, they are feeding a growing superbug problem and should be banned, Monash University researchers argue. Researchers suggest demand for household soaps with antimicrobial additives has spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, with consumers fooled […]
Using evidence to make a difference in infection control and COVID-19
This year, International Nurses Day and International Day of the Midwife may not have been celebrated as festively as many would wish; COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 has derailed many plans and sadly led to the death of over 300,000 individuals globally, including 102 Australians at the time of report. Unfortunately, these numbers will undoubtedly grow as the pandemic […]
Nurses on the front line against coronavirus
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is ramping up its efforts to support nurses around the world responding to the deadly coronavirus outbreak and has welcomed new mental health and psychosocial support guidelines set to be issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) for people affected by the virus and staff caring for them. ICN […]
WHO declares coronavirus a global health emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the deadly coronavirus that broke out in China and is now sweeping the world a public health emergency of international concern. WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus announced the decision on Thursday after the global health authority’s Emergency Committee convened at Geneva headquarters to update its course […]
Australians to be evacuated from Wuhan over coronavirus and quarantined on Christmas Island
The federal government has revealed plans to evacuate “isolated and vulnerable Australians” stuck in the coronavirus-plagued Chinese city of Wuhan and send them to Christmas Island for quarantine. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement on Wednesday morning, saying young people, especially infants, and the elderly would be prioritised. The operation will involve the Australian […]