Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have been a persistent problem in the United States for decades. Yang et al. (2013) stated that “Nosocomial infections or healthcare-associated 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 prevented, however they are held accountable for hundreds of thousands of deaths for the past few decades. They have been known to increase rates of drawn-out hospital stays, cost, morbidity, mortality, and readmission to the hospital (Montoya & Mody, 2011). When antibiotic-resistant organisms (AROs) are involved with these types of infections, the rates are expanded even further and usually cause many more fatalities (Srigley, Lightfoot, Fernie, Gardam & Muller, 2013). Healthcare-associated infections can occur in any type of healthcare facility. It usually begins from cross contamination from healthcare providers to the patient, however, it can come from other patients, hazardous medical procedures, and contaminated surgical tools too. Healthcare workers play the leading role in preventing healthcare-associated infections. Srigley et al. (2013) stated that “Healthcare worker (HCW) hand hygiene is considered to be one of the most important interventions for the prevention of HAIs and AROs. However HCW hand hygiene is typically poor, with a median compliance of 40%, and few interventions have been demonstrated to result in significant and sustained improvement” In order to
Nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection (HAI) occurs when a patient receiving treatment in a health care setting develops an infection secondary to their original condition. These infections are serious and costly adverse outcomes of medical care that affect nearly two million people in the United States annually and lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. With increased days of hospitalization and direct medical costs, HAIs account for an estimated $20 billion per year in national health care expenditure every year. As such, they present one of the major threats to patient safety and remain a critical challenge to public health. On any given day, approximately [one in 25 patients] contracts at least one infection while receiving
The health problem is that M.R.S.A., an antibiotic resistant bacterium, has become an epidemic in hospitals worldwide (WebMD, 2012). This is because it is a location that many people come to that has become ill or some part of their health is faltering. This means that this place is overcome with many people who have weakened immune systems and even some with some type of infection (MNT, 2013). This makes the perfect circumstance for a disease to overwhelm and infect the area, thus M.R.S.A. can spread rapidly without much interference.
Scott II, D. R. (2009). The direct medical costs of healthcare-associated infections in U.S. hospitals and the benefits of prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/hai/Scott_CostPaper.pdf
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
Each year the number of health care associated infections (HAI) increases and has been estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of people around the world. In the United States this accounts for approximately 1 in 25 patients ("Hand Hygiene Basics," 2014). Health care associated infections are considered to be the most persistant adverse event in health care. Hand washing is considered to be one of the best methods for preventing the spread of infection and that poor hand hygiene places patients at high risk ("The Evidence for Clean," n.d.). Patients receiving care in hospitals, long term care facilities, and nursing homes are especially at high risk for developing infections while being cared for. Most health care associated infections
It is estimated that the cost of caring for people who contract a healthcare related infection is over 1 billion pounds a year (National Audit Office, 2009), which puts the emphasis on infection prevention and control into perspective. Hand hygiene has been highlighted as a key factor in reducing these incidences of infection and therefore reducing the costs to the NHS. Health care related infections can cause a range of symptoms from mild discomfort to serious, debilitating damage and even death. By reducing costs of avoidable infection, the money saved can be used in other areas of the NHS to improve the service for users and therefore improve the quality of life for many who are
Hospital acquired infections are one of the most common complications of care in the hospital setting. Hospital acquired infections are infections that patients acquired during the stay in the hospital. These infections can cause an increase number of days the patients stay in the hospital. Hospital acquired infections makes the patients worse or even causes death. “In the USA alone, hospital acquired infections cause about 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths per year”(secondary).
Healthcare-associated infections are a big issue in hospitals. They are the highest cause of morbidity and mortality rates in hospitalized patients. Due to increasing prevention methods, there has been a decrease in infections, but there is still a way to go. In detail, common infections are central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter care urinary tract infections, surgical site infections and transmission of Clostridium difficile.
The mission of Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) is to provide quality cost effective healthcare. In order to accomplish this mission HealthCare Associated Infections (HAI) must be reduced. Ventura County Medical Center along with hospitals around the nation is required to report their HAI’s to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) which in turn reports to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) which then reports to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The CDC states that 1 in 25 patients will get a HAI during their stay in the acute care setting of a hospital. “There were an estimated 722,000 Hospital Associated Infections in acute care hospitals in the US in 2011.” (CDC, 2015). Nine percent of patients
...s and measurement to decrease healthcare- associated infections. American Journal Of Infection Control, pp. S19-S25. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2012.02.008.
Nosocomial infections also known as healthcare associated infections (HAI’s) are infections that patients get while receiving treatment for another condition in a healthcare facility. In 2011, there were an estimated 722,000 HAIs in U.S acute care hospitals and of those about 75,000 died (CDC, 2014).The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) estimates the financial burden attributable to HAIs to be between $28 billion to $33 billion each year.
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
Infection control is very important in the health care profession. Health care professionals, who do not practice proper infection control, allow themselves to become susceptible to a number of infections. Among the most dreaded of these infections are: hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Another infection which has more recently increased in prevalence is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These infections are all treated differently. Each infection has its own symptoms, classifications, and incubation periods. These infections are transmitted in very similar fashions, but they do not all target the same population.
The Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Program is an essential force maximizing quality, patient centered care, and safety throughout the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS). The VANTHCS “... is a progressive health care provider in the heart of Texas ... we serve more than 117,000 Veterans and deliver 1.4 million outpatient episodes of care each year to Veterans in 38 Texas counties and two counties in southern Oklahoma” (“VA North Texas,” 2016, para. 1). The purpose of the IPC Program is to guide a facility-wide approach toward identifying, preventing, controlling, and eliminating healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This approach is facilitated through infection control (IC) practitioner’s role-modeling behaviors of assessing, supporting, guiding, and/or directing healthcare providers (HCPs) in the application of evidence-based practices (EBPs) to prevent HAIs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HAIs are often preventable adverse events that pose a major threat to patient safety (“Centers for Disease,” 2016). As a result, IC practitioners recognize the importance of preparing nurse faculty to engage clinical staff in the application of EBPs to prevent infections.
“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