Concept Identification Nursing

The purpose of this paper is to create a concept analysis and identify a nursing concept that is within a nursing theory. A concept analysis is a process where concepts and their characteristics are researched and clarified. The eight steps on conducting a concept analysis include selection of a concept used in a nursing theory, identification of the aims or purposes of the analysis, identification of possible use of the selected concept, determination of defining attributes, identification of model cases, identification of antecedents and consequences, and lastly definition of empirical referents (Walker & Avant, 2011). The nursing concept selected for this paper is “empowerment” within the nursing profession. The nursing theory from which the empowerment concept was obtained is Kanter’s Theory on Structural Empowerment. In order to empower someone, an individual needs the tools and resources to feel powered. According to Laschinger, Gilbert, Smith, & Leslie (2010), Kanter defines power as the ability to mobilize information, resources and support to get things done in an organization. The role of management is to provide employees with power tools that empower them to maximize their ability to accomplish their work in a meaningful way. Kanter goes on to describe two primary empowerment structures in organizations, first being the structure of opportunity and second the structure of power. The structure of opportunity relates to job conditions that provide

In 2013, a magnet recognized hospital, Baptist Health Lexington, reduced CAUTI rates in ICU patients by 60% (Roser, Piercy & Altpeter, 2014). The study included six interventions that were followed by the staff in the effort to reduce CAUTI. The six interventions included: “communication of CAUTI data to interdisciplinary teams, a nurse-driven, physician approved protocol, problem analysis using Lean principles, daily unit-based surveillance rounds, silver alloy urinary catheters, and an antimicrobial bundle comprised of two cleansing products for patients with an indwelling urinary catheter” (Roser, Piercy & Altpeter, 2014). The nurse-physician protocol allowed for nurses to assess whether the catheter was still necessary and if found not to be, the nurse could discontinue it. This resulted in a 58% decrease in the number of catheters used (Roser, Piercy & Altpeter, 2014). An education session was implemented by nurses using principles from the Lean system that checked the capability of nurses to understand just how dangerous CAUTI can be. It was found that no single intervention alone could reduce the occurrence of CAUTI development. Nurses must integrate several interventions to have an effective result at lowering the rates. However, this particular study found that after the use of the antimicrobial bundle, rates of CAUTI did decline. Roser et al. (2014) emphasized that education and awareness of

Through medical advances in technology and practice, nurses have been afforded the opportunity to provide lifesaving care to patients. However, this lifesaving care comes with the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Generally speaking, HAIs are infections directly related with the delivery of healthcare and are often caused by viral, bacterial or

The occurrence and undesirable complications from hospital acquired infections (HAIs) have been well recognized for the last several decades. The occurrence of HAIs continues to escalate at an alarming rate. HAIs originally referred to those infections associated with admission in an acute-care hospital (formerly called a nosocomial infection). These unanticipated infections develop during the course of health care treatment and result in significant patient illnesses and deaths (morbidity and mortality); prolong the duration of hospital stays; and necessitate additional diagnostic and therapeutic

Hospital acquired infections (HAI) are never good. Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 25 patients will develop an infection which was procured during their stay in a hospital (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Twenty percent of these HAI are due to staphylococcus aureus, better known as simply Staph (Statisticbrain.com, 2015).

More than one million of Healthcare associated infections happen across healthcare settings every year, or 1 in 20 people admitted to any healthcare setting (Healthy people 2020, 2013). HAIs are the most common complication seen in hospitalized patients. HAIs increase morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs, and length of stay even after adjustment for the main underlying illness. According to the Center for Diseases Control (CDC, April 2013) 5 to 10% of patients admitted to acute-care hospitals, or long-term care facilities approximately 2 million patients per year in the United States acquire a nosocomial infection. At least 90,000 deaths per year are a result of HAIs, making it the fifth leading cause of death in acute-care hospitals. These

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a drug resistant pathogen abundant in healthcare settings and the second most common overall cause of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (Jernigan & Kallan, 2010). The prevalence of MRSA is a significant problem found amongst many Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the United States (US); critically ill patients are at higher risk for hospital-acquired infections. Acquisition and infection of MRSA may significantly prolong duration of hospital stays, increase healthcare costs, and contribute to higher mortality rates. According to national data, MRSA accounts for nearly 70 percent of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from

Hospital settings have harbored a disease-causing organism called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) since the 1960s. However, hospitals aren’t the only settings at risk of a MRSA outbreak. In recent years’ healthy communities have seen a genetically distinct strain of MRSA, called community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). Although this organism has been less resistant to antibiotics, it is more virulent and capable of causing illnesses (Alex & Letizia, 2007). The community should be aware of the risk factors for this infection and understand its signs, symptoms, and management.

A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a serious problem in the clinical setting. “UTIs are mostly associated with catheterization” (Hooton, 2010, p. 629). The infection can be described as bacteria invading the urinary tract. More so, the bacteria accounts for nosocomial bacteremia since the patient obtains the infection in the hospital (Hooton et al., 2010). A Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) is common because nurses do not find this problem at the top of their to-do list during their shift. It can be easy for the nurse to become accustomed to a slight deviation from the correct method. Any break in the chain of infection has opened the opportunity for microorganisms to reproduce in a susceptible host. Research has proven that when hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings intervene with making positives changes, less of the patients developed a UTI with catheterization. Infection control with catheterized patients can be implemented and resolved with collaboration and education among healthcare staff.

A nurse driven indwelling catheter removal protocol is an evidence base tool recommended by infection control organization and experts for the early removal of unnecessary or inappropriately placed urinary catheters (UC). Evidence shows that urinary catheters are the source of CAUTI’s. CAUTI, is the leading cause of hospital acquired infections in the United States. Seventy- five percent of urinary tract infections in hospitalized patients are associated with urinary catheters and more than 50% of these infections are preventable (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2015). A urinary catheter is a device inserted into the bladder for emptying. Roughly, 25 percent of hospitalized patients receive urinary catheters in the United States

Healthcare associated infections is one of the common causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States is healthcare associated infections (HAIs).

Health care-associated infection (HAI), are infections an individual may acquire while they are receiving treatment for another condition within a health care facility. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) remain the most commonly reported hospital-acquired condition, and the rates continue to rise. Approximately 600,000 patients develop CAUTI each year, leading to increased health care cost, longer hospital stays, and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Furthermore, multiple studies have shown that urinary catheters are placed in patients who do not have an appropriate indication for catheter placement. In order to improve the quality of care and patient safety in our hospitals, CAUTI has become one of the CMS quality

A problem identified in my clinical experience at the Veterans Administration Medical Center was improper infection control measures when a patient was on isolation precautions. HAIs are something that can be prevented but are still very prevalent today. They increase rates of increase hospital stays, cost, readmission, morbidity, and death. The Center for Disease Control notes, “HAIs affect 5 to 10 percent of hospitalized patients in the U.S. per year. Approximately 1.7 million HAIs occur in U.S. hospitals each year, resulting in 99,000 deaths and an estimated $20 billion in healthcare costs.” (CDC, 2015) HAIs can come from cross contamination from healthcare workers to the patients, patients to other patient’s, family members to patients,

“Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of preventable nosocomial infections and is endemic in hospitals worldwide” (Sadsad, Sintchenko, McDonnell, Gilbert, p.1, 2013). MRSA is a bacterial infection that is resistant to antibiotics that are usually used to treat staphylococcus infections. MRSA is mostly found on the skin, but can also be seen in wound or sputum. Nurses and other healthcare workers can help prevent the spread of MRSA by maintaining a good hand washing hygiene, putting patients in isolated rooms. However, patients with a history of MRSA should have an indicator on the door to inform staff of the infection. Nurses and other staff that will have physical contact with patients should be meticulous about using standard precautions, such as wearing protective equipment like gowns and gloves when handling patients with

There is significance in this concept for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree prepared nurse because the attained ability to use available evidence based literature to implement clinical best practice changes to improve overall safety of the patients. The DNP nurse is uniquely positioned to handle various phases of project management. Due to the multi-dimensional nature of effective transfer of care from the OR to ICU, and the interactive transaction that is required during transfer of care. The significance of this concept is the introduction of unit based transfer of care checklist that is evidenced