reflection on aseptic technique Essay

A meaningful event from my clinical experience was during week six when one of my colleague and I along with the RN performed a wound care procedure on one of my client who had pressure ulcers on her coccyx area and wound on the right foot. It was my first time doing wound care on a client who has severe wound type. Client is a 90 years old female who has been admitted to the unit for Osteomyelitis, it is an infection of the bone, caused by bacteria breaking into the body’s tissues and entering the bloodstream through an open wound (LeMone, p.1382). The client said a dog bit her foot at a park few years ago and that’s how she got the wound. Client has a wound care dressing order that needs to be changed daily with Betadine soaked gauze for all areas,

My research study will focus on patients who receive central line while in hospital. The research study will be combination of quantitative and qualitative method. The research will assess how nursing staff perform central line dressing change with current guidelines and new protocol in which they will be required change central line dressing once per shift. The study will be over a period of 1 year to have enough subjects

The healthcare team honored the patients’ wishes as best as possible; the only time we bothered the patient was when we changed the dressings on the pressure ulcers located on the anterior portion of the left foot and right buttocks and when we provided the patient with PRN pain medications. Since this is a Medical Surgical floor, we were required to do one assessment, and that occurred during the time the health care team went in as a group to clump all of the care up and do it at one time. The only negative experience that had occurred was when the patient was expressing non-verbal signs of pain – and from that point, we worked quickly to give him his PRN pain medications to manage it.

This essay it will explain the Aseptic Technique and how it is used to prevent the spread of infection in wounds. It will also give a personal experience of performing the technique.

A nurse cannot assume that an unregulated care provider (UCP) is competent to perform any procedure, regardless of how straightforward the procedure appears. (CNO, 2013) Initially, I will conduct an overall assessment of Mrs. Appleby. Similarly I will also determine the associated risk of the procedure, and the environmental support available. The UCP that I am delegating the task to must have the knowledge, skill and good judgement of performing the bed bath. Using the client centered care approach I will also make sure that prior starting the activity, Mrs. Appleby is comfortable with the idea and with the UCP who will render the bed bath for her. I will remind the UCP that privacy is a priority. Moreover, instructions about the use of mild cleansing agent, warm water, use of lotion after bathing and avoidance of excessive rubbing especially in bony prominence area will be emphasized. It is important to note that proper instructions should be given to the UCP and he or she fully understands the extent of her or his responsibilities in performing the procedure, knows when and who to ask for assistance, and knows when, how and to whom to report the outcome of the procedure. (CNO, 2014)

Hardwick et al. (2012) investigated the use of healing touch effects on the anxiety and pain that was present for 41 patients that underwent Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty. A likert scale to rate pain and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used. Foley et. al (2016) conducted similar research to explore the effects of healing touch had on adult patients who have had outpatient surgery. This study included 81 participants who were separated into two groups. The first group of patients were receiving only traditional nursing care and the second group receiving traditional nursing

Wash your hands with soap and water before you change your bandages (dressings). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.

Once Estela had finished, empowering the patient in making her own choices, I asked her whether she wanted to be cleaned by herself or needed support (Kozier et al., 2016). Before helping the patient to get back into bed, I provided to Estela a bowl, warm water, soap, and another towel to wash and dry her hand to foster the respect and dignity and preventing infection. I felt that during the process to assist Estela with her needs, I respected patient’s

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”.

A simple touch to the forehead or placing your gloved hand inside your scrub pocket are surefire ways to transmit pathogens, unintentionally. Something as mindless as these actions can place serious risk to you and your patient. Patients in all sorts of healthcare settings are already at risk of becoming infected due to the nature of their illness, increases pathogen presence due to hospitalization, and invasive procedures. The best and most effective way to prevent the spread of infection is to wash hands and maintain aseptic or clean technique. Asepsis is the absence of disease causing microorganisms. Aseptic technique is divided into two categories: medical and surgical. Surgical asepsis is used in a surgical setting where invasive procedures

* Hand washing is the most important method of preventing the spread of infection by contact (Ayliffe et al 1999). The Nottingham University Trust Policy on Hand Hygiene (2009) states that there are three types of hand hygiene, the first is ‘routine hand hygiene’ which involves the use of soap and water for 15 – 20 seconds or the application of alcohol hand rub until the hand are dry. The second is ‘hand disinfection’ which should be used prior to an aseptic procedure by washing with soap and water and applying alcohol hand rub afterwards. The third is ‘surgical hand washing’ which is the application of a microbial agent to the hands and wrists for two minutes. In addition to which a sterile, disposable brush may be used for the first surgical hand wash of the day although continued use will encourage colonisation of microbes. The third example is the most appropriate to any O.D.P undertaking the surgical role as it is the best way for the surgical team to eliminate transient flora and reduce resident skin flora (World Health Organization 2010). The first and second are important to any O.D.P undertaking any other role within the Operating Department as this is the best way to reduce the transient microbial flora without necessarily affecting the resident skin flora

Following contact with patient and or contaminated environment, germs can survive on hands for differing length of time(2-60mints).in absence of hand hygiene action the longer the duration of care, the higher the degree of hand

Following a small group session, the student will be able to recognize the eight signs of when a sterile dressing needs to be

I showed the supernumerary nurse the proper way of preparing for an NPWT using a non-touch sterile technique, and slowly cleaned the surrounding skin prior to the application of the pressure dressing. Since, it was the first time of the mentee to perform a pressure dressing. I have provided my mentee the principles of wound management, so that it will reinforce the knowledge of the supervised nurse and skills, on the management of an NPWT wound. I also provided the mentee the protocols and wound management chart to take note of the type of solutions to be used in managing a surgical wound.

Working in a healthcare domain means providing the most effective and beneficial care for the incompetent patients. Particularly, to those who needs intimate nursing assistance such as dressing, bathing, eating, toileting and skin care activities ( Wurster 2007).This is especially true if the person is mentally, emotionally, and physically dependent like the clients in nursing homes. Nurses, health care assistants or support workers and other health care providers ought to educate themselves for improving quality of care and exceeding specific benchmarks in regards to pressure sores ( Wurster 2007). All the same the basic