Topic 6 DQ 2
Hospital-acquired infections, also known as healthcare-associated infections (HAI or HCAI), are common in most hospitals these days. These infections are typically not present or might be incubating at the time of admission and visible after being admitted to the unit. The main reasons for infections in the hospital units are either due to contamination of equipment and other materials or cross-contamination within the hospital (Mohanad Abdullah, 2021). Both of these reasons can be eliminated and controlled through proper health education.
The facility where the writer working is a psychiatric facility and the providers are more focused on mental health management. Moreover, the patients are mentally disabled either due to major depression or have disorganized thoughts related to various forms of schizophrenia. These mental health challenges prevent the patients to maintain adequate personal hygiene and some infections are common in these hospital units. Besides that, the writer observed some employees also focused on managing behavioral issues and were poor in practicing standard precautions to prevent and control infections in the units.
The suggestion the writer proposed was to provide adequate health education to both patients and employees about the importance of handwashing and maintaining cleanliness in the unit. The writer collaborated with the unit manager, physicians, group therapy staff, infection control nurse, educational department, and quality management department to provide proper education for both patients and unit staff. In addition to that, the writer already provided some education to the patients about hand hygiene, general cleanliness and encouraged the staff to maintain cleanliness in the unit due to the presence of COVID-positive patients. Now the writer observed that most of the mentally stabilized patients are washing their hands before and after meals, after touching unclean surfaces and after using the toilet however more education is needed and involve all patients in the unit to prevent and control infections. In the same way, employees are trying to provide a clean environment for the patients even though there is a staff shortage. According to the CDC, a good infection prevention plan with continuing infection control education can help reduce patient deaths from healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by more than 70 percent (Infection Control Results, 2022).
Now that you have completed a series of assignments that have led you into the active project planning and development stage for your project, briefly describe your proposed solution to address the problem, issue, suggestion, initiative, or educational need and how it has changed since you first envisioned it. What led to your current perspective and direction?
Using 200-300 words APA format with at least two references. Sources must be published within the last 5 years. There should be a mix between research and your reflections. Add critical thinking in the posts along with research. Apply the material in a substantial way
