Increased Rate of Infections in the Acute Care Setting

Increased Rate of Infections in the Acute Care Setting Rey Albert Tablazon Kim Harper Healthcare associated infections develop in a patient as a result of their exposure to healthcare facilities or procedures. They include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), C. difficile and other infections caused by bacteria and viruses encountered in healthcare facilities (CUPE, 2009). Hospital acquired infection can result in prolonged or permanent disability and some hospital acquired infections prove fatal (Taylor, Plowman, Roberts, n.d.).The rates of these hospital acquired infections in the acute care setting have increased especially in Alberta. For example, in 2007, a preliminary surveillance report on MRSA in patients from 47 Canadian acute-care sentinel hospitals found that the MRSA rate was 8.62 per 1000 admissions (AHW, 2011). Also, since reporting began in 1999, a cumulative total of 1,241 VRE infected cases were reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada (Agency) through December 31, 2011 (PHAC, 2013). With the incidences of these super-infections occurring in the acute care setting, the health of the individuals being admitted in the hospital is further placed at risk. The individuals at risk include mostly children and the elderly. According to the population projections of the Alberta Treasury Board and Finance (2013), the number of Albertans aged 80 years and older would more than triple from the current level of about 115,000 in 2012 to over 383,700 by 2041 (p. 3). This means that more and more elderly individuals will be at high risk for infections such as MRSA which according to the report by AHC (2011), have infection rates highest in the elderly (70 years and older). Acquiring infections in the acute care setting can have a great impact on the affected person’s life. This might mean he can no longer go to work while being treated in the hospital which would mean financial losses which not only affect the individual, but also his family. Furthermore, treating super infec tions in a hospital care setting can significantly impact the country’s economy. A survey of Canadian hospitals (reported in 2000) estimated the direct costs of hospital acquired infections in Canada to be approximately $1 billion annually. In 2007, MRSA alone was estimated to be costing Canada’s healthcare system $200-250 million per year (CUPE, 2009). Identifying Solutions to Prevent Super-infections Super-infections can be costly to treat and most often than not, prove fatal for the individuals afflicted with such. However, over the years, methods have been developed to further prevent individuals admitted to in an acute care setting from contracting such infections. Such methods involve adding more healthcare cleaning and infection control staff with proper training. Knowing how to deal with a situation where infection occurs can greatly reduce the risk of certain infections from spreading further among individuals in an acute care setting. Hospitals in Canada and Europe have demonstrated that investment in more cleaning and infection control staff, training and workforce stability has brought infection rates down (CUPE, 2009). Most infections acquired in the acute care setting can be transferred through direct contact. It can either be direct contact with an infected individual or an object that has come into contact with an infected individual. Transfer of infectious bacteria can be prevented through proper hand washing. Hospitals nowadays tend to have hand sanitizers placed strategically over the entire hospital. While antimicrobial soap and water are still recommended for hands that are visibly soiled or have been exposed to bodily fluids, alcohol-based gels or rubs are now preferred for routine decontamination of hands after most patient contact. These products rapidly kill bacteria and most viruses, and actually are gentler on the hands than repeated use of soap and water (IHI, 2012). The nurse’s role is to educate, not only the individuals being admitted into an acute care setting, but also the visitors coming in and out of the hospital to wash their hands properly. Nursing Care Plans There are three nursing care plans that were drafted from this scenario which may apply to potential high risk individuals involved. First nursing diagnosis is an actual problem, fear/anxiety (see Appendix A for a breakdown of the care plan). Second nursing diagnosis is a potential problem, risk for infection (see Appendix B for a breakdown of the care plan). The last nursing diagnosis is an educational need, knowledge deficit (see Appendix C for a breakdown of the care plan). Conclusion Preventing the spread of super-infections involves team effort. Not only is this limited to the health care workers, but also extends to families and visitors in an acute care setting. The addition of more staff that are trained and knowledgeable in dealing with infection prevention certainly helps keep such infections at bay. Most of these infections are acquired through direct contact; therefore, proper hand washing should be performed before and after coming into contact with an individual or any object that is present in the hospital. Not only will it reduce the risk of contracting a super-infection towards oneself, it will also prevent the spread towards other individuals. References Albert Health and Wellness, (2011). Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) – 2010 AHW Report. Retrieved from http://www.health.alberta.ca/documents/MRSA- Alberta-Report-2006-2010.pdf Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, (2013). Alberta population projection. Retrieved from http://www.finance.alberta.ca/aboutalberta/population-projections/2013-2041-alberta- population-projections.pdf Canadian Union of Public Employees, (2009). Health care associated infections: a backgrounder. Retrieved from http://cupe.ca/health-care/health-care-associated- infections Doenges, M.E., Moorhouse, M.F., Murr, A.C., (2006). Nursing care plans. Guidelines for individualizing client care across the life span 7th ed. USA. F.A. Davis Company Elsevier, (n.d.). Infection, risk for universal precautions; standard precautions; CDC guidelines; OSHA. Retrieved from http://www1.us.elsevierhealth.com/MERLIN/Gulanick/archive/ Constructor/gulanick33.html Institute for Healthcare Improvement, (2014). Reducing MRSA Infections: Staying One Step Ahead. Retrieved from http://www.ihi.org/knowledge/Pages/ImprovementStories/ ReducingMRSAInfectionsStayingOneStepAhead.aspx Nanda Nursing Interventions, (2012). Nursing diagnosis knowledge deficit – gestational diabetes mellitus. Retrieved from http://nanda-nursinginterventions.blogspot.ca/2012/08/nursing- diagnosis-knowledge-deficit.html Nursing Care Plan, (n.d.). Nursing care plan. Retrieved from http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_ perrin_criticalcare_1/98/25168/6443016.cw/content/index.html Nursing Care Plan, (2012). Nursing care plan for deficient knowledge. Retrieved from http://nanda-nursing-care-plan.blogspot.ca/2012/02/nursing-care-plan-for-deficient.html Public Health Agency of Canada, (2013). Vancomycin-resistant enterococci infections in Canadian acute-care hospitals: Surveillance Report January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2011. Retrieved from http://www.ammi.ca/media/55895/cnisp_vre_surveillance_report_ 1999_to_2011-en.pdf Taylor, K., Plowman, R., Roberts, J.A., (n.d.) The challenge of hospital acquired infection. USA. Stationery Office Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C

Cartoon Interp

Cartoon Interpretation. A. 1. The person in the cartoon is, Woodrow Wilson (president of America. ) 2. The name of the bubble is, League of Nations. 3. The bubble shows that Woodrow Wilson was an idealistic person, but like most bubble, it will probably burst. 4. The cartoon is critical. This is because he is an idealistic person, and he wants to have peace amongst the nations, but in reality the bubble will burst and this will not be the case. B. 1. The country represented by the horse is Germany. 2. The countries represented by Briand and Lloyd-George are Britain and France. . The part of the Treaty of Versailles the cartoon is commenting on is the settlement. The large load represents the settlement the country had decided for Germany. The horse being lifted up represents Germanys inability to move as there are too many re-payments on there shoulders. 4. The comment the cartoon is making about the aspect of the treaty is that Germany should be carrying less of a burden in order fo r them to pay back the settlement. The man with the whip is France. France wanted Germany to pay back for all the French land and lives destroyed.The man with the shovel is British He doesn’t want the Germans to be treated as harsh as the French wanted. C. 1. The ‘Tiger’ is Clemenceay of France. 2. The two other figures in the cartoon are, Woodrow Wilson and Lloyd George. 3. The child has just seen the peace treaty. 4. The child represents Germany. 5. The title of the cartoon was ‘Peace and Future Cannon Fodder. ’ It became one of the most prophetic cartoons because it was given this name and was believed that all the Treaty of Versailles did was set up the future generations of the world to be nothing more than â€Å"Cannon Fodder† (solders treated as expendable in battle. It also tells us that there is peace now but will be war in the future. The person who drew the cartoon does not agree with the terms set on the Treaty of Versailles as he predicts that the present peace will stir up anger in the Germans and eventually lead to war. D. One of the weaknesses between these two cartoons could be that they are very similar in opinion that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles are much too harsh on the Germans.

Violence, Odon Von Horvath And Youth Without God And...

Today’s world is chockfull of power and violence. New allegations of sexual harassment surface every day in America. Almost every other week, terrorist attacks and mass shootings cause people to fear for their lives. Meanwhile, the President of the United States is threatening to start a nuclear war with North Korea, while millions of refugees in the Middle East are living in deplorable conditions because of the power vacuum that was created after the Iraq War. With irresponsible people in power and leaders and rebels turning to violence, what lies in store for our global society? Violence and power obviously play roles in social change, but how do scholar citizens reconcile this bitter truth? Using Hannah Arendt’s â€Å"On Violence,† Odon Von†¦show more content†¦The dynamic relationships and unique experiences he created mirror a world like the one in which he lived. The state within the novel was taking control of the minds of the youth, using propaga nda and a narrow world view to shape their young, impressionable morality. Both Nazi Germany and the state in Youth Without God were training children to be warriors. They saw decency and goodness as weaknesses to be rooted out, but where did this lead them? We are all familiar with the end of World War II and the fate of Adolf Hitler. However, Horvath had no idea the Third Reich was doomed. He wrote this novel because he it was clear to him that the complete power held by the state would lead to corruption and violence. Ironically, Horvath died in 1939 before he could behold the devastation by the Nazi regime that his novel had predicted. Instead, he left behind a brilliant piece of work which we can use to analyze the role power and violence can have on a state and its children. The concepts of power and violence are shown in Youth Without God through the experiences of a teacher grappling with the immoral mindset of his pupils and his opinion of God as a terrible being. The power , in this novel, is held by the state. They control the education of young children by using propaganda and â€Å"summer training programs† to prepare them to be soldiers. The headmaster of the school declares that â€Å"we are supposed to keep youth at a distance from everything which

Airport Security Ethics International Security - 1622 Words

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As Joe Davidson (2012), of The Washington Post, stated, â€Å"At Newark Liberty International Airport, 44 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees face disciplinary action on charges related to screening misconduct.† He later updated and affirmed that eight of those agents were relieved of their duty. Deeper in the post, Davidson (2012), mentioned three more airports with a total of 114 agents under investigation. However, it is not only the stories about the attractive person pat-downs. The full-body pat-downs of children have become an issue that many people are disgusted by and are calling for a stop. â€Å"[A video on YouTube], uploadedShow MoreRelatedTransportation Service Administration and Aviation1387 Words   |  6 Pagesfounded standard of right and wrong is the basis to ethics. If we speak of what people ought to do that benefits their society, we are addressing how they conduct themselves to better their community or nation. 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