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The infection specialist As senior infection preventionist at St. Clair Hospital, Laura Morris is tasked with stopping the spread of disease

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Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) – infections patients get while receiving treatment in a healthcare facility – are an unfortunate reality in hospital settings.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2011, 722,000 HAIs spread through U.S. hospitals.

That’s 722,000 cases of influenza, Clostridium difficile, Staphylococcus aureus and other potentially life-threatening infections that could have been prevented.

Luckily, there are experts like Laura Morris whose sole task is to prevent and control the spread of infection.

As St. Clair Hospital’s senior infection specialist, Morris educates staff, patients and visitors on how they can help.

“There are a lot of systems in place to stop the spread of infection,” Morris said. “But, often times, in healthcare, (HAIs) are associated with a lapse in practice.”

Morris has worked as an infection preventionist for 30 years, the last five of which have been at St. Clair.

The hospital has one of the best records in infection prevention among Pennsylvania facilities and meets or exceeds national benchmarks for HAI prevention. With Morris at the helm, the hospital has reduced central-line infections to zero, which only 10 percent of U.S. hospitals achieve.

While she is the leader in preventative efforts, Morris credits hospital staff with earning a stellar record.

“Everybody can wash their hands, not come to work sick and get the flu shot,” she said. “It really has to be a culture within the organization.”

Morris works with a committee of employees who meet regularly to discuss strategies and needs. Every department is trained in methods of prevention, from keeping environments clean to isolation precautions to sterile technique.

“Because we do have vulnerable patients who are immunocompromised, we really need to be vigilant in following all of these (procedures),” she said.

Morris also leads the hospital’s antibiotic stewardship, a program intended to combat the misuse of antibiotics.

According to the CDC, 20 to 50 percent of antibiotics prescribed in hospitals are either unnecessary or inappropriate. Overuse can lead to “superbugs” – bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics. Even common ailments, like pneumonia and urinary tract infections, are becoming more difficult to treat.

A team of physicians, laboratory technicians, nursing and pharmacy staff meet every month to ensure patients are being treated appropriately.

Morris has a mantra she asks physicians to keep in mind when prescribing antibiotics: “The right dose for the right person at the right time.”

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