UPMC Employees Risk Fines

UPMC Presbyterian Hospital administration is threatening to fine its employees $1,000 and send them home if they fail to comply with infection-control guidelines such as washing their hands. The Oakland hospital faced an outbreak of acinetobacer, a bacteria that is immune to anti-bacterial.

Normally, acinetobacer will effect two or fewer patients each month, but this January there were five cases of the infection. Acinetobacer is often seen as the bacteria infecting the wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, but now it is being seen in a local hospital.

In 2006, there was an outbreak of acinetobacer at Presby which cause employee monitoring as they tend to patients. If a doctor or a nurse was seen not properly cleansing themselves or the equipment, the monitor would instruct the employee how to do so according to hygiene guidelines.

In addition, residents could face a fine of $250 if they fail to do the same.