...of the importance of Evidenced-Based Practice (EBP), and how it ensures quality healthcare and positive patient outcomes. We will take a look at a simple procedure such as hand washing and show why it is an EBP protocol. Why Is Hand Washing So Important? Everyone in the world is responsible for good hand hygiene. As healthcare providers, it is important to teach our patience the importance of good hand hygiene to prevent spread of infection and or disease. By doing this, you are involving patients in their care and helping the greater cause of disease prevention. All healthcare facilities include hand hygiene protocols. Where I work, the hospital policy is that we wash our hands upon entering a patient’s room, put on gloves, remove gloves, wash hands upon leaving that patient’s room, then wash hand again upon entering the next patient’s room…and continue that routine with each patient. We were allowed to us hand sanitizer up to three times, in place of washing with soap and water, providing the patient is not on contact or any other special precautions. For the most part, most of do this, but I did not see everyone following this protocol, especially doctors. Most of the staff only use the sanitizer all of the time. The only time hand washing protocol seems to be followed fully is when I witness sterile procedures. This is a problem and causes increased occurrence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs), but it is difficult to ensure healthcare staff practice proper...
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...linked to inadequate hand hygiene in hospitals causing a huge number of patients each year. “Most healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are spread by direct contact, especially via the hands of health care worker” ( Gould, 2011, P. 1). Even though hospital employees are usually knowledgeable about the consequence of inadequate hand hygiene, compliance of health care workers with suggested hand washing practices remains commonly poor. The easy procedure of hand washing hands save patients’ lives, but unhygienic hand practices continues to place patients at dangerous risk. According to World Health Organization (WHO) (2009), “each year, hundreds of millions of patients around the world are affected by health care associated infections”. Many of the diseases and conditions are avoidable via proper hand washing. Therefore, hand hygiene believed to be one of most vital techniques against the spread of infection. The spread of organisms from the hands of hospital employees is the main basis of cross-infection in healthcare settings and can be avoided by proper hand hygiene. “Nurses have hands-on daily contact with their patients and therefore play a vital role in patient safety and infection control” (Smith, 2009, P.1). Nurses working in hospitals play a vital role in advancing evidenced-based hand washing routines, which will guarantee the excellent care for the patients. The purpose of this study is to identify clinical nurses’ practices and opinions about hand washing. The author...
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...WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care: a Summary First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care is Safer Care a WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care: a Summary © World Health Organization 2009 WHO/IER/PSP/2009.07 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: bookorders@who.int). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution – should be addressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; e-mail: permissions@who.int). The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable...
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...visitors. Identification and managing infections at the time of a client’s admission to the hospital and throughout their stay are the critical aspects of the infection prevention and control program, in addition to subsequent renowned infection control practices while providing care. In the hospital’s admission process, there are numerous ways to investigate, control, and prevent infections in the hospital setting, decides what procedures, such as isolation, should be applied to an individual client; and maintains a record of incidents and corrective actions related to infections. This process includes taking the patient’s history of infection, previous hospitalization, current diagnosis, and presence of draining wound, among others. During the health screening process, the hospital also ensures that the patient gets help from the right staff. Immediately the patient checks into the Nightingale Community Hospital, the symptoms are examined. This forms the basis of the treatment. In addition to the symptoms, laboratory tests are used to augment the diagnosis process. The hospital has a strict policy to screen the patient for infection within 24 hours upon admission. 2. Commission Standard: Compliance with Hand Hygiene In order to maintain...
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...Background Hand washing and hand hygiene are consider to be the number one, cheap essential measure of preventing and controlling spread of hospital acquired infections (HAIs). Hand washing and hygiene can significantly reduce the burden of disease, in particular in hospitalized patient Unfortunately compliance to hand hygiene recommended standard procedures by the health care workers (HCWs) has been unacceptably poor. In order to design education program, identification of several risk factors associated with poor hand hygiene (HH) compliance is of extreme importance. Objective: The purpose of this study is to implement a hand hygiene program for increase compliance with hand hygiene among health care worker in 97 beds hospital. The key target for compliance to HH is not only health-care workers but also policy-makers and organizational leaders and managers. Methods.: Compliance to hand hygiene will be evaluated through direct observation of HCWs ,to helps pinpoint areas of strength or weaknesses in HH behavior, so as to develop training program that will help HCWs to complaint with HH . Evaluation will be based on direct observation and survey audit, observing the HCWs during routine patient care to ensure that hands hygiene are performed before and after getting in contact with patient and patient environment. In addition, survey audit based on the HCWs perception, knowledge and attitude, including patient and family observation of HCWs about hand hygiene. Intervention...
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...Policies and Procedures: Hand Washing Every healthcare institution has to follow certain policies and procedures in order to ensure best patient outcome. Nurses follow procedures on the floor that institutional policies are put into practice. It is necessary that the policies and procedures drafted must be something that is clear, can be measured and enforced that it helps practitioner to understand the importance and effectiveness of the policy (Ray, 2011) , In this paper, I would like to detail the basic but the most important hospital policy; hand washing. In the united States, one every 136 patients visiting or admitted in hospital become seriously ill due to hospital acquired infections which equals two million cases a year (Joint Commission, 2011). Based on the research evidence, our hospital has hand washing policy implemented strictly that number of hospital acquired infections can be brought down with proper hand hygiene. The policy applies to all nurses, physicians, students, visitors and all healthcare professionals in the hospital settings. Hospital is a place where various patients with low immunity and different infections meet. It is the place where high chances of cross contamination and hospital acquired infections exist, resulting in high cost of care and numerous deaths. Importance of hand washing in reducing nosocomial or hospital acquired infections has been well described and advantages emphasized...
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...Infections in Relation to Poor Hand Hygiene Hospital acquired infections is an all too real and current issue. It is also highly preventable through the simple action of hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is a vital part of the hospital system to ensure the continuum of health. The number of professional health care staff who is not abiding by the governing policies on hand hygiene is alarming. It is an issue that is particularly relevant to nurses as they are in constant contact with patients, more so than any other health care professional. This paper shall address the topic of hospital acquired infections in relation to the lack of hand washing and poor hand hygiene. It shall hence be explored the reason behind the issues existence. Background Modern infection control is grounded in the work of Ignaz Semelweis who, in the late 1840’s demonstrated the importance of hand hygiene for controlling transmission of infection (Pittet, Allegrazi, & Boyce, 2009) and reduced mortality rate related to hospital acquired infections (Mortell, 2012). Hand hygiene has become an integral part of our culture. Hand washing is taught at every level of school, advocated in the workplace, and emphasized during nursing, medical, and paramedic training programs. The primary objective of hand hygiene recommendations has always been to reduce pathogen transmission and hospital acquired infections which, in turn, should reduce patient morbidity and mortality (Mortell, 2012). Hand Hygiene has been recognized and...
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...Hand Hygiene Practices in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Multimodal Intervention and Impact on Nosocomial Infection Barbara C.C. Lam, Josephine Lee and Y.L. Lau Pediatrics 2004;114;e565; originally published online October 18, 2004; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2004-1107 The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is located on the World Wide Web at: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/114/5/e565.full.html PEDIATRICS is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication, it has been published continuously since 1948. PEDIATRICS is owned, published, and trademarked by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 60007. Copyright © 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0031-4005. Online ISSN: 1098-4275. Downloaded from pediatrics.aappublications.org at University of Southern Queensland Library on August 5, 2014 Hand Hygiene Practices in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Multimodal Intervention and Impact on Nosocomial Infection Barbara C.C. Lam, MBBS, FRCP(Edin, Lond.), FRCPCH(UK), FHKCPaed; Josephine Lee, RN, MSN; and Y.L. Lau, MD (Hons), FRCP(Edin, Glasg. Lond.) FRCPCH(UK) ABSTRACT. Objective. Health care–associated infections persist as a major problem in most neonatal intensive care units. Hand hygiene has been singled out as the most important measure in preventing hospital-acquired infection. However...
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...Evidence-Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research Joyce Windham Western Governors University Article Larson, E., Quiros, D., Lin, S. (2007). Dissemination of the CDC’s Hand Hygiene Guidelines and Impact on Infection Rates. American Journal Infection Control, 35, 666-675. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2137889. Graphic BackgroundInformation|This study examines the implementation of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hand hygiene guidelines and analyzes whether compliance impacts patient outcomes, especially hospital acquired infections (HAI). The correlation of hand hygiene (HH) and HAI is very well described in this study. Rates for HAI were determined both pre and post implementation of the guidelines. A structural abstract is included with this study. There is an introduction which explains the intent of the study is to and examine how the CDC guidelines are implemented, the compliance rates for HH and how that relates to HAI rates.| Review of Literature|There have been numerous clinical practice guidelines by federal and professional organizations which were intended to improve quality of patient care and minimize variances in clinical practices. There have been three versions of the HH guidelines with the last version in 2002. There have been few studies done to correlate the practices of HH with HAI rates. This study was conducted in 2007 but is still relevant today. Compliance with HH guidelines...
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...Nightingale Community Hospital has subjected itself to a rigorous examination of its policies and practices to keep up with the latest Joint Commission standards. Clinical practice is constantly affected by changes in the health care system and other factors. It is the responsibility of the hospital to be aware of such changes and modify its practice and align its goals in order to better serve the community at large. In short, it means the hospital needs to maintain compliance with the Joint Commission standards and provide consistent and quality care to its recipients. Compliance is a difficult task to achieve. It requires great effort on the part on the administrators and work force and requires the collaboration of interdisciplinary teams to bring about the desired effect. In order to monitor compliance, the hospital utilizes a periodic performance review (PPR) tool to assess its performance by continuous monitoring and performance improvement activities. The PPR provides the chassis for continuous standards compliance and focuses on the essential systems and practices that affect patient care and safety. The hospital self-evaluates its adherence with all Joint Commission Accreditation Participation Requirements, National Patient Safety Goals, related Elements of Performance (EPs), and develops a Plan of Action for all areas of performance identified as being non-compliant. The hospital also develops Measures of Success (MOS) for determining whether the organization...
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...Hand Washing Cristina Mesa Nova Southeastern University Hand Washing Proper hand washing is the first line in defense against spreading bacteria and infections. Most individuals don’t understand the importance of simply washing their hands. The spread of countless diseases and infections could be avoided by engaging in a little more awareness. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of hand washing, how hand washing can improve patient care, and to discuss how hand washing can be incorporated into patient education. Importance of Hand Washing Good hand washing habits are essential in any setting, not just bathrooms. It is necessary to wash a persons hands after using the restroom, after any outdoor activity, after any contact with another person, before and after eating, and especially after touching or petting any animal. The more an individual practices the importance of hand washing the better. It is sad how many people believe that hand washing is unimportant and needless. According Borchgrevink, Cha, and Kim (2013), hand washing is the most effective thing one can do to reduce the spread of infectious diseases . Patient Care Improvement With Hand Washing In hospitals, hand washing is even more important due to the abundant amount of bacteria and infection under one building. Nurses must follow proper hand washing techniques in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases to their patients. When a patient is in the hospital, their immune...
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...research to guide patient care with the integration of evidenced-based practice. Statistics provide valuable information to caregivers to help them understand, plan, evaluate, and improve the quality of patient care. In the acute care hospital setting there are ongoing measurements of such things as patient satisfaction, hand washing compliance rates, catheter acquired urinary tract infections, and central access infection rates, just to name a few. The collection of this data involves descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and levels of measurements. Acute care hospitals use descriptive statistics in many ways. Descriptive statistics describes raw data in the form of samples or graphs (Bennett, Briggs, & Triola, 2009). One area in which they are used in the hospital is to evaluate hand washing compliance of health care providers. According to Vincent (2003), nosocomial infections occur in approximately 30% of patients in the intensive care setting and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Research shows that effective hand washing can prevent many hospital acquired infections (Vitez, 2010). In the hospital setting, hand washing compliance is monitored on an ongoing basis. Health care workers who come in contact with patients are observed by an unidentified member of the staff who monitors the subject upon entering and leaving a patient room. Hand hygiene can be performed by either by washing with soap and water or use of hand sanitizers. The expectation...
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...The importance of personal hygiene is a significant consideration. Personal hygiene is considered behaviors which include wearing clean cloths, bathing, washing and combing one’s hair, as well as brushing and flossing teeth. Many people consider these activities an integral part of daily routines. However, some do not. There are physical, emotional, and personal complications for those who do not practice these behaviors. The importance of personal hygiene Good personal hygiene not only enhances our appearance, its importance is directly related to preventing infections, diseases, and keeps us free from unpleasant odors. Practicing proper hygiene is important to your mental health and helps you feel better about yourself. Most people don’t think twice about bathing, visiting their doctor or dentist for routine checkups, handling unsanitary items, brushing their teeth, or washing their hands.They not only do these healthy habits for themselves, they do them to help keep those they care about healthy and safe. The effects of improper hygiene Conversely, by skipping daily hygiene practices you have a greater risk of becoming victim to different ailments and infectious diseases. Poor personal hygiene is a way of broadcasting to people how you feel—it shows low self-esteem, lack of confidence, a state of depression and other mood ailments. People who do not realize the importance of personal hygiene and maintain the least amount of grooming and do not bathe regularly...
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...1.1 Explain employees’ roles and responsibilities in relation to the prevention and control of infection The Care worker has a responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to take care of one`s own health and safety and others you care or support. Which is : Take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others. Cooperate with the employer in respect of Health and Safety matters. Attend training provided by the employer 1.2 Explain employers’ responsibilities in relation to the prevention and control infection Provide a safe workplace make sdout risk assessments to assess the dangers of certain work activities Provide training to staff Provide PPE 2.1 Outline current legislation and regulatory...
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...and premature babies. Hospital-acquired infections remain a major concern, and they can occur in any care setting, including acute care within hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, clinics, and long-term care facilities (such as nursing homes or rehab centers). Four categories account for 75% of all acquired infections in the acute care hospital setting. These are surgical site infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (Nassof, 2009). Urinary tract infections comprise the highest percentage (Paterson, 2012). These infections usually are spread by the contaminated hands of healthcare providers or the patient’s family members. They are also caused by contaminated surfaces or hospital equipment that has not been properly cleaned (Nassof, 2009). The rate of exposure to infectious materials could be reduced if healthcare providers adhered to certain standard precautions such as hand hygiene. The proposal for this nursing research utilization project is to educate nurses on the importance of hand hygiene using evidence base protocol and how they can implement it in order to prevent nosocomial infections. Most if not all healthcare providers sometime in their career fail to wash their hands. Regardless of staff views on hand washing, research evidence-based studies confirm that hand washing is the most important way healthcare providers can prevent the spread of infection...
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