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 risks to patient safety and can lead to prolonged hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and potentially life-threatening complications. 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. The introduction of pathogens can happen through various routes, often related to medical procedures or environmental factors. It can enter in the body through a device like a catheter, wound or lungs. Hospital-acquired infections are issues that medical staff can prevent them by implementing these steps. Effective prevention strategies require a multifaceted approach involving all healthcare personnel and adherence to evidence-based practices.
Hospital-acquired infections are issues that medical staff can prevent them by implementing these steps. By following evidence-based practices, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the incidence of HAIs.
Hand washing
Hand washing is the foundation of reducing HAIs. Proper hand washing technique is crucial, and healthcare providers should wash their hands frequently throughout the day. 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 facility should always wash their hands before and in between providing care. This includes washing hands before and after interacting with patients, as well as after using medical equipment. It is also essential for them and patients to wash hands before a meal or drink.
Disinfecting and maintaining surface cleanliness
Every room in health facility and space between patients should get a thorough scrubbing with cleaners that contain a bleaching agent. This helps to eliminate any bacteria or viruses that may be present on surfaces. 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 dangerous microorganisms that the staff could have carried from infected patients. Regular cleaning and disinfection of these areas can help prevent the spread of HAIs.
Wearing gloves
Some health care professionals lay their guard down by failing to wear gloves when they interact with a patient. Wearing gloves is a simple yet effective way to prevent the transmission of HAIs. 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 the highly contagious illness. This equipment should include gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection. Nurses who visit patients who are likely to transmit infections should wear stuff 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. Having readily available personal protective equipment can help prevent delays in providing care to patients with contagious illnesses.
Quick identification of contagions
All healthcare facilities should make arrangements for early and quick identification of the contagious infections like Clostridium difficile. Rapid identification of contagious infections can help prevent outbreaks and reduce the transmission of HAIs. 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. Soiled linens can harbor bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause HAIs. Cleaning of linens should be daily and when they get visible dirt.
Any cloth that falls on the floor must be sent back to the laundry for washing. This helps prevent the spread of HAIs through contact with contaminated linens.
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. Wearing shoes can help prevent the transmission of HAIs through contact with contaminated floors. Nurses and other people who enter the patient’s room might be carrying pathogens from other regions.
Storing food at proper temperatures
Most of the healthcare facilities provide refrigerators for patients to store snacks in their units. Food stored at improper temperatures can harbor bacteria that can cause HAIs. 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. The policy should outline procedures for identifying and isolating patients with contagious infections. 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 to ensure that healthcare providers stay up-to-date on the latest evidence-based practices.
References.
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