Care workers have a role in reporting infections or disease outbreaks. This is a legal duty that they have to perform. The Health and Safety Executive or the environmental health department of the local authorities must be notified of the following: • Possible poisoning • Contagious diseases such as hepatitis or TB • Acute illness that may be caused by workplace toxins or infected material Care workers are also a part of the admissions of service users. When individuals are referred to a residential home or a hospital, the care workers are provided with knowledge about the individual and their needs so they can prepare equipment, space, materials, special diets and medication for them. There will also be an initial examination taken to identify any skin lesions and problems that may indicate the need for separation from others.
“Make sure appropriate hand hygiene is used. Meticulous infection prevention precautions are required to prevent infections, with particular attention to hand hygiene and standard precautions” (Ackley & Ladwig, 2011, pg. 492). The nurse should also teach the patient what the signs and symptoms of infection are. “Teach the patient and family the symptoms of infection that should be promptly reported to a primary medical caregiver” (Ackley & Ladwig, 2011, pg.
Through these trainings, the employee will learn the proper measures regarding infection control and prevention in spreading infection. Must also be updated on Health care. One of the ways infection is spread is thru dirty or infected hands. So, proper hand washing must be done especially after using the wash room, holding money, and before holding the medicines and the patient. Must maintain proper hygiene.
Clinical Research/Evidence-based Practice Clinical Assignment As clinical rotations began at Summit Alta Bates in Oakland, there were a few aspects of the nursing practice that caught my attention. The main one were the unused non-sterile gloves found in each patient’s room. In nursing school, students are taught to wear gloves to protect from spreading pathogens. Nurses should use gloves to prevent coming in contact with any bodily fluids or mucous membranes since these are potential locations for pathogens or entry of pathogens. Examples are; when discarding urine into the toilet after calculating in/outs, during oral care, or when dealing with open wounds or dressing changes.
We also have information leaflets by the infection control team and prevention team with information for the patient about the catheter and how to care for it Staff must ensure that they have all the equipment before they start the procedure, checking expiry date and any damage to packaging. They must also gain the patients consent before procedure. As a Healthcare assistant I do not take part in catherterisation, but will look after the patient after the procedure and also remove the catheter when instructed When the catheter is in place, staff must fill in a UCAM (urinary catheter assessment monitoring form) which gives all the patient details, whether a bladder scan was performed, the size of the catheter inserted, date and time and the sticker from the catheter pack in case of any problems with the catheter. We also have a patient care plan that is filled with all the
There is without doubt, that these factors have set a foundation to promote a safe hand hygiene practice without guessing when and where to decontaminate. The transmissions of microorganism from one patient to another via (through) the hands, or from patient’s hands that has been decontaminated may result in adverse clinical outcomes. Overviews of epidemiological evidence concluded that hand mediated transmissions is the major contributing factor in the current infection threats to these infection includes staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and multi-resistant Gram –negative organism (MRSA), such as Acinetobacter SPP and Vancomycin- resistant enterococci (VRE). There is also a imminent threat to
For example when assisting a service user to have a bath, shower or to use the toilet you must always wear the PPE (personal protective equipment) provided when removing any soiled clothing you must dispose of it in the correct way using the sluice bags that are provided and the sluice bags should be tided shut thus preventing any infection among other service users clothes. Any PPE used should be disposed of in the room you have used and before leaving that room employees must ensure they wash their hands using the correct hand washing method displayed. Another responsibility employees have is to prepare and maintain environment before and after patient care making sure all PPE is worn if there are any bodily fluids in the room i.e. on the floor sink etc this spiliage should be cleaned up immediately using the appropriate disinfectant cleaning products to prevent any infection spreading such as MRSA, C Diff and the norovirus. Q: 1.2 Explain employers’ respsonsibilitys in relation to the prevention and control of infection.
So what are the causes of these infections and how can the nurse prevent them from occurring? Current Practice The current practice for the licensed practical nurse in incision care is doing what they are told. The doctor or surgeon who performed the procedure chooses whether the care should be sterile or clean technique. Usually they are clean technique. This means they wear clean gloves and use supplies that are already open and usually in a mass container.
NoThing Left Behind is “a national surgical patient safety effort to prevent retained surgical items left in patents” (Harrison Medical Center). This process helps to eliminate the human error when counting and recounting medical sponges by providing three ways to account for surgical objects. The first involves using sponges that can be detected with an x-ray, and the nurses are required to complete a sponge count to verify how many sponges are being used in the procedure. The second option does not require any technology. Instead, nurses use hanging sponge holders, similar to that of over the door shoe holders, as well as a white board to count what kind and how many surgical sponges are removed as the surgery comes to an end.
Hospital-acquired infections are preventable and preventing them is straightforward: a code of cleanliness. Hands should be cleaned frequently with an anti-bacterial soap for at least 30 seconds. Gowns, masks and gloves should be worn frequently so that pathogens aren’t transmitted to the patient during treatment. Moreover, when moving a patient, the patient should wear a mask and should be moved only when necessary (Isolation Precaution Guidelines for Hospitals n.d.). People go to the hospital in order to get better from whatever ailment is troubling them.