Nosocomial Infections Essay

1087 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Nursing intervention hand hygiene

Kirstie Hunt
Nosocomial Infections
April 9, 2014
Health care facilities - whether hospitals, nursing homes or outpatient facilities - can be dangerous places for the acquisition of infections (EHA). The most common type of nosocomial infections are surgical wound infections, respiratory infections, genitourinary infections and gastrointestinal infection (EHA). Nosocomial infections are those that originate or occur in health care setting (Abedon). They can also be defined as those that occur within 48 hours of hospital admission, 3 days of discharge or 30 days of an operation (Inweregbu). These infections are often caused by breaches of infection control practices and procedures, unclean and non-sterile environmental surfaces, and ill employees (EHA). Immunocompromised patients, the elderly and young children are usually more susceptible to these types of infections. Nosocomial infections are transmitted through direct contact from the hospital staff, inadequately sterilized instruments, aerosol droplets from other ill patients or even the food and water provided at the hospital (EHA). The symptoms of nosocomial infections vary by type but may include inflammation, discharge, fever, abscesses, and pain and irritation at the infection site (Stubblefield).
The principle sites of nosocomial infections in patients, in order from most common to least common are: urinary tract, surgical wounds, respiratory tract, skin, blood, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system (Abedon). According to the CDC, the most common pathogens that cause nosocomial infections are Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeurginosa, and Escherichia coli (EHA). Methicillin resistant Staphylococcal aureus (MRSA) is a strain of bacteria that is commonly...

... middle of paper ...

...evaporated into the air and remains suspended for a period of time (Georgia Pacific). It also occurs with dust particles that contain infectious agents (Georgia Pacific). Once again, if working in close contact of someone that is infected, cover the eyes, nose and mouth if possible to prevent the transmission of infection. Common-vehicle transmission refers to contaminated items such as food, water, medications, devices, and equipment that would transmit the microorganism (Georgia Pacific). Methods of preventing nosocomial infections and breaking the chain of transmission include: observing aseptic technique, frequent hand washing especially between patients, careful handling and disinfection of fomites, use of disposable items, patient isolation, institutional methods such as air filtration within the hospital, and an active oversight within the hospital (Abedon).

Show More
Related

  • Is Oral Care an Effective Intervention for Reducing the Incidence of Pneumonia in Mechanically Ventilated Patients?

    695 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are preventable and pose a threat to hospitals and patients; increasing the cost, nominally and physically, for both. Pneumonia makes up approximately 15% of all HAI and is the leading cause of nosocomial deaths. Pneumonia is most frequently caused by bacterial microorganisms reaching the lungs by way of aspiration, inhalation or the hematogenous spread of a primary infection. There are two categories of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP); Health-Care Associated Pneumonia (HCAP) and Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

    Read More

  • Ventilator Associated Pneumonia ( Vap )

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, increasing antibiotic resistance patterns among intensive care unit pathogens, cultivated by empiric-broad spectrum antibiotic regimens, characterizes the variable concerns. Recent literature point that antibiotic use before the development of VAP is associated with increased risk for potentially resistant gran-negative infections and Methcillin-resistant Staphylococcus auereus (MRSA)

    Read More

  • The Epidemic of M.R.S.A. in Our Hospitals

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    The way in which this problem was able to occur is that because now we have things like hospitals, or other sorts of locations used to aid the public we have now created the opportunity for many people with different illnesses to all accompany each other. This in turn has created a breading ground for bacteria. Thus the more compact the area, like the ER, the more likely to catch some form of illness. Since M.R.S.A. has become too prevalent in the world the likely-hood of people contracting the disease is much higher. Also since it doesn’t require a host for survival, touching contaminated surfaces can transmit it. There have even been instances where hospital staffs accidently were carrying the disease around the hospital on their uniforms. In a study done by Russel Olmsted, 60% of doctors and 65% of nurses were found caring M.R.S.A. on their uniforms. This leads to the risk that every patient they helped or were near during the time they were contaminated are now at risk for the disease (MNT, 2011).

    Read More

  • Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs)

    1930 Words  | 4 Pages

    Healthcare-associates Infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving healthcare treatment for other conditions and can be devastating or even deadly ("CDC - HAIs the Burden - HAI", 2013). An HAI was defined as a localized or systemic condition that (1) results from an adverse reaction to the pres¬ence of an infectious agent(s) or its toxin(s), (2) that occurs during a hospital admission, (3) for which there is no evidence the infection was present or incubating at admission, and (4) meets body site-specific criteria (Klevens et al., 2007, p.2).

    Read More

  • Blood Borne Pathogens and Disease Transmission

    989 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Preventing Exposures to Bloodborne Pathogens among Paramedics." Workplace Solutions (2010): n. pag. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.

    Read More

  • Case Study Of MRSA

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    "MRSA is normally spread from patient to patient on the hands of nursing and medical staff", (Nazarko, p.380, 2014). Nazarko discussed the importance of using personal protective equipment in conjunction with hand washing and appropriate treatments. By using personal protective equipment and hand washing MRSA transmission declines. Also by following protocols, such as personal protective equipment and hand hygiene, MRSA is on the

    Read More

  • MRSA: A Brief Summary And Analysis

    386 Words  | 1 Pages

    After Bryant Hatch lost his leg to MRSA, which is a contagious and antibiotic- resistant staph bacteria that leads to potentially dangerous infection, his son and son in law discover some useful information. Both his sons were interested in microbiology. Brad Berges was a virologist and Jacob Hatch was a senior molecular biology student at the time in BYU. MRSA is usually picked up in the hospital by already-immunocompromised people like Bryant Hatch, who has struggled with foot problems and surgeries due to his diabetes. MRSA grows together into clusters creating a biofilm that is resistant to penetration by most known antibiotics. MRSA secretes white blood cell killing molecules, neutralizes your antibodies and trigger your immune system

    Read More

  • Essay On Hand Hygiene Compliance

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    This literature review will analyze and critically explore four studies that have been conducted on hand hygiene compliance rates by Healthcare workers (HCWs). Firstly, it will look at compliance rates for HCWs in the intensive care units (ICU) and then explore the different factors that contribute to low hand hygiene compliance. Hospital Acquired infections (HAI) or Nosocomial Infections appear worldwide, affecting both developed and poor countries. HAIs represent a major source of morbidity and mortality, especially for patients in the ICU (Hugonnet, Perneger, & Pittet, 2002). Hand hygiene can be defined as any method that destroys or removes microorganisms on hands (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). According to the World Health Organization (2002), a HAI can be defined as an infection occurring in a patient in a hospital or other health care facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. The hands of HCWs transmit majority of the endemic infections. As

    Read More

  • Chain Of Infection Essay

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    Recent research shows that, there are three major means by which infections can be transmitted and they include direct transmission, indirect transmission and airborne transmission (Hinman,Wasserheit and Kamb,1995). Direct transmission occurs when the physical contact between an infected person and s susceptible person takes place (division of public health, 2011). An example is a health care worker who attends to an Ebola patient, without gloves, gown and mask plus forget to wash his or her hand with soap and hot water and or a person having flu without the use of mask or washes his hand after sneezing easily passes the infection to the other through hand shake or surface touch, living the bacteria there for another vulnerable person to also touch if the surface is not disinfected with bleach. Studies makes it clear that, the spreads takes effect when disease-causing microorganisms pass from the infected person to the healthy person through direct physical contact such as touching of blood, body fluids, contact with oral secretion, bites kissing, contact with body lesions and even sexual contact. However, measles and chicken pox are said to be conditions spread by direct

    Read More

  • Unknown Bacteria Essay

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    Staphylococcus aureus is the most known bacteria since the 1800s. It is derived from the commonly known genus staphylococci, which has over 20 different known species. Staphylococcus aureus species is the most dangerous of all the strains of staphylococcal bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of staph infections and is the third most common cause of infections in the newborn nursery and surgical wards. [1] It is a primary cause of skin and soft tissue infections such as boils, furuncles, and cellulitis. The prominence of staphylococcus aureus as a serious health concern in hospitals, communities and jails has prompted extensive studies of the bacteria.

    Read More

  • Health Associated Infections

    1616 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nursing diagnosis Hospital acquired infections are spread by numerous routes including contact, intravenous routes, air, water, oral routes, and through surgery. The most common types of infections in hospitals include urinary tract infections (32%), surgical site infections (22%), pneumonia (15%), and bloodstream infections (14%). a. (book). The most common microorganisms associated with the types of infections are Esherichila coli, Enterococcus species, Staphylococcus auerus, Coagulase-negative staphylococci, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Urinary tract infections occur when one or more microorganisms enter the urinary system and affect the bladder and/or the kidneys.

    Read More

  • Essay On Sepsis

    1506 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sepsis is defined as a systemic inflammatory response caused by an infective process such as viral, bacterial or fungal (Holling, 2011). Assessment on a patient and starting treatment for sepsis is based on identifying several factors including the infective source, antibiotic administration and fluid replacement (Bailey, 2013). Because time is critical any delay in identifying patients with sepsis will have a negatively affect the patients’ outcome. Many studies have concluded every hour in delay of treatment mortality is increased by 7% (Bailey, 2013). Within this assignment I will briefly discuss the previous practice and the recent practice including the study based on sepsis. I will show what enabled practice to change and I will use the two comparisons of current practice and best practice.

    Read More

  • Patient Safety

    1173 Words  | 3 Pages

    Patient safety must be the first priority in the health care system, and it is widely accepta-ble that unnecessary harm to a patient must be controlled.Two million babies and mother die due to preventable medical errors annually worldwide due to pregnancy related complications and there is worldwide increase in nosocomial infections, which is almost equal to 5-10% of total admissions occurring in the hospitals. (WHO Patient Safety Research, 2009). Total 1.4 million patients are victims of hospital-acquired infection. (WHO Patient Safety Research, 2009). Unsafe infection practice leads to 1.3 million death word wide and loss of 26 millions of life while ad-verse drug events are increasing in health care and 10% of total admitted patients are facing ad-verse drug events. (WHO Patient Safety Re...

    Read More

  • Essay On Medical Asepsis

    967 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thus, for the purpose of this paper, I will be describing a scenario that I witnessed where a Registered Care Aide (RCA) provided care in an inappropriate manner by means of hand hygiene and highlight the importance of infection control as a way to minimize nosocomial infections and contamination of the surrounding

    Read More

  • Essay On Infection Control

    1123 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...s and hoses, control buttons, switches, hand pieces, and X-ray units (Collins). After every patient’s visit, the operatory is to be sterilized and disinfected. All areas that were that were not covered with a barrier, or if the barrier was compromised, must be wiped down with surface disinfectants similarly used in hospitals. OSHA requires disinfectants to be potent enough to fight against HIV and HBV infections (Collins). If there is any blood present on a surface, tuberculocidal type disinfectant should be utilized.

    Read More

More about Nosocomial Infections Essay

Open Document