Posted: September 30th, 2024

Preventing hospital-acquired infections evidence-based practice Essay

Preventing hospital-acquired infections evidence-based practice.

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are diseases that patients get as they receive treatment for surgical or medical conditions in healthcare facilities. These infections pose significant challenges to patient safety and healthcare quality. Infections can occur after procedures like surgery and devices such as ventilators or catheters.

Bacteria must get into the body for an HAI to develop when receiving healthcare service. This entry can occur through various means, including direct contact with contaminated surfaces. It can enter the body through a device like a catheter, wound, or lungs. Hospital-acquired infections are issues that medical staff can prevent by implementing these steps.

Hand washing
Hand washing is the foundation of reducing HAIs. It is a simple yet effective method to prevent the spread of infections. A vigorous washing of the hands using warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds cleans off the bacteria that spread infections. Staff members and people working in health facilities should always wash their hands before and in between providing care. It is also essential for them and patients to wash hands before a meal or drink.

Disinfecting and maintaining surface cleanliness
Every room in a health facility and space between patients should get a thorough scrubbing with cleaners that contain a bleaching agent. Regular cleaning routines are crucial in maintaining a safe environment. It helps to prevent accidental transmission of infection to newly admitted patients. Non-patient areas such as the nurses’ station and break room should get a thorough cleaning every day to eliminate dangerous microorganisms that the staff could have carried from infected patients.

Wearing gloves
Some healthcare professionals lay their guard down by failing to wear gloves when they interact with a patient. Consistent use of gloves is a critical barrier against infection. Gloves are a must-wear for caregivers when they expect to get into contact with bodily fluid or blood, such as when drawing blood, changing bed sheets, or emptying trash.

Provision of personal protective equipment
Employers should provide their staff with appropriate isolation equipment to wear when attending to patients with highly contagious illnesses. Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential for safety. Nurses who visit patients who are likely to transmit infections should wear items like gloves, waterproof gowns, masks, face shields, and shoe covers. The equipment should be quick to access because a patient with such a disease can get admitted anytime.

Quick identification of contagions
All healthcare facilities should make arrangements for early and quick identification of contagious infections like Clostridium difficile. Rapid testing and diagnosis are vital for effective infection control. For instance, a patient who gets to the hospital with diarrhea should undergo an immediate test for C. diff or a flu test for those with respiratory issues.

Daily change of linens and when dirty
It is essential to clean and sanitize laundry without leaving them on the patient beds for an extended period. Regular linen changes help maintain hygiene standards. Cleaning of linens should be daily and when they get visibly dirty. Any cloth that falls on the floor must be sent back to the laundry for washing.

Insist that patients walk barefoot
Many people do not feel like wearing shoes when sick, but it is essential to encourage all the patients to wear slippers or at least non-slip socks when walking in any area of the hospital, including their rooms. Proper footwear can prevent the spread of pathogens. Nurses and other people who enter the patient’s room might be carrying pathogens from other regions. Wearing shoes prevents pathogens from getting into the feet of the patients.

Storing food at proper temperatures
Most healthcare facilities provide refrigerators for patients to store snacks in their units. Proper food storage is crucial to prevent foodborne illnesses. The checking of heat in food storage equipment should be at every shift for food safety. It is also important to encourage patients to eat fresh foods rather than refrigerate. If the food stays in the room for many hours, the caregivers should trash it to prevent spoilage and possibilities of getting an infection.

Creating an infection control policy
An infection control policy profiles the patients with the highest risk of contracting hospital-acquired infections. Comprehensive policies guide effective infection prevention strategies. The plan should have information on patients who should be on isolation precautions or limited contact with staff and other patients. Preventing HAIs will be more efficient when staff members know the way to identify possible infections and help in preventing their spread. Providing continued infection control education is essential.

References.

Fried, E. D. (2023). Hospital-acquired infections. In Patient Safety: A Case-based Innovative Playbook for Safer Care (pp. 183-198). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Ji, B., & Ye, W. (2024). Prevention and control of hospital-acquired infections with multidrug-resistant organism: A review. Medicine, 103(4), e37018.

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