The issue of rising infection is a global one that impacts both industrialized and developing countries. In the United States, for example, about one million healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) annually. The American healthcare system records more than 900,000 deaths per year. Yet, infection prevention methods implemented both in clinical settings and in the community can help to improve the quality of care provided to patients. Although concentrating on infection as a global concern, the following sites outline essential preventative techniques that can promote excellent care delivery. Collins, A. S. (2008). Preventing Health Care-Associated Infections. In R. G. Hughes, Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US).
Collins provides a detailed discussion on preventing associated healthcare infections (HAI). She explains that such contagions develop during treatment increases the mortality and morbidity of the involved patients (Collins, 2008). The healthcare providers such as nurses and clinicians are central to spreading these illnesses hence the need to adopt the best prevention measures. For this purpose, Amy recommends for increased hygiene practices such as hand washing, disinfection, and environmental cleanliness.
The article's author documents valuable information that will be applied to the research subject. She gives a background information on various vehicles of transmission. In this way, she leads the audience on the key control points to adopting the best preventive measures. While she offers an exclusive information on her study, she fails to provide a study that would further validate her recommendations.
Gerberding, J. L. (2001). Health-Care Quality Promotion through Infection Prevention: Beyond 2000. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 7(2), 363-366.
The article identifies the change drives that have occurred in the past few decades and their effects on healthcare. The key ones include the change in demographics, globalization, and technology growth. While these can present pressure to the healthcare fraternity, some have helped increase infection prevention in the modern clinical settings (Gerberding, 2001). For instance, the use of computers has increased the efficiency in infection surveillance that in turn reduce the rate of infection. Still, technology optimizes the use of biomedical data and exchange of information that helps in solving healthcare problems.
The authors try to show the audience the need to embrace the current change drives and maximize their advantages. While doing so, it is crucial to prioritize on infection prevention in healthcare to meet the patients' need and increase the quality of care delivered.
Messina, G., Ceriale, E., Lenzi, D., Burgassi, S., Azzolini, E., & Manzi, P. (2013). Environmental Contaminants in Hospital Settings and Progress in Disinfecting Techniques. BioMed Research International, 1-8.
The research article seeks to explore the environmental contaminants in hospital settings and the progress in disinfecting techniques (Messina, et al., 2013). The researchers witness that, medical devices and other equipment found in hospitals are potential reservoirs for bacteria that can cause infections. The tools were found to harbor molds, Staphylococcus spp, and E. coli among other microorganisms. After cleaning, the devices reduced the bacteria contamination to almost zero.
The study introduces a new preventive measure. It stresses the importance of disinfecting medical devices before and after use. It calls for an increase of hygienic practices for the healthcare providers to protect their health and that of the patients they serve. The most significant strength of the study emerges from how it bases its information on a teaching hospital as the students involved will adopt best practices of infection prevention before they start practicing.
Rawlins, B., Lacoste, M., Ncube, L., & Necochea, E. (2004). A Performance and Quality Improvement Policy to Improve Infection Prevention: Malawi Case Study. JHPIEGO, 1-54.
The Malawi Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) worked to put in place performance and quality improvement (PQI) initiative for infection prevention (IP). The effort focused on improving infection prevention for communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDs among clients, providers, and the community (Rawlins, Lacoste, Ncube, & Necochea, 2004). The article delivers the results of a pilot study conducted on seven participating facilities for the same purpose. The results showed that best IP practices could be implemented by local stakeholders and outside experts. There is need to introduce supportive policy environment at both national and institutional levels.
The study proves vital by showing how the healthcare workers should strive to achieve a high level of IP. Still, it informs that managers and policymakers should adopt a continuous learning that demonstrates a willingness to change. The article is useful not only for scholars but also for the government stakeholders who should play a participatory role in infection prevention.
Reed, D., & Kemmerly, S. A. (2009). Infection Control and Prevention: A Review of Hospital-Acquired Infections and the Economic Implications. The Ochsner Journal, 9(1), 27-31.
The CDC estimates that 2 million people suffer from hospital-acquired infection and close to 100,000 dies per annum (Reed & Kemmerly, 2009). It is saddening to find that most of these medical errors are preventable. The infections in addition to claiming lives add more than $4.5 to yearly healthcare expenses. The government has resolved to direct resources to prevention measures that will reduce the overall healthcare spending. The actions entail the introduction of infection control training programs and the purchase of patient care equipment.
The article shows the link between preventable infections in hospitals and the increased healthcare cost. It shows the need for the healthcare stakeholders to liaise with the government to foster program that increases prevention control. While the immediate implementation of such programs will be costly, the study aims at enhancing long terms positive health outcomes with reduced cost.
Sanon, M.-A., & Watkins, S. (2012). Nurses' uniforms: How many bacteria do they carry after one shift? Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, 4(10), 311-315.
Sanon & Watkins (2012), conducted a pilot study to identify the number of bacteria that the nurses' uniform carry after one shift. The study took place at a local hospital in Washington State. According to the results, the average bacteria growth per square inch was 1246 for the day shift and 5795 for the night shift. The study concluded that there is need to establish policies that curtail the wearing of work uniforms outside the work environment.
The study is vital as it discusses the potential transmission of microorganism on the uniform worn during both shifts in the hospital environments. The nurses later integrate with the public risking its health outcome. The article is useful for the topic as it shows the need to introduce policies that will act as preventive measures for possible infection within and at the outskirts of clinical settings.
Shaffer, V. O., Baptiste, C. D., Liu, Y., Srinivasan, J. K., Galloway, J. R., Sweeney, J. F., & Sharma, J. (2014). Improving Quality of Surgical Care and Outcomes: Factors Impacting Surgical Site Infection after Colorectal Resection. American Journal of Surgery, 80(8), 759-763.
Surgical practices involve the exposure of internal body organs to external microbes that risks the patient to contracting infections. Resultantly, Shaffer et al., (2014), conducted a study to show the need to improve quality of surgical care and outcomes. They aimed to identify the reasons underlying surgical site infections (SSI) that would lead to increased intervention to address the faults. The researchers examined 365 patients who had undergone colon resection in three years in a single institution. According to their findings, 23% of these patients developed SSI. The researchers found several modifiable factors that if controlled, they would reduce the risk of such infections.
The study is essential as it contributes on how to improve care quality by increasing infection prevention. The fact that it identifies the modifiable factors sets a trail for surgeons to adopt the best measures in future operations. However, these factors apply to patients seeking colon resection surgical services solely. It does not address other surgical services raising a research gap for future studies.
Tokars, J. I., Richards, C., Andrus, M., Klevens, M., Curtis, A., Horan, T., . . . Cardo, D. (2004). The Changing Face of Surveillance for Health Care-Associated Infections. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 39(9), 1347-1352.
The article discusses the surveillance of healthcare-associated infections as a critical aspect of their prevention. The surveillance process combined with other alternative procedures improves the outcome of infection prevention (Tokars, et al., 2004). The author points out some of the alternative approaches to include the exploitation of new technologies such as the internet to improve the healthcare surveillance as a prevention tool.
The article reveals essential findings that surveillance increases prevention activities. This is probably because the healthcare providers under supervision adopt the best practices to improve scores. The study, therefore, is a call for action for the healthcare system to improve surveillance actions across the US to reduce infections.
Trilla, A. (2017). Quality of Care Initiatives in Infection Control. The Journal of Family Practice.
The journal seeks to enlighten on the impact of quality care initiatives on infection control. The author asserts that patient safety is a healthcare priority that brings all the healthcare providers to work towards its accomplishment. He establishes a link that connects three factors that play a role in increasing infections in healthcare facilities (Trilla, 2017). The factors include the devices used, human operators, and the environment setting. The key challenges that arise in infection control he mentions to be a high cognitive workload and poor ergonomic design. The author, however, refers to the use of human factor engineering to increase compliance with quality care practices.
The article raises key issues critical to improving quality care. For instance, it recommends possible initiatives that if adopted might help improve the healthcare outcomes. The writer opts for an exclusive involvement of healthcare workers through teamwork and enhanced communication for positive results.
WHO. (2007). Improved Hand Hygiene to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections. World Health Organization, 1(9), 1-4.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.4 million people in the globe suffer from infections acquired in hospitals. The healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are prevalent in both the developed and developing countries (WHO, 2007). The organization conducted a study that evidenced that hand antisepsis reduces the incidence of HAI. It supports hand hygiene as the global primary Infection control action. Creating awareness to patients and their family members serves as the best approach that fosters behavior change.
The text proves important to the topic at hand from how it encourages on a possible infection prevention action. Hand washing if adopted can reduce the spread of communicable diseases in both the hospital and home environment. However, although the document sends the message to the patients, it fails to address the healthcare providers who should be the role models in implementing the behavior change.
Conclusion
The presented sources evidence that infection prevention can be an essential clinical tool for increased quality care. All the authors have conducted detailed studies to validate the information submitted. However, they ascertain that there should be a strengthened collaboration between the healthcare providers, the patients, and the government for the proposed programs to work.
