Policy development and formulation are considered population-based interventions useful in affecting the nation’s health in a positive way (Porche, 2012). The policies must have a purpose and be goal driven. Policy and politics go hand in hand with each directly influencing the other. Healthcare professionals in all levels of care should strive to become politically knowledgeable and actively participate in policy-making decisions (Porche, 2012). Being politically aware allows healthcare professionals to influence government, workplace, organizations, and community policies (Porche, 2012). Healthcare professionals are powerful in numbers and their passion for policy decision-making and policy outcomes can generate beneficial changes for all …show more content…
Hospital employed health care professionals are exposed to potential contaminants on a daily basis. This is especially true for employees who work directly with patients or those who visit patient care areas. Employees must practice the proper safeguards to avoid subjecting themselves or others to unnecessary illness. Hand hygiene is a general term that applies to hand washing, antiseptic hand wash, antiseptic hand rub, or surgical hand asepsis. Proper hand hygiene removes or destroys microorganisms on the hands. Facility approved hand hygiene products must be used to disinfect the hands. This policy addresses all employees, medical staff, contract employees, vendors, and any person that has contact with a patient. Hand hygiene is the single most important action in preventing and controlling infection in health facilities. Organisms transmitted on the hands of personnel may cause many types of infections. Personnel must decontaminate their hands before and after contact with any patient and at the beginning and end of their shift. Staff members are permitted to carry hospital-approved hand sanitizer in their pockets unless it is contradicted by their department policy. Our facility has established specific procedures for all inpatient and outpatient settings that health care workers must abide by. The procedure list is very detailed and describes all of the situations in which hand hygiene is necessary. Our policy also encompasses the guidelines for hand hygiene, which explains how to properly decontaminate hands and what to avoid. It also states that a supervisor should evaluate personnel if they have any hand problems such as open cuts, abrasions, dermatitis, or draining
The medical assisting extern needed to wash her hands before preparing the room for a patient to prevent cross contamination.
Agenda setting is the process that determines appropriate solutions to a certain problem of a given field (Kingdon, 3). The process itself consists of three streams: problems, policies, and politics (Kingdon, 16). These separate streams interact when windows of opportunity are open – solutions are fitted with problems, and the impetus for this relationship is amenable political forces (Kingdon, 20). Prominent agendas are determined by the problem or political streams, while solutions are crafted in in the policy stream (Kingdon, 20). In the field of health care, the agenda setting is based upon the high number of uninsured citizens, the rising cost of medical care, the development of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in response to this issue, and the key players that debate whether governmental involvement is the correct approach in the issue of universal healthcare.
Longest Jr., B.B (2009) Health Policy making in the United States (5th Edition). Chicago, IL: HAP/AUPHA.
“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
State and local public health departments throughout the country have the responsibility for improving health in workplaces, schools, and communities through identifying top health problems within society and developing a plan to improve. Barriers the public health system has encountered over the years include: changes in the overall health system that support cost containment and improved health, and an increase in the number of individuals with insurance coverage for direct preventive services; reduction of qualified public health professional and funding at all levels of government; increasing focus on accountability, with higher expectations for demonstrating a return on investment in terms of cost and health improvement (Trust, 2013). In the near future, health departments ...
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
Mason, D. J., Leavitt, J. K., & Chaffee, M. W., (2014). Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare. Elsevier Saunders: St. Louis, MO.
Before I discuss in full the role of influence and drivers of ideology in the policy process in the Health Care sector, let me fully elaborate what Health policy is all about.
Healthcare workers come in contact with so many different people every day they work. This includes patients, coworkers, and the general public who come in to visit. With all of this person to person contact, comes a high rate of infection if not properly dealt with. Preventing infection is one of the most important parts of a health care worker's job and they do it all day, every day.
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...
(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.,
“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
Health care policies are plans that intended to determine or influence decisions or actions that will help to achieve specific health care goals. Most of these policies are actions taken by the government to improve the American health care system. The purpose of this essay is to describe the process of how a topic eventually becomes a policy and tie to how the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) policy process. This essay will include the formulation stage, legislative stage, and implementation stage of a complete policy process.
...s and hoses, control buttons, switches, hand pieces, and X-ray units (Collins). After every patient’s visit, the operatory is to be sterilized and disinfected. All areas that were that were not covered with a barrier, or if the barrier was compromised, must be wiped down with surface disinfectants similarly used in hospitals. OSHA requires disinfectants to be potent enough to fight against HIV and HBV infections (Collins). If there is any blood present on a surface, tuberculocidal type disinfectant should be utilized.
Effective planning processes, techniques, and methods will make a major impact in healthcare policies and political initiatives. Individuals and groups definitely promote the public health through communication. Collaboration among individuals and different media outlets will transpire information throughout the nation.