The Flush And Brush Dilemma Summary

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

Clostridium difficile is a particularly challenging and difficult infection to control. Because Clostridium difficile spores can live on dry surfaces for long periods of time, teaching must include the importance of cleaning surfaces and

This experiment illustrates the importance of handwashing and proves that hand washing is worth it. Since our hands are constantly coming into contact with ourselves and others, touching surfaces, grabbing objects, being sneezed into, etc., keeping our hands clean is one of the most effective, yet simple way we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running warm water. “The human skin is a host to anywhere between 10,000-10,000,000 bacteria per square centimeter and since health care providers come into contact with pathogenic bacteria by being engaged in patient care, hand washing can reduce the risk of spreading diseases (page 3).” The objective of the experiment is to test the effectiveness of hand washing and demonstrate normal flora. This report presents the procedures and materials for the experiment, the experiment's results, and an analysis of those results.

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.

In addition, risk assessments should be undertaken for example; each person who has a catheter; PEG feed; pressure sore; or other factor which makes them more susceptible to the risk of infection. Ultimately anyone within the home who can cause infection are subject to risk assessment under the COSHH Regulations and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1992. It is important that infected residents are isolated and infected staff excluded from work, until 48 hours after the symptoms have settled. Management of cases should be planned following a risk assessment, which should consider continence, personal hygiene, overall health, likelihood of physical contact with other residents or their food, the facilities available and the vulnerability of other residents. The local HPU can advise on this process. Infected residents should, if possible, have sole use of a designated toilet or commode as long as their symptoms persist. In the case of a likely norovirus infection, they should keep a designated toilet facility for 48 hours after their symptoms have settled.

“The nature of the home environment makes it difficult to maintain control over any procedure, but particular problems arise when the procedure involves trying to prevent contamination” (Hallett 2000 cited in Unsworth 2011).

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.

Hospitalizations are another main cause of the spreading of the C-diff infection. It takes place in all healthcare facilities, due to the fact that a large number of hospitalized individuals are treated with antibiotics. In hospitals the spread of C-diff can be present on peoples hands, due to poor hand hygiene, bedrails, toilets, thermometers, sinks and even on

While most people on antibiotics are at the greatest risk of developing Clostridium difficile, there are specific groups of people who also have a chance of being infected. This includes the older population, people who 's immune system is compromised such as cancer patients, people who have a feeding tube, and people who have come in contact with infected patients (Fordtran, 2006, pp. 3). Most cases of Clostridium difficile can be found in a healthcare setting. This includes nursing homes where the older population resides, hospitals where immune compromised patients are receiving treatment as well as patients on antibiotic therapy. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). The bacteria is found in the stool. It is then passed from one person to another through contaminated surfaces. If a person touches a contaminated surface, then their contaminated hand touches their mouth or any other mucus membrane, they are at risk of developing the infection. Clostridium difficile can survive for long periods of time on these contaminated surfaces which is why healthcare settings have the highest record because germs spread quickly (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). When in contact with

It is transmitted from person to person who have come in contact with contaminated person, surface or item such as commodes, bathing tubs, and bed linen without proper precautions. When taking care of a patient with c- difficile proper precaution should be followed to prevent the spread of infection. The patient should be on contact isolation; which means personal protective equipment should be worn when providing direct care to the patient. The most important intervention to break the spread of infection is through hand washing. Wash hand before and after providing care to the patient. The use of soap and water has been proving more efficient than alcohol-based hand rubs (Nelson el 2016). Educate patient and visitors to wear gown and groves, and wash their hands before and after as well. It also essential hold community base education on hand wash and it’s implication on our

Clostridium difficile is shed in excrement. Any surface, gadget, or material (e.g., cabinets, showering tubs, and electronic rectal thermometers) that gets to be defiled with excrement may serve as a repository for theClostridium difficile spores. Clostridium difficile spores are exchanged to patients predominantly through the hands of medicinal services staff who have touched a polluted surface or

In this essay the focus will be on the significance of hand hygiene within the care of patients and problems relating to the compliance of this. The essay will explore legislations such as The NHS Constitutions YEAR, Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Conduct YEAR and the 6Cs of nursing, focusing on the relevance of these in relation to hand hygiene practice.

Since, toilet paper is easy to dispose of, it’s everywhere, it’s one of the biggest marketed items, and a huge money maker, because you can never have too much toilet paper. With a simple flush, toilet paper is gone. The simple design, is so well thought out, that germs don’t spread as much, as if they were in a container, like a tissue box. Where, when you go to grab the next piece you touch the box, and the next piece. You can’t go anywhere in the world without

An integral and necessary part of the built environment, moreover – our daily lives – restrooms provide the real human need for safe and sanitary facilities when we go to work, go to school, and participate in public life. Every day, many utilize the facilities of public toilets in workplaces, schools, and the innumerable other spaces we pass through and occupy while outside our homes (Kopas, 2012). As defined by Matthew Kopas (2012), a “public bathroom is any toilet facility that is not located in a private dwelling,” encompassing both traditional “on-street” local authority public toilets and “off-street” toilets to which the public has right of access, for instance, in shopping malls and commercial spaces (Greed, 2014), thus coining by the British Toilet Association (2001) to be toilets “away from home”.

There are grave consequences when people do not wash their hands or wash them improperly. It is known that hands are the main media for contaminants getting to people, whether the infections are airborne, oral or tactile.