Antibiotic Resistance In Nursing

The dirtiest thing you own maybe your cell phone. Imagine what touches your phone the most, probably your hands and face. Since cell phones are everywhere and have become one of the most helpful tools of our generation, they have their drawbacks. The use of cell phones happens everywhere today, one place being the hospital. From a study of phones and spreading of bacteria associated with health care associated infections, Karabay states, “Our study reveals that mobile phones may get contaminated by bacteria (such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae), which cause hospital infections, and may serve as a vehicle for the spread of nosocomial pathogens” (Karabay, 2007). Touching contaminated

Dirty equipment – having dirty equipment which is not cleaned between patients can spread infection very fast lots of bacteria can be spread on a blood pressure cuff for example.

The general principals for environmental cleaning are to ensure the hospital environment is as clean as possible to reduce the risk of infection, and that all precautions are taken in accordance to legislation and Healthcare policy’s and guidelines. “To prevent the transfer of micro-organisms which may cause infection, and to prevent the transfer of foreign protein which may cause adverse reaction and pose the risk of spreading diseases e.g. vCJD. “

Sterile Processing compromises a service of which the medical and surgical supplies of any medical facility’s equipment and instrumentation- sterile or non-sterile are cleaned, prepared, processed, stored, and distributed throughout the healthcare facility. There are several functions of this highly skilled team perform on a daily basis from decontamination to the sterilization of high risk medical implant devices. They are the first line of defense in infection prevention for any patient receiving medical treatment in healthcare facilities. Japp (2014) affirmed the importance of properly processing medical devices performed by Sterile Processing technicians for patient safety by stating a critical point “Not following the correct process can be detrimental to the patient as the device that we are assuming is safe for the patient may all actually cause severe illness or death” (p.

Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) affect over 1.7 million patients each year, causing almost 100,000 deaths annually in the United States alone (Johnson, 2010). According to the World Health Organization, HAIs are the most frequent adverse event in the healthcare industry. Fortunately, most of these infections can be prevented with one single intervention, proper hand hygiene (“The Evidence,” n.d.). Four out of five pathogens that cause illness are spread by direct contact. Proper hand hygiene eliminates these pathogens and helps to prevent cross-contamination and HAIs (Linton, 2015; “Hand Hygiene,” n.d.). Reduction of cross-contamination and HAIs improves patient outcomes, increases employee wellness, and lowers health care costs. Adherence to proper hand hygiene is the single most important safety measure in the health care setting. However, for many years compliance to proper hand hygiene in the healthcare industry has been dismally low. New and inventive measures must be implemented to increase compliance to proper hand hygiene and lower the rate of hospital-acquired infections.

Germs and many other diseases spread primarily through airborne particles, skin to skin contact, and or touching objects such as door handles, hospital buttons, or by sharing patient possessions. Nurses and other health care clinicians are constantly in physical contact with many different patients, who all have varying illness’ and diseases themselves. Many may also carry a

Antibiotics are inarguably one of the greatest advances in medical science of the past century. Although the first natural antibiotic Penicillin was not discovered until 1928 by Scottish biologist Alexander Flemming, evidence exists that certain plant and mold growths were used to treat infections in ancient Egypt, ancient India, and classical Greece (Forrest, 1982). In our modern world with the advent of synthetic chemistry synthetic antibiotics like Erithromycin and its derivative Azithromycin have been developed. Antibiotics have many uses including the treatment of bacterial and protozoan infection, in surgical operations and prophylactically to prevent the development of an infection. Through these applications, antibiotics have saved countless lives across the world and radically altered the field of medicine. Though a wonderful and potentially lifesaving tool, antibiotic use is not without its disadvantages. Mankind has perhaps been too lax in regulation and too liberal in application of antibiotics and growing antibiotic resistance is the price we must now pay. A recent study showed that perhaps 70% of bacterial infections acquired during hospital visits in the United States are resistant to at least one class of antibiotic (Leeb, 2004). Bacteria are not helpless and their genetic capabilities have allowed them to take advantage of society’s overuse of antibiotics, allowing them to develop

Contact precautions include: the patients being placed in private rooms, performing proper hand hygiene with antimicrobial soap and water, using friction for 15 seconds, and using gloves and gowns during patient care (Keske and Letizia 332). “One should also ensure adequate cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces and reusable devices. The uses of both buffered and buffered phosphate hypochlite solutions (bleach) have been shown to decrease the rate of C. difficile contamination and helps in reducing Clostridium Difficile associated disease (CDAD) rates” (Patel 104).

In a website, coppertoxic.com, the author states, “ As unbound levels get too high , copper becomes a powerful reactive toxin to both the body and mind, leading to a number of symptoms including brain fog, fatigue and adrenal burnout, depression,...Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, even cancer”(coppertoxic). Copper can be found just about anywhere in the environment, whether it is in the air or in the water, so it is likely for one to come into contact and overdose with copper toxicity to have diseases such as Alzheimer’s. However, copper can aid a person in the prevention of pathogens in hospitals. In an article labeled, “Hospitals could soon be covered in COPPER to ward off diseases: Metal kills deadly bacteria in minutes”, by Victoria Woollaston, the author writes, “During tests, exposure to copper destroyed the virus completely and irreversibly, leading the researchers to conclude that antimicrobial copper surfaces could be used in communal areas to help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses and protect public health” (Victoria Woollaston). With everyday items such as light switches and door handles coated with copper, patients are now safer than ever from respiratory infections like pneumonia. The extermination of viruses is ensured when coming into contact with a coating of antimicrobial copper. In brief, copper is a great aid in the

These potentially infectious items need to be dealt with as soon as possible to reduce the risk of cross contamination and infection (HSE 2011). Standard precautions and principles must be adhered to, not only to protect the patient but also to protect members of the team who care for them.

Healthcare acquired/associated infections (HAIs) are caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. These are infections we can get while we are receiving medical treatment in a healthcare facility. These infections can be serious, but are also very preventable. The most common HAIs are central line-associated bloodstream infections, nosocomial pneumonia, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections. The most frequent mode of transmission of hospital-acquired infections is by direct contact. These infections are very serious and can possibly lead to death, so prevention of these infections are extremely vital. This is why hand washing, wearing gowns, and practicing sterile techniques is so important

Healthcare associated infections have an impact on patients - how? Can be prevented greatly with compliance to hand hygiene protocols (REF).

This conclusion is supported by the minimal usage of of antimicrobial copper surfaces in the intensive care units (ICUs) of

Rather than trying to treat P. aeruginosa infections, stopping the infection from occurring in the first place may be a better strategy than treating with antibiotics that may not work. This bacterium can be spread to people by a variety of means by contact with contaminated inanimate or animate objects. In hospitals, P. aeruginosa can colonise equipment’s such as catheters, ventilators if they are not maintained properly or kept clean. Therefore, strict procedures and controls should be in place to make sure these are maintained especially when they are to be used on at risks patients who are more prone to infection. Another source in hospitals are water supply and sinks which provides a moist environment that is ideal for this bacteria to

The most susceptible types of patients are those with immunocompromised systems who from severe underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus, human immunodeficiency virus or chronic pulmonary obstruction and as a result are hospitalized for long term treatment. [2][4] Most but not all studies have found a higher prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in hospitals in general and in intensive care units (ICUs) in particular than in the