JCR, University of Minnesota School of Nursing Team Up
to Tackle One of Toughest Issues in Health Care
(Oak Brook, Ill.-February 20, 2008) The statistics are well known - the CDC says nearly 2 million patients get an infection while hospitalized for other health problems each year and nearly 90,000 die as a result - yet health care-associated infections continue to plague health care organizations. Now, Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission, and the University of Minnesota School of Nursing are joining forces to provide a series of online infection control education modules that will give caregivers vital tools to improve patient safety.
A new online course combines JCR's evidence-based practice experience with the academic strength for which the University of Minnesota School of Nursing is known. The Internet-based program, Foundations in Infection Control, is comprised of 14 individual modules which cover essential infection control topics, including microbiology, infectious disease and patient care practices. Each module provides an overview, exercises, application practice questions and on-demand web presentations, providing a focus on risk identification and prevention strategies. The online program is targeted to infection control and prevention professionals, epidemiologists, and health care providers involved in the prevention, management and treatment of infectious diseases. For more information on this course, call 612.624.3708 or visit http://www.cce.umn.edu/conferences/infection/.
JCR is also offering an infection control audio conference series, featuring 90-minute programs that highlight proven strategies and first-person accounts of infection control practices successfully implemented in hospitals. The series features JCR infection control experts.
Each program includes time for participants to ask questions. Topics and program dates include:
- March 7 - Best Practices in Combating Healthcare Acquired Infections (featuring the experiences of Arkansas Children's Hospital and Johns Hopkins Medical Center)
- April 10 - Methods for Improving Communication & Teamwork within Your ICP Team
- May 1 - Joint Commission Standards: Infection Control Revisions for 2009
- June 5 - The Infection Control and Environment of Care Connection
- July 10 - Using Tracer Methodology to Eliminate MRSA
For details or to register for the 90-minute audio conferences, please call 1.877.223.6866 or visit http://www.jcrinc.com/26814/audioconf/28612/.