Health Care workers (HCW) have a duty to do their upmost to protect the general wellbeing of patients. The health of a HCW is the first line of defense when it comes to maintaining public health. Each worker receives special training as to how to deal with a “sick” patient in various situations. However, it is not a law to make the prevention of illness, in the case of vaccines, mandatory. Health care facilities do not always make it a requirement for their employees, who are in contact with patients who are already at a disadvantage to fight of illness, to be vaccinated even against the common influenza. To be truly looking out for the well-being of patients, HCWs have to exercise preventative measures in all areas of life. This would include …show more content…
Daniel Goodman and Christopher Weber made a similar point when discussing the importance of the H1N1 virus vaccination when they said, “HCW are limited in number; their health is a priority. HCW ‘have a responsibility to protect their own health and well-being, grounded in their professional commitment to ensure adequate availability of care’” (Goodman & Weber 2011). Knowing that there is a risk to the patients they spend hours trying to make “feel better” should move any HCW to act. If there is a possibility that contact with another patient would make their patient sick they would use every safety measure to limit the chance of contact or contamination. Similarly if you could make them sick by bringing them a virus it only makes sense to take steps to limit the chance of spreading. If you take the time to keep up to date on your vaccines wouldn’t you expect your co-workers to do the same? The majority rule would not necessarily keep your patient healthy if the only sick nurse with the flu came and took their vitals of your patient. The first line of defense shouldn’t be limited to the majority of HCW but to every individual in the health care …show more content…
Vaccine Rights: Exemptions and Waivers. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from http://www.vaccinerights.com/healthcareworkers.html
Daniel Goodman and Christopher Webster (April 2011). The Mandatory Vaccination of Health Care Workers. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from http://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_today_home/law_practice_today_archive/april11/the_mandatory_vaccination_of_health_care_workers.html National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (April 2014). Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from
Influenza is very contagious and spreads rapidly from person to person. Influenza causes worldwide yearly epidemics. According to World Health organization Influenza affects 5-15% world’s population and resulting in 500,000 deaths yearly. Ottenberg stated that, in United States, an average of 200,000 were hospitalized and 36,000 died each year from influenza complications. Influenza is the sixth leading cause of death among US adults and is related to 1 in 20 death in persons older than 65 years
patients and families. It is hard to compare with observation. Survey is very incorrect, not trustworthy, and lacks certainty (The Joint Commission, 2016). This is because HCWs can exaggerate information about their hand hygiene compliance. Factors Affecting
bacteria and sick patients surrounding these facilities. This means the control of these infections are to be a high priority. UKCC 2007-2014 In health care facilities many sick patients are treated in isolated or confined spaces. This means that many microorganisms are present in these areas. Patients come in contact with many health care workers (HCW) who can potentially help the spread of these microorganisms and infections between their patients. “Effective infection prevention and control
reduces hospital-acquired infections and improves patient safety (World Health Organisation, 2009). Although many hand hygiene initiatives, programs, policies and evidence-based guidelines are developed worldwide, some programs are facing challenges regarding compliance. For example, the “Bare Below the Elbow (BBE)” policy in the United Kingdom, imposes various restrictions on clothing and accessories for healthcare workers (HCWs) during their clinical activity. This essay will use current literature
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
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...
importance of hand hygiene is universally recognized and evidence based and is the key intervention in preventing disease (Babeluk, Jutz, Mertlitz, Matiasek, & Klaus, 2014). Healthcare associated infections occur when germs are transferred from health care provider 's hands to a patient and affect 1 in 25 hospitalized patients per day, about 75,000 people die from these infections per year (CDC). Healthcare associated infections can affect anyone but the elderly, very young, people with cancer or
limited by sinks. Oppositely, hand rubbing is unlimited. The HCWs can process hand rubbing in anywhere, such as bedside. So the accessibility of hand rubbing is higher than hand washing. So implementing hand rubbing with alcohol based solution in health care setting is more likely increase HCWs with compliance hand
fundamental than that; what we all need is access to health care. A strong health care system is synonymous with a healthy living environment and a healthy population. In the United States, we might not have the best health care system, but it is accessible and well established in our culture. Many of the areas of the world that are poverty stricken and in the midst of civil war have little to no forms of health care, but these are the areas that need health care the most. According to Paula Saravia’s slides
infections are defined as a localized or systemic condition resulting from an adverse reaction to the presence of an infectious agent or its toxin. There must be no evidence that the infection was present or incubating at the time of admission to the acute care setting” Also if infections occur within 48 hours of being discharged from the hospital or a healthcare setting, then it is considered as a healthcare-associated infection (Daud-Gallotti et al., 2012). Healthcare-associated infections can be easily
and quality prevention and treatment services GOAL To obtain the highest quality of prevention and care services in response to the needs of vulnerable populations at risk of HIV and syphilis. CONTEXT The focus is to improve equitable access to quality health services. There is a need to provide quality, localized and innovative approaches to maintain and retain mothers within the continuum of care. Service delivery systems will be based on the following foundational principles: • Prevent new
Mandatory flu vaccination for health care providers (HCP) and students has been a controversial issue that create a needed discussion about the rights and boundaries of individuals who choose careers in these fields. It is argued that nurses have a duty to protect their patients and throughout nursing history nurses have championed for the prevention of communicable diseases through the use of vaccinations to their patients and communities. Admittedly it is true that nurses are in environments with
acquired infections are due to improper or absence of hand hygiene. Fox, Wavra, Drake, Mulligan, Jones, Bennett, and Bader (2015) suggest that 2.5 million deaths occur from hospital-acquired infections and of those deaths, 90,000 were preventable if the workers in healthcare would have used proper hand hygiene. Piece of mind is a mutual benefit of using hand hygiene in the healthcare setting. A nurse benefits from using hand hygiene because it would reduce the risk of that nurse contaminating other patients
framework which, after a series of operations, maps this information to estimates of the percentage of of influenza-like illness in areas, where vaccinations have been performed. Their impact estimates were in accordance with estimations from Public Health England.