The role of the infection control nurse has expanded and assumed the weight of other specialties in the process. Some nursing theorists and analysts believe infection control is slowly phasing out of the nursing domain. Many nurses, facilities, and corporations have not erased the idea and role of the infection control nurse due to the critical need of their expertise and regulation of workplace adherence to policy and procedure. While many believe that an infection control nurse is not essential to today’s nursing, their role in today’s nursing cannot be expunged.
Often called as Nurse Infection Preventionist or Infection Control Specialist, a facility may assign an Infection Control Nurse to act as the coordinator or leader of an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Program. In
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where nurses work to treat infections in people from different settings. While evaluating and treating patients with infectious diseases, many infection control nurses work on special projects and studies that have a direct impact on the comprehensive care that a facility provides. In response to their findings, the work an infection control nurse compiles and concludes with help their facility be in compliance and up to date with the changing strains of infections. The role of an infection control nurse is to contain an infection and to aide in eradication the infection to prevent an outbreak. The infection control nurse has to identify the pathogen that has caused the infection, identify the current stage of replication, identify the correct treatment, and reevaluate the response to treatment (Smeltzer, 2007). The skills, knowledge and expertise in this field require multifaceted and progressive nurses who love this specialty. The relationship between knowledge and power helps to employ and implement strategies to reduce infection control and improve patient safety (WHO,
Nurses have a considerable amount of responsibility in any facility. They are responsible for administering medicines and treatments to there patient’s. While caring for there patients, nurses will make observations on patient’s health and then record there findings. As well as consulting with doctors and other healthcare professionals to plan proper individual patient care. They teach their patients how to manage their illnesses and explain to both the patient and the patients family how to continue treatment when returning home (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-15). They also record p...
The nursing profession is a profession where people put their trust in you to provide care that is not only effective, ethical, and moral, but safe. Not all health situations are simple or by the book. Not all hospitals have the same nurse-patient ratios, equipment, supplies, or support available, but all nurses have “the professional obligation to raise concerns regarding any patient assignment that puts patients or themselves at risk for harm” (ANA, 2009). When arriving at work for a shift, nurses must ensure that the assignment is safe for not only the patients, but also for themselves. There are times when this is not the situation. In these cases, the nurse has the right to invoke Safe Harbor, because according the ANA, nurses also “have the professional right to accept, reject or object in writing to any patient assignment that puts patient or themselves at serious risk for harm” (ANA, 2009).
Following the QSEN model, this problem is a concern that falls under the safety category. The Institute of Medicine defines safety as, “minimizes risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance” (IOM, 2003). A nurse manager must address this problem because without nurses who are able to work, patients cannot be taken care of in a safe and effective way. As a nurse manager, it would be ...
Because of this issue the CDC has instituted a campaign entitles, "Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance." The campaign focuses on four integrated strategies: preventing infection, diagnosing and treating infection effectively, using antimicrobials wisely, and preventing transmission.() This campaign consists of 12 steps that teach nurses as well as other healthcare providers about antimicrobial resistance and presents plans to advance nursing practice, as well as antimicrobial use.
A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that “annually approximately 1.7 million hospitalized patients acquire infections while being treated for other medical conditions, and more than 98,000 of these patients will die as a result of their acquired infection” (Cimiotti et al., 2012, p. 486). It was suggested that nursing burnout has been linked to suboptimal patient care and patient dissatisfaction. Also, the study shows that if the percentage of nurses with high burnout could be reduced to 10% from an average of 30%, approximately five thousand infections would be prevented (Cimiotti et al., 2012). In summary, increasing nursing staffing and reduction burnout in RNs is a promising strategy to help control urinary and surgical infections in acute care facilities (Cimiotti et al.,
The role of nurses in the prevention of MRSA in the hospitals cannot be overemphasized. The prevalence of MRSA in hospitals calls for awareness and sensitization of all party involved in patient caregiving in the hospital. According to Wilkinson and Treas (2011), nurses take on many roles in the hospital: a caregiver, advocate, communicator, leader, manager counsellor, change agent and an educator. (Wilkinson &Treas. (2011) p.13.) The target of healthy people 2020 is to reduce MRSA and all other hospital acquired infection by 75% in the year 2020. (Healthy people 2020) This cannot be achieved without the maximum support of nurses because nurses have regular one on one contact with patients on daily basis.This paper will take a closer look at the role of a nurse as an educator in the prevention of MRSA in the hospital. One of the nurse’s roles in the prevention of MRSA in hospitals is patient/visitor/staff education.
Advocacy in action paper is to examine various issues in nursing staffing in the hospital and the impact of this issue on the patient’s care and patient satisfaction. Every nurse role and mission is to take care of a patient and advocate for a safe and healthy work environment. It is very important for all nurses to work together, successfully advocate for nurses and the profession to achieve a safer work environment. My role in this paper is to advocate for improvement, practicing safe in the hospital to improve patient satisfaction and reduction in nurse burnout.
The objectives of these health goals is to promote health awareness and to build health communities throughout the country and around the world. For example, the objectives for Healthy People 2020 are to attain high quality life, achieve long lives, free of preventable disease, disability, injury and prevention of premature death (Health People, 2020). It is fair to say that, for these goals to be achieved, it will take the effort of health care workers namely medical doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses. According to Zaccagnini and White (2014), "Nursing leadership is essential in implementing, and evaluating clinical preventions and interventions". DNP graduates in corporation with local and national organizations have disease outbreak surveillances in place. The National Nosocomial Infecting Surveillance System (NNIS) is one such program. This program was created by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 1970. According to, Culver, Horan, Jarvis, White, Olson, Banenjee, Edwards, Martone, Gaynes & Hughes, (1991) the CDC uses the data to monitor trends in infections and risk factors. This data is also used to estimate the magnitude of the nosocomial infection problem nationally. The DNP graduates are at the forefront of the health care delivery system. They use their skills and expertise to educate patients on health promotion and
Safe nurse-patient ratio is a complex issue debated on for many years. Due to inadequate staffing registered Nurses are faced with high patient ratios, and nurse burn out everyday. According to the American Nurses Association, “Massive Reductions in nursing budgets combined with, the challenges presented by a growing nursing shortage have resulted in fewer nurses working longer hours for sicker patients. This situation compromises care and contributes to the nursing shortage by creating an environment that drives nurses from the bedside”. (2012) Through the nursing process, the essential role of the Registered Nurse is to assess, diagnose, and plan based on outcomes, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of nursing care. However, it is not realistic to thoroughly implement these core guidelines in a safe and effective way, when you are
A registered nurse is a critical piece of the support system for injured and sick patients. Nurses are greatly valued in the health care system because they have many and varied responsibilities within hospitals and clinics, including: patient care, administration of medications; communication with other health care providers, patients and patients’ families; and education of patients, family members, and new nurses in training (Isaac, 2014).
Safety is focused on reducing the chance of harm to staff and patients. The 2016 National Patient Safety Goals for Hospitals includes criteria such as using two forms of identification when caring for a patient to ensure the right patient is being treated, proper hand washing techniques to prevent nosocomial infections and reporting critical information promptly (Joint Commission, 2015). It is important that nurses follow standards and protocols intending to patients to decrease adverse
(2014) shed light on two key components for infection control, which includes protecting patients from acquiring infections and protecting health care workers from becoming infected (Curchoe et al., 2014). The techniques that are used to protect patients also provide protection for nurses and other health care workers alike. In order to prevent the spread of infections, it is important for health care workers to be meticulous and attentive when providing care to already vulnerable patients (Curchoe et al., 2014). If a health care worker is aware they may contaminate the surroundings of a patient, they must properly clean, disinfect, and sterilize any contaminated objects in order to reduce or eliminate microorganisms (Curchoe et al., 2014). It is also ideal to change gloves after contact with contaminated secretions and before leaving a patient’s room (Curchoe, 2014). Research suggests that due to standard precaution, gloves must be worn as a single-use item for each invasive procedure, contact with sterile sites, and non-intact skin or mucous membranes (Curchoe et al., 2014). Hence, it is critical that health care workers change gloves during any activity that has been assessed as carrying a risk of exposure to body substances, secretions, excretions, and blood (Curchoe et al.,
Many people die a year from infection. Infection is one of the leading causes of death. There are many different precautions to prevent infection that are well known. However, anyone is susceptible to infection, healthy or not. I am healthy person physically and mentally. However, a healthy person can still be susceptible to infection. I was infected by the bacteria Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli. While infected by a pathogen my body went through all of the periods of illness because the bacteria had made it through four out of five components that made it lethal. It led to a major kidney infection.
Prevention of hospital-acquired infections: review of non-pharmacological interventions. Journal of Hospital Infection, 69(3), 204-219. Revised 01/20 Haugen, N., Galura, S., & Ulrich, S. P. (2011). Ulrich & Canale's nursing care planning guides: Prioritization, delegation, and critical thinking. Maryland Heights, Mo. : Saunders/Elsevier.
The IC Model will be designed to prepare nurse faculty to teach clinical staff the fundamental principles of IPC focusing on the chain of infection (COI), transmission routes, standard precautions, transmission-based precautions, donning/doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE), and post-exposure management (PEM) procedures. The purpose of the IC Model is to provide faculty a comprehensive overview of IPC strategies based upon scientific evidence, which can be incorporate...