Weekly Summary: Healthcare Quality and Worker Safety Information – March 4, 2026
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Healthcare Quality ResourcesNew Health Professions Infection Control Education Toolkit – CDC’s Project Firstline released a new resource to support teaching faculty in bringing infection control concepts into the classroom. The new toolkit includes adaptable educational resources, including a journal club with discussion guides and learning activities that can be integrated into health professions and public health curricula to help prepare the next generation of healthcare workers with foundational infection control knowledge. Educators can use these resources to promote discussion, critical thinking, and real-world application across health professions programs. Explore the toolkit, share with your networks, and consider integrating these resources into your courses and training programs. Register Today for CDC’s Partner Call on March 24, 2026 (2-3 p.m. ET)! Tools to Tell the Story: New Resources for Communicating about Antimicrobial Resistance – Antimicrobial resistance (AR) is a growing public health threat that impacts more than 2.8 million Americans each year, killing an estimated 35,000. AR happens when germs develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them, resulting in drug-resistant infections that are difficult—if not impossible—to treat. Critically, there are actions everyone can take to prevent the development and spread of AR. In this partner call, CDC will share new resources for partner organizations to support effectively communicating about antimicrobial resistance. Please share the registration link with communications staff from your organization as well! Attendance is limited to the first 1,000 registrant. McKnight Heroes Prize Nominations Now Open - Together, the Evelyn and Thomas McKnight Family Fund for Patient Safety and the CDC Foundation created The McKnight Prize for Healthcare Outbreak Heroes to encourage and reward those who serve and protect patients from harm related to healthcare outbreaks. Nominations for this year’s prize are now being accepted through Friday, May 1, 2026: McKnight Heroes Prize Online Application Candidates for the McKnight Heroes Prize can be from a variety of professions including, but not limited to, nurses, physicians, public health professionals, administrators, and patient advocates. The prize criteria focus on a candidate’s contributions to enhancing the response to a healthcare outbreak. For additional information about prize criteria, visit: Evelyn and Thomas McKnight Family Fund for Patient Safety.
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PublicationsNew Research Highlights Emerging Antimicrobial Resistance in Candida parapsilosis — CDC analyzed data from a large national hospital database of nearly 2,000 U.S. hospitalizations with Candida parapsilosis bloodstream infections during 2016–2024. The study found that resistance to the antifungal drug fluconazole nearly quadrupled—from 3% during 2016–2019 to nearly 12% during 2022–2024—and that these infections were associated with frequent intensive care unit admission, prolonged hospital stays, and substantial mortality. Because C. parapsilosis can spread in healthcare settings and is frequently associated with medical devices, healthcare facilities and laboratories should strengthen surveillance efforts, reinforce infection prevention and control practices, and perform routine species identification and antifungal susceptibility testing to guide treatment decisions and protect patients. Candida Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units – CDC analyzed National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) data from 862 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to examine facility factors associated with Candida central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). The findings, published in Hospital Pediatrics, showed higher Candida CLABSI rates at smaller NICUs and those with lower staffing ratios. This may indicate lower capacity for infection prevention and control and care for neonates who are at high risk for CLABSIs in these facilities. These data may inform facility-focused or system-level interventions to reduce Candida CLABSIs and protect vulnerable neonates. Additional Resources:
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