Approaches to Decision Making
Stephanie Kert
HCA/250
October 16, 2014
Cynthia Baxter

Reduce Infection Control
Long term care facilities have high infection rates due to patients being within close proximity of one another. Long term care residents are usually older in which due to their immune systems are usually more susceptible to highly infectious illnesses. Due to this increase, there are specialized precautions and procedures that are expected to be followed in order to control spreading.
Infection Protocols
Spreading of infections can cost healthcare facilities more money especially if the proper precautions were not used. The first step is to identify the problem, than a plan must be put together to figure out how to begin implementation. The problem is reducing infection in which administrators could begin by holding weekly meetings that serve as a refresher on infection prevention protocol. During these meetings all staff and administrators can analyze what areas need extra focus which tends to be forgotten to hectic schedules. (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011). Also long term care facilities must keep their protocols and procedures reviewed and updated on a yearly basis in order to better reduce the number of infections. The director of nursing needs to be notified by the laboratory when any patient cultures come back positive that may represent a form of infection. Additionally, there needs to be specific “tracking of dates and times when infected patients change rooms or even roommates” (Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 2005) so that the room can be disinfected to the proper standards based on the type of infection. Staff should be educated on proper immunizations and how often they must visit with their physician for routine checkups. Also staff needs to be educated on how to care for patients that are infected. Also routine tracking of the number of infections, the types and also how long the patient is infected will help facilities plan accordingly with their infection prevention protocols, such as adding additional forms of disinfecting to help reduce the likeliness of infection spreading. There also needs to be tracking of any exposure to bodily fluids or blood from infected patients to staff. (Matheı, Niclaes, Suetens, Jans, & Buntinx, 2007)
Infection Prevention Proper precautions include healthcare employees to wear protection equipment such as masks, gowns and gloves in which need to be changed when entering and leaving patient rooms, also practicing proper hand washing with antibacterial soap. By enforcing infection prevention procedures administrators are implementing their plan on reducing infection rates. The benefits of all staff following this implementation will prevent the potential of infecting themselves along with spreading the different forms of infection from one patient to another. (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011) The living and working environments must be checked on a daily basis making sure all equipment has been disinfected, all bathrooms have been cleaned, all rooms in which patient care is held are disinfected lastly that all supplies of soap, paper towels and etc. are in stock and filled. Patient rooms also need to be labeled with proper contact precaution signs in order for all staff and visitors to wear the proper PPE and reduce spread of infection. (Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 2005)
Decision Making
Managers make decisions in groups of people who will be affected most by the decision. The advantages of group decision making is that all of those involved will have a voice in how the decision is implemented. By making decisions as a group it brings diversity to the discussion as not one individual has the same view points or same experiences. Everyone is able to share those experiences and share how they apply to the discussion topic. Also group decision increases the probability of solution acceptance, as those who are affected by the decision will be more proactive in helping others be more accepting. There are always disadvantages in any group decision making as there are so many different opinions, due to differences in “rank” or position in a company they may or may not be more resourceful. Those who have been with a facility longer may have more of an ability to sway others view points versus those who employees whom are inexperienced. There is also pressure for group members with an opposing view point to conform their views to match the majority. Group decision making can affect the critical thinking process in which will also make it difficult to come to an agreement. Lastly with group decision making there is no individual implementing the decision outcome, due it to being a group effort it can postpone coming up with a solution. (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011)

Conclusion
Reducing infection rates is an ongoing process, as the decision making process never ends and varies on the types of infections that are present. All variables must be taken into consideration such as facility, state and federal policies and procedures on infection control. Although infections in long term care facilities are not uncommon, the measures in which administrators take decide to take must be based on the type of setting as with long term care extra precautions are taken due to confined living space. (Matheı, Niclaes, Suetens, Jans, & Buntinx, 2007)

References
Matheı, C., Niclaes, L., Suetens, C., Jans, B., & Buntinx, F. (2007). Infections in Residents of Nursing Homes. Retrieved from http://geriatrics.uthscsa.edu/reading%20resources/Infections%20in%20the%20NH.pdf
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES. (2005, January). Healthy People in Healthy Communities. Retrieved from http://health.mo.gov/seniors/nursinghomes/pdf/Infection_Control_Guidelines.pdf
Robbins, S., DeCenzo, D., & Coulter, M. (2011). Fundamentals of Managment (7th ed.). Retrieved from University of Phoenix Ebook.