Hospital Acquired Infections
A fact that emerges from the events in the video is that healthcare associated infections are a threat to the health and safety of both the staff and patients in the hospital. Familiar Healthcare associated diseases such MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), bloodstream poisoning and surgical site infections are highly contagious diseases that require special treatment and care in prevention.
The cost associated with treatment of such diseases is high because it requires close monitoring of the patient in the intensive care unit. The doctors transferred the patient (Whitney Rose) to the intensive care unit after acute organ failure. This translates to more costs associated with treating the patient that would have been avoided if the nurses had taken the necessary due care. The worst scenarios are the death of the patients who come for treatment over minor complications and end up losing their lives. I also learn that prevention and control of healthcare associated diseases is a responsibility that healthcare workers, hospital staff, and visitors should undertake.
As Kelly, the family caregiver, I would make it a priority to observe healthcare infection preventive measures. Understanding that Complacency and a lapse in observing the safety rules and regulations regarding prevention and control of infections would cause the spread of diseases will help me appreciate and observe them strictly. As a family caregiver, I would make sure that no action I take in taking care of my patient would affect the health and safety of other patients in the hospital. I would observe proper use of gloves and handling of patients with infectious diseases like her dad who had MRSA. I would take the necessary steps to leave the treatment and care of a sick family member to qualified nurses and doctors even if I am a health medical expert. In taking care of a sick family member clouds one’s judgment when it comes to observing the infectious disease safety standards as far as their loved ones are concerned. Kelly’s Father was not supposed to be still in the hospital since he had contracted a communicable infection but he was still there under her care.
As Dena (a registered nurse), I would take a work leave and sort out home related problems and issues so that they do not impact negatively on the quality of my work. Dena was working under pressure due to stress at work and home, which was affecting her performance at work. Upon seeing that Kelly was not observing the proper use of patient handling gloves, I would have brought it to her attention immediately. Even if I felt apathetic, I would have gone ahead and disinfected the front desk table to prevent the spread disease. A far better action would have been to inform Janice or Nathan who were responsible for educating and ensuring implementation of healthcare associated infections preventive measures. One of them should have found a way to bring it to Kelly’s attention more professionally since they were in charge of that particular task.
I am a supporter of a team approach in prevention and control of the hospital acquired infections. As Kelly, I would take an initiative in understanding that prevention of communicable infection was a collective responsibility that I should also undertake as a family caregiver and a visitor in the hospital. Knowing this would have given me no difficulty grasping the fact that a slight mistake in observing safety standards would cause a health risk to other patients in the hospital. I would have taken seriously the teachings given to me by the nurse concerning infections. As Dena, I would make an effort in implementing what my other staff members (Nathan and Janice) have instituted in controlling hospital-acquired infections. I would not let laziness or personal feelings interfere with my duties as a nurse.
Reference
HAIP. (n.d.). Partnering to Heal. Retrieved 18 Aug 2012 from Initiative hai training:http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/hai/training/partneringtoheal.html
