Hospital Acquired Infection: A Case Study

Adverse effects have a significant impact on the patient’s recovery while being in hospital, especially hospital acquired infection. The aim of this essay is to critically evaluate adverse events within a hospital as well as examining nursing strategies to prevent hospital acquired infection. It will be discussed what an adverse event is, and the prevalence of hospital acquired infections within Australian hospitals. Identifying the effects on the patient, family members and the healthcare system as well as evaluating nursing strategies to prevent infections. A discussion on potential barriers in achieving decreased rates of hospital acquired infection and how nurses may overcome barriers for patient safety. An adverse event is defined by …show more content…
Hospital Acquired infections not only have a significant effect on the patient, however, also effects the patient’s family and the Australian healthcare system. It has been found in research hat the prevalence of hospital acquired infections is significantly higher than desired within the Australian Hospitals. In 2012, it was found that around 165,000 people had contracted infections whilst in hospital, these infections included, urinary tract, clostridium difficile, infections at surgical sites, respiratory and staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (Ramalho Cataeo, De Freitas e Silva, Pereira Feitosa, Couto Pimentel, & Dos Sanos Pereira, 2013). These infections can have a severe effect on a patient recovery whilst in hospital which will then result in requiring a prolonged stay and further treatment. Hospital Acquired infection not only have a significant impact on the patient but it also effects family members and the healthcare system. Firstly, the major impact is to the patient. By contracting an infection, it is delaying recovery, however, it may also cause more permanent damage. For example, it has been noted that a hospital acquired infections such as pneumonia, lung scaring occurs which causes diminished air entry into the …show more content…
Therefore, to reduce the risk, certain procedures are to be performed under an aseptic technique (Clare, & Rowley, 2018). Aseptic technique is aimed to prevent pathogenic organisms, entering the body causing infection from hands, surfaces and or equipment (Gould et al., 2018). An aseptic technique has very strict rules to reduce the risk of infections. There are three types of aseptic techniques which include, sterile technique, surgical aseptic and standard aseptic technique (The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2018). A sterile technique is used to achieve total absence of microorganisms, this is only achieved in settings such as operating theatres (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2018). A standard aseptic technique incorporates a general aseptic field, hand hygiene, non-touch technique and non-sterile gloves to attain a level of asepsis. This technique is used for simple and short procedures (The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2018). A surgical technique is used for complex procedures, extended periods of time and large, open or multiple key sites, which incorporates full barrier precautions, critical micro aseptic fields, hand hygiene and a non-touch technique where possible (The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2018). General aseptic field means an area that promotes asepsis and ensures that key sites can be easily protected for microorganisms