Health Care Delivery Is Healthcare Associated Infections ( Hais )

Procedures and systems relevant to the prevention and control of infection are following companies’ policies and procedures which relate to correct hand washing procedure, wearing correct PPE for example gloves, aprons and protective clothing, the correct disposal of waste and using the correct cleaning equipment when cleaning spillages, surfaces, equipment, etc.

Keeping our hands clean is one of the most effcient and important steps we can do as humans to avoid getting sick or spreading germs to other people. Unwashed hands spread many diseases such as the flue, E. coli, and salmonella. Unfortunately, hand hygiene is still one of today’s most leading causes of infection in health care facilities. The risk of clinicians, patients, and visitors not complying with hand hygiene protocols creates a practice problem for nurses and their patient care. The cause of health care infections, also known as, health care-associated infections (HAIs) are increasing along with the rise of the inability to control or treat infections that are multi-drug resistant. Lack of proper hand hygiene is a major problem in clinical settings sourcing from critical care divisions where the most contaminations are prevalent. This paper will discuss how hand hygiene affects the nursing process and solutions of how to better prevent HAIs within the nursing scope of practice.

As a leader in health care, it is important that employees have the proper education and training for compliance with infection control. An infection control practitioner should be assigned surveillance of infections, calculate infection rates, and report these numbers to the appropriate personnel. Clinical nurses, such as nurses, should have periodic evaluations to ensure they are practicing patient safety. There are many other key factors that should be implemented in health care facilities to improve infection control. First is hand hygiene; there could be random observers periodically monitoring a certain floor or department for hand sanitation practices. Secondly, is the health care environment. This includes, making sure employees are sanitizing surfaces and equipment, educating visitors and families on infection control measures, and properly using personal protective equipment. Improper use, wear, and removal of personal protective equipment can cause serious health consequences to the worker and the patients, which means employees need be continuously trained and educated on this equipment.

A campaign called, “Clean Hands Save Lives” endorsed by the CDC in the year 2015 put an emphasis on five simple steps to avoid or reduce illnesses. The steps are the following and to be carried out in that order: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry (Potter, Perry, Stockert, & Hall, pg. 458). In addition to performing hand hygiene, gloves must also be used when handling any type of specimen. The use of PPE or Personal protective equipment is important as it protects the wearer from any type of injury or infection. (PPE) Healthcare facilities disclose the type of contact precaution outside a patient’s door. For example, a label for Airborne Precautions indicate that a respiratory protection device (N95 respirator) must be worn in order to enter the room and while interacting with the patient. A room with Droplet Precautions requires the use of a mask or respirator. On the other hand, a room with Contact Precautions indicates the use of gloves and gowns, and a room with category Protective Environment requires protection with HEPA filtration, mask, gloves, and gowns (Potter et al., pg 459).

The main of focus of the quality improvement program is always patient’s safety, needs, quality care and expectations. Even though the healthcare system is very critical as it involves the lives of other, there are some errors that can lead to undesirable consequences. One of the most common error that risks the lives of thousands of people including both patients and healthcare employees is the hand hygiene. Healthcare personnel are the leading source for the spread of Hospital acquired Infections. Every year about one million people die from hospital acquired infections in United States.

The hospital is compliant with infection control protocol according to the CDC standard guidelines. “Hand hygiene, contact precautions, as well as cleaning and disinfecting patient care equipment and the patient’s environment are essential strategies for preventing the spread of health care–associated infections. Hand hygiene is addressed in NPSG.07.01.01. Contact precautions for patients with

For this study, researchers obtained 18 volunteers, all of whom were experienced health care workers. This study was completed in two separate phases, a double-gloving phase, and a single-gloving phase. Each participant was educated as to proper CDC guidelines for donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE), and were able to review these guidelines and

This essay will examine and compare the different methods of hand washing in the perioperative environment and how hand washing influences the prevention of healthcare acquired infections (HCAIs). It will show the importance of washing hands thoroughly to remove bacteria to prevent HCAIs. It will include the differences between the surgical hand wash, the social hand wash and the use of alcohol rubs.

Every day while caring for patients, dedicated health care workers all over the world face potential risks of exposure to infectious disease bacteria or bloodborne viruses due to unintentional punctures with needlesticks or sharps, or accidental contact with bodily secretions, excretions and contaminated items (Wilburn, 2004). The occurrence of undesirable complications can arise from medical errors when safety guideline and control mechanisms are not followed. On occasion healthcare workers may accidentally acquire infections due to the misuse or improper fit of personal protective equipment (PPE) and coverings while attending to individuals seeking out medical attention that may be unexpectedly and unknowingly carrying a communicable disease

Personal protective equipment (PPE) – actual work wear to manage risks. For e.g. gloves and face masks when patient is ill

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

According to the online reading resource for this week, the CDC has very strict infection control guidelines for healthcare workers who are caring for a patient that may be infected with the Ebola virus. There are very specific steps in which a healthcare worker should both don and doff PPE. There should also be specific donning and doffing areas in an effort to eliminate or minimize employee exposures. A single patient room with a closed door and a private bathroom or covered bedside commode should also be used when treating patients with suspected EVD to help stop the virus from spreading to others. PPE must be worn correctly at all times and should not be adjusted while treating your patient. The RN should also double glove. This provides not only a second layer of protection but also allows potentially contaminated outer gloves to be removed during doffing to avoid self-contamination. “Comfort and proficiency when donning and doffing are only achieved by repeatedly practicing the correct use of PPE” (2015, November 17), which is why the CDC suggests that healthcare workers receive repeated training, and are both proficient and knowledgeable in donning and doffing PPE before caring for a patient with Ebola. These guidelines set up by the CDC

Relating back to my previous work I noted that it was essential that nurses wore aprons during patient care, ensuring that they discarded of them after patient contact. Not only does wearing an apron act as a barrier it is also recognised as a type of PPC (Personal protective clothing). Cadlin J, Stark S (2005) suggests that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (1991, 1992) says “Health and Safety Regulations require that all healthcare employees are provided with personal protective clothing”. However McCullough (1998) suggests that nurses’ uniforms are not considered protective clothing and that protection within the NHS is provided by the use of disposable aprons. Surprisingly some healthcare workers and qualified nurses were not discarding aprons after patient contact, not only is this bad practice but it increases the risk of cross infection between patients. Babb et al (1983) within Candlin J, Stark S (2005) article found that “although micro-organisms can survive for varying lengths of time and adhere to plastic aprons, they do not multiply and are difficult to redistribute”.

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) state that surgical mask with goggles, and solid side shield, and face shield are crucial for safety. OSAP also states, “it would be best to assume that in those situations where a face shield is needed to protect against splash or splatter of fluids a mask would also be indicated”. Wearing gowns and gloves to avoid contamination with blood, saliva, and any other infectious fluids is also crucial for safety. OSAP mentions that “Adequate handwashing will remove or inhibit both transient and resident organisms”. For this reason, clinicians must wash their hand appropriately to avoid transmit the organisms that cause

In my workplace, all members of staff, from consultants, doctors, junior doctors, nurses, health care assistants, kitchen hostess and house keepers, always make sure they are performing their roles by adhering to the norms and legislations concerned to the prevention and control of infection by wearing the correct PPE, washing their hands properly, disposing of clinical equipment properly in the designated yellow clinical waste bags, keeping their working area cleaned and free of obstruction and storing and managing safely the COSHH.