How are nursing homes cleaned? Results of a survey of 6 nursing homes in Southeast Michigan.

This brief report details 2 surveys that were conducted to better understand current cleaning practices in 6 nursing home facilities in Southeast Michigan. Each facility's environmental services supervisor answered questions regarding cleaning policy and procedures, roles and responsibilities of the staff, and frequency of education and training; one environmental services employee from each facility answered questions addressing education and training, employer evaluation and feedback, and workload. We identify gaps in knowledge and behaviors and note substantial variations in cleaning practices.

Using Fresh Frozen Plasma for Acute Airway Angioedema to Prevent Intubation in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background. Angioedema (AE) is a common condition which can be complicated by laryngeal edema, having up to 40% mortality. Although sporadic case reports attest to the benefits of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in treating severe acute bouts of AE, little evidence-based support for this practice is available at present. Study Objectives. To compare the frequency, duration of intubation, and length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay in patients with acute airway AE, with and without the use of FFP. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted, investigating adults admitted to large community hospital ICU with a diagnosis of AE during the years of 2007-2012. Altogether, 128 charts were reviewed for demographics, comorbidities, hospital courses, and outcomes. A total of 20 patients received FFP (108 did not). Results. Demographics and comorbidities did not differ by treatment group. However, nontreated controls did worse in terms of intubation frequency (60% versus 35%; p = 0.05) and ICU stay (3.5 days versus 1.5 days; p < 0.001). Group outcomes were otherwise similar. Conclusion. In an emergency department setting, the use of FFP should be considered in managing acute airway nonhereditary AE (refractory to steroid, antihistamine, and epinephrine). Larger prospective, better controlled studies are needed to devise appropriate treatment guidelines.