Population/Patient Problem
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a significant problem both in the US and in the world (Krein et al., 2012). These infections are not only common, but they also present cost implications and patient safety issue to healthcare facilities. In the United States, about 2.5 million HAIs are recorded each year (Fox et al., 2015). They affect about 5-10% of hospitalized patients resulting in approximately 90,000 death and a total healthcare expenditure of about $4.5 billion annually (Krein et al., 2012; Fox et al., 2015). Fatal HIAs are mostly preventable and are a result of substandard healthcare services.
Intervention
Hand-washing practices and observation of hand hygiene by healthcare workers (HCWs) is effective in lowering the incidence of HIAs (Fox et al., 2015; Stone et al., 2012). There is a need to improve HCW’s compliance to hand hygiene practices through campaigns. A hand hygiene campaign comprises of regular training forums for hospital staff, provision of alcohol hand rubs at the bedside, strategic placing of posters, and periodic audits of HCW’s adherence to clean hands initiatives.
Comparison
Hand hygiene initiatives that include patients and their family members are effective in reducing the rate of HIAs as well as improve nurses’ compliance to hand cleansing practices. A study carried out by Fox et al. (2015) reveals that a Patient Hand Hygiene Protocol in which the patients and their families had their hands washed three times a day resulted in a lower incidence rate of HAIs. Also, the researchers noted an improvement in the nurses’ adherence to hand hygiene guidelines.
Outcomes
Observation of hand hygiene guidelines by HCWs is critical in the fight against nosocomial infections. When HCW workers keep their hands hygienic, they reduce the transmission of infectious organisms from one patient to another (Stone et al., 2012). Consequently, the number of HAIs, HIA-associated deaths, and cost implications due to nosocomial are reduced.
Time
This strategy requires an implementation period of one year in which health workers will be trained, the necessary provisions (posters, alcohol rubs, sinks, soap, and dispensing equipment among others) will be acquired, and monitoring systems for compliance will be established. The hand hygiene will then be adopted as a continuous practice with regular evaluation and surveillance periods aimed at improving adherence.
References
Fox, C., Wavra, T., Drake, D. A., Mulligan, D., Bennett, Y. P., Nelson, C., & Bader, M. K. (2015). Use of a Patient Hand Hygiene Protocol to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections and Improve Nurses’ Hand Washing. American Journal of Critical Care, 24(3), 216-224.
Krein, S. L., Kowalski, C. P., Hofer, T. P., & Saint, S. (2012). Preventing hospital-acquired infections: a national survey of practices reported by US hospitals in 2005 and 2009. Journal of general internal medicine, 27(7), 773-779.
Stone, S. P., Fuller, C., Savage, J., Cookson, B., Hayward, A., Cooper, B., & Roberts, J. (2012). Evaluation of the national Cleanyourhands campaign to reduce Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia and Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals in England and Wales by improved hand hygiene: four year, prospective, ecological, interrupted time series study. BMJ 2012; 344:e3005
