Patients face many risks when they go to the hospital in Ohio. Hospital patients are at risk for being harmed by medical errors, surgical errors and misdiagnoses. One risk that contributes to many complications, longer hospital stays and deaths that many patients are unaware of is hospital infections.
Infections can cause serious health problems in patients, especially those with weaker immune systems. One group of patients that has become more susceptible to infections is children. A new study found that pediatric patients are developing more infections during their hospital stay.
The study reported that hospitalized children are not only getting infections, but they are becoming immune to some antibiotics. This has increased the number of pediatric patients who are developing antibiotic-resistant staph infections. This is a serious issue as it causes longer hospital stays, additional surgeries and more complications in these patients.
Researchers said that patients who developed antibiotic-resistant infections had a higher risk of having blood clots, cell death, recurring infections and septic shock. The researchers said that hospitals need to change the way they treat these infections to prevent life-threatening complications and improve patient care.
Hospital-acquired infections can be very risky for all patients. As more patients become resistant to antibiotics used to treat certain infections, hospitals will need to come up with different treatment options to prevent serious and fatal complications. It would be best for hospitals to work on policies that will prevent and reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections as this will keep patients free from suffering unnecessary treatments and possible complications.
Source: Health Day News, “Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Up Among Hospitalized Kids: Study,” Oct. 26, 2013