Research has become an integral part of nursing. Its importance is particularly reflected in the recent changes made in nursing education. For example, as students, we often incorporated peer-reviewed articles (i.e. using search engines like CINAHL) for written assignments and concept maps so that our “increased evidence-based knowledge” would help us develop optimal nursing practice and standards in patient care (Rebar, Gersch, Macnee, & McCabe, 2011, p. 7).
There are two basic types of research – qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative research collects numerical data under controlled research conditions. Conversely, qualitative research is subjective and analyzes individual’s interpretation of observation, indepth interviews. It is more time consuming and cannot be generalized (Rebar, Gersch, Macnee, & McCabe, 2011, p. 30).
Effectiveness and Attitudes About Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene is one of the first skills in standard care of practice that is stressed in nursing school. Since the main source of cross-infection is the transmission of microorganisms from the hands of healthcare workers, this problem can be easily prevented by hand washing. However, despite the cheapness and effectiveness of hand hygiene, fewer than 50% of healthcare workers utilize these methods (Kelcikova, Skodova, & Straka, 2011, p. 152).
In 2011, Kelcikova, Skodova, & Straka conducted a study to determine the correlation between basic nursing education and students’ compliance with hand hygiene practices in clinical settings. They analyzed the practices of full-time nursing students in the first, second, or third year of the bachelor’s degree program, as well as those in their first year of the master’s degree. Utilizing a mixed approach, they obse...
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...determine the level of significance for a group of data. It also allows researchers to determine the strength of their statement or hypothesis by measuring the consistency between the results obtained in the trial and those that could occur by “pure chance.” Researchers commonly agree that p-values above 0.05 are statistically insignificant, while those below 0.05 are statistically significant (Rebar, Gersch, Macnee, & McCabe, 2011).
Conclusion
The ultimate goal of nursing research is to develop a solid knowledge base that guides nursing practice and improves the quality of patient care. Nurses and healthcare workers that stay informed on changes to current research literature, including those regarding hand hygiene, will be able to better understand the risks of noscomial infections and their role in preventing transmission (Kelcikova, Skodova, & Straka, 2011).
Health tips. Hand hygiene. (2009). Mayo Clinic Health Letter (English Ed.), 27(12), 3. Retrieved from
“The CDC is the primary developer of national infection control and prevention guidelines, often in collaboration with its Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, which is responsible for research and dissemination of the latest information for preventing disease transmission” (Griffis, 2013, p. 175). Infection control will continue to be a topic of discussion as long as germ transmission is still happening. Among these studies is the concern the frequent nonadherence to contact precautions is a huge issue that many studies are still very concerned about (Jessee & Mion, 2013, p. 966). The writer is also concerned with the blatant disregard for hand hygiene that appears to be happening in the medical field. What about what is best for the patient. Do the people that do not use proper hand hygiene not understand how important it
There are two types of research that can be conducted in research studies, these are qualitative and quantitative (Newman, 2011). Qualitative research is a process that uses detailed oriented methodology that tries to achieve a profound knowledge or understanding of specific incident and circumstance, wh...
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
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.
“Failure to attend to hand hygiene has serious consequences: it has a negative effect on patient safety and the quality of patients’ lives, as well as on their confidence in healthcare delivery. However, the prevalence of hand hygiene omission is still high” (Canadian Disease Control, 2016 p 1). Washing hands before and after patient contact seems like a simple solution to prevent the spread of bacteria between patients. But it is not as simple as it seems.According to new CDC data, “approximately one in 25 patients acquires a health care-associated infection during their hospital care, adding up to about 722,000 infections a year. Of these, 75,000 patients die from their infections ( CDC, 2016 p 1).” Leaving a finacial burden on Canada’s health care
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2011). Understanding nursing research: building an evidence-based practice (5th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier/Saunders
Therefore, implementing evidence-based knowledge focused on arriving at positive goals for better patient outcomes should be a priority. Additionally, if nurses are to decrease the incidences of central-line infections, then hospitals need to be focused on prevention through clinical reasoning and preventive action. It is the responsibility of nursing care to provide the best care possible and to follow infection control standards.
According to Smith (1983) quantitative research is to explain, predict and develop laws that can be universally applied and Qualitative research is the interpretation and understanding of what people give to their situation. The researchers clearly stated the purpose of their studies, aim, objectiv...
Research can be quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is objective and involves measuring the phenomena under investigation. Qualitative research is subjective, explores experiences and feelings, and involves the recording of phenomena that cannot easily be quantified (Toates, 2010, pp. 5-6). Both are empirical since they involve data collection (OU, n.d.).
The systematic review; Interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance in patient care, conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration investigated inventions 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 among 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). Thus, it is imperative that evidence based practice is cond...
In health care, evidence-based research is crucial. Nurses revolve their practice on evidence so that they may provide the best health care. Without research, there would be no evidence to prove health care related findings (Shmidt & Brown, 2012). With appropriate
Medical asepsis plays an integral role in infection control within a health care facility. It includes procedures used to decrease and prevent direct contact with blood or bodily fluids and emphasizes keeping the environment clean on a regular basis (Curchoe, Astle, & Hobbs, 2014). In order to achieve optimal health, individuals depend on practices and techniques that control and ultimately prevent the transmission of infection. These practices and techniques can help avoid the transmission of infections by creating an environment that protects both health care workers and patients from communicable diseases. Good hand hygiene has been stressed as the single most important measure to prevent cross-infection to patients in health care facilities
“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
On the other hand, Quantitative research refers to “variance theory” where quantity describes the research in terms of statistical relationships between different variables (Maxwell, 2013). Quantitative research answers the questions “how much” or “how many?” Quantitative research is an objective, deductive process and is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables with generalized results from a larger sample population. Much more structured than qualitative research, quantitative data collection methods include various forms of surveys, personal interviews and telephone interviews, polls, and systematic observations. Methods can be considered “cookie cutter” with a predetermined starting point and a fixed sequence of