Change in mental status or falls may be misinterpreted as infection in nursing homes – News-Medical.Net

There is a widespread belief that a change in the mental status or an increase in falls in a nursing home resident may indicate an underlying infection. This contributes to the overuse of antibiotics, according to revised clinical guidance by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The guidance, published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, outlines criteria on evaluating non-localizing symptoms as indicators of infection.
When nursing home residents present with subtle non-specific…

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