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The principles of infection prevention and control
Risk assessment essay in nursing
Risk assessment essay in nursing
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So far this unit of study has educated me on the fundamentals of infection control and vital signs. These may seem like basic or simple topics to learn, but for a nursing student these are ultimately very important and come into play everyday for the rest of their career. Thus it is crucial to have a great understanding of the basics of nursing.
The introduction to infection control taught me that there is a greater importance than ‘just’ washing hands, that it is an actual matter of serious illness, which can become a life or death situation. It is a very difficult situation, as vulnerable/ susceptible patients are coming into an environment, which is abundant of infectious agents to be looked after. A fact that surprised me was that 1 in 10 develop a Health Care Associated Infection with an increased mortality rate of four times somebody that doesn't. The Nurse’s role in this is to identify risks to the patient in order to break the chain of infection. Thus there are practice issues and measures set up for Health Care Workers to comply to. The content not only explained t...
The purpose of his article was to find a better way to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) and explain what could be done to make healthcare facilities safer. The main problem that Cole presented was a combination of crowded hospitals that are understaffed with bed management problems and inadequate isolation facilities, which should not be happening in this day and age (Cole, 2011). He explained the “safety culture properties” (Cole, 2011) that are associated with preventing infection in healthcare; these include justness, leadership, teamwork, evidence based practice, communication, patient centeredness, and learning. If a healthcare facility is not honest about their work and does not work together, the patient is much more likely to get injured or sick while in the
This literature review will analyze and critically explore four studies that have been conducted on hand hygiene compliance rates by Healthcare workers (HCWs). Firstly, it will look at compliance rates for HCWs in the intensive care units (ICU) and then explore the different factors that contribute to low hand hygiene compliance. Hospital Acquired infections (HAI) or Nosocomial Infections appear worldwide, affecting both developed and poor countries. HAIs represent a major source of morbidity and mortality, especially for patients in the ICU (Hugonnet, Perneger, & Pittet, 2002). Hand hygiene can be defined as any method that destroys or removes microorganisms on hands (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). According to the World Health Organization (2002), a HAI can be defined as an infection occurring in a patient in a hospital or other health care facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. The hands of HCWs transmit majority of the endemic infections. As
Safety is focused on reducing the chance of harm to staff and patients. The 2016 National Patient Safety Goals for Hospitals includes criteria such as using two forms of identification when caring for a patient to ensure the right patient is being treated, proper hand washing techniques to prevent nosocomial infections and reporting critical information promptly (Joint Commission, 2015). It is important that nurses follow standards and protocols intending to patients to decrease adverse
It is evident throughout these research studies that the topic of hand hygiene is particularly relevant to nursing. Nursing has the most face-to-face, hands on interactions with patients. Since nurses come in contact with multiple patients numerous times a day it is crucial that nurses have competent knowledge regarding hand hygiene in order to prevent the spread of infections and diseases.
The role of nurses in the prevention of MRSA in the hospitals cannot be overemphasized. The prevalence of MRSA in hospitals calls for awareness and sensitization of all party involved in patient caregiving in the hospital. According to Wilkinson and Treas (2011), nurses take on many roles in the hospital: a caregiver, advocate, communicator, leader, manager counsellor, change agent and an educator. (Wilkinson &Treas. (2011) p.13.) The target of healthy people 2020 is to reduce MRSA and all other hospital acquired infection by 75% in the year 2020. (Healthy people 2020) This cannot be achieved without the maximum support of nurses because nurses have regular one on one contact with patients on daily basis.This paper will take a closer look at the role of a nurse as an educator in the prevention of MRSA in the hospital. One of the nurse’s roles in the prevention of MRSA in hospitals is patient/visitor/staff education.
The proper practice of hand hygiene is of importance in any healthcare setting, as it is the most effective method to decrease healthcare-acquired infections that can potentially lead to illness. It has been determined that “… approximately 20%-40% of these infections are a result of cross-infection via the hands of healthcare personnel,” which emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all healthcare personnel is well informed of correct hand washing methods (1). In Cuny’s article “Hand Hygiene and Hand Care,” the reader is informed of the role of transient organisms, skin structures, and inhibiting factors when practicing proper hand washing for routine and surgical procedures.
The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) is the governing body of all registered nurses in Ontario and is regulated. The CNO provides expectations and guidelines to follow, which need to be met by each Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) individually. As a nursing student, I am taught about the CNO and the importance of referring back to the guidelines while caring for patients. While gaining experiencing in the nursing field through my clinical settings, I have realized as a nursing student there are areas I need further development in. In this paper, I will address two of my learning needs and my goal for each. I will also discuss the plan I created in order to successfully meet my learning needs prior to becoming an RPN, and
The article was complicated, but it helped address the learning patterns and what a nurse needs to know in their practice to better themselves and provide the best care for a patient. By acknowledging the patient as a person, applying science based practice, using artful skills, and ethically providing care to a patient, the nurse extends their patterns of knowing and forms their knowledge base.
The issue of hospital-acquired infections, which are avoidable and preventable,
It prepares a novice to be able to perform basic skills throughout their career. Learning is related in the classroom by simulation labs and clinical instructors. Educators consider nursing education to be serious. Their role in preparing nursing students is to convey safe practice for patients. They focus on educating students to learn the knowledge of essential care for different patients. New graduates who learn the sufficient knowledge and skills will be able to understand aspects to protect and design for the nurse and patient. Students are taught to recognize safety threats and will understand the significance of reporting errors for future prevention.
This essay critically examines the relationship between interventions and the dubious increase in hand hygiene compliance by healthcare professionals by using the framework of evidence-based practice to evaluate previous literature, identify barriers, and note mechanisms used to measure effectiveness of interventions. The systematic review, Interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance in patient care, conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration investigated innovations to improve hand hygiene compliance within patient care. The review included 2 original studies with an additional two new studies (Gould & Moralejo et al., 2010). Throughout the review, it was affirmed that while hand hygiene is an indispensable method in the prevention of hospital-acquired infections (HAI), the compliance among nurses’ is inadequate. Nurses are identified within the public as dependable and trustworthy in a time of vulnerability due to their specialised education and skills (Hughes, 2008).
(2014) shed light on two key components for infection control, which includes protecting patients from acquiring infections and protecting health care workers from becoming infected (Curchoe et al., 2014). The techniques that are used to protect patients also provide protection for nurses and other health care workers alike. In order to prevent the spread of infections, it is important for health care workers to be meticulous and attentive when providing care to already vulnerable patients (Curchoe et al., 2014). If a health care worker is aware they may contaminate the surroundings of a patient, they must properly clean, disinfect, and sterilize any contaminated objects in order to reduce or eliminate microorganisms (Curchoe et al., 2014). It is also ideal to change gloves after contact with contaminated secretions and before leaving a patient’s room (Curchoe, 2014). Research suggests that due to standard precaution, gloves must be worn as a single-use item for each invasive procedure, contact with sterile sites, and non-intact skin or mucous membranes (Curchoe et al., 2014). Hence, it is critical that health care workers change gloves during any activity that has been assessed as carrying a risk of exposure to body substances, secretions, excretions, and blood (Curchoe et al.,
Washing hands and preventing spreading infections is the topic of this article. “Washing hands is the number one thing everybody can do.” By just washing your hands you can prevent the spread of infection. When cleaning patient rooms, wear gloves, as foam-in and foam-out of every room. Everyone on staff should be held accountable for proper hand hygiene. “You’re not just cleaning, you’re saving lives.”
“Researchers in London estimate that if everyone routinely washed their hands, a million deaths a year could be prevented” (“Hygiene Fast Facts”, 2013, p. 1). Hands are the number one mode of transmission of pathogens. Hands are also vital in patient interaction, and therefore should be kept clean to protect the safety of patients and the person caring for the patient. Hand hygiene is imperative to professional nursing practice because it prevents the spread of pathogens, decreases chances of hospital-acquired infections, and promotes patient safety. There is a substantial amount of evidence that shows why hand hygiene is important in healthcare
where nurses work to treat infections in people from different settings. While evaluating and treating patients with infectious diseases, many infection control nurses work on special projects and studies that have a direct impact on the comprehensive care that a facility provides. In response to their findings, the work an infection control nurse compiles and concludes with help their facility be in compliance and up to date with the changing strains of infections. The role of an infection control nurse is to contain an infection and to aide in eradication the infection to prevent an outbreak. The infection control nurse has to identify the pathogen that has caused the infection, identify the current stage of replication, identify the correct treatment, and reevaluate the response to treatment (Smeltzer, 2007). The skills, knowledge and expertise in this field require multifaceted and progressive nurses who love this specialty. The relationship between knowledge and power helps to employ and implement strategies to reduce infection control and improve patient safety (WHO,