Hospital-acquired pneumonia is one of the most common types of infections in health care facilities, but few staffers understand its origin or actively work to prevent it. Many cases could be avoided if hospital staffers more dutifully brushed the teeth of bedridden patients, research shows.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia not tied to ventilators is one of the most common infections that strike within health care facilities. But few hospitals take steps to prevent it, which can be as simple as dutifully brushing patients’ teeth.
Four years ago, when Karen Giuliano went to a Boston hospital for hip replacement surgery, she was given a pale-pink bucket of toiletries issued to patients in many hospitals.