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. 2020 Jul;41(7):848-850.
doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.77. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Documentation of acute change in mental status in nursing homes highlights opportunity to augment infection surveillance criteria

Austin R Penna  1 , Christina L Sancken  1 , Nimalie D Stone  1 , Taniece R Eure  1 , Wendy Bamberg  2 , Grant Barney  3 , Devra Barter  2 , Stacy Carswell  4 , Paula Clogher  5 , Ghinwa Dumyati  3   6 , Christina B Felsen  3   6 , Linda Frank  7 , Deborah Godine  7 , Helen Johnston  2 , Marion A Kainer  8 , Linda Li  9 , Ruth Lynfield  10 , J P Mahoehney  10 , Joelle Nadle  7 , Rebecca Pierce  11 , Susan M Ray  4   12 , Sarah Shrum Davis  13 , Marla Sievers  13 , Lucy E Wilson  9 , Alexia Y Zhang  11 , Shelley S Magill  1 , Nicola D Thompson  1
Affiliations

Documentation of acute change in mental status in nursing homes highlights opportunity to augment infection surveillance criteria

Austin R Penna et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Acute change in mental status (ACMS), defined by the Confusion Assessment Method, is used to identify infections in nursing home residents. A medical record review revealed that none of 15,276 residents had an ACMS documented. Using the revised McGeer criteria with a possible ACMS definition, we identified 296 residents and 21 additional infections. The use of a possible ACMS definition should be considered for retrospective nursing home infection surveillance.

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Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 1.
Number and percent increase in cellulitis and/or soft-tissue and/or wound (SSTI), catheter-associated urinary tract (CAUTI), pneumonia (PNEU), and lower respiratory tract (LRTI) healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) identified among nursing home residents using the confirmed acute change in mental status (ACMS) and possible ACMS criteria.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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