Hand Hygiene Programs and the Reduction of Hospital-Acquired Infections - Essay Example

The fact that patients can suffer from a wide range of infections while receiving treatment in hospitals challenges the essence of healthcare facilities in the country. Recent reports indicate that about 200000 patients fall victim to HAIs, with a large fraction of them succumbing to the infections and passing away. As of today, researchers cannot establish the actual figures of deaths resulting from HAIs, although all indications point to the fact that the numbers have risen high. However, existing literature points to the fact that hand hygiene plays a vital role in preventing HAIs. This project adopts a quasi-experimental research design, which will utilize quantitative research to gather and analyze relevant data. The data will be collected through a pretest-posttest design for further analysis to assess the effectiveness of hand hygiene programs in reducing HAIs.

Keywords: Hand Hygiene, Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs)

I. Section One: Overview of the Evidence-Based Project
Introduction
Hospital Acquired infections (HAIs) present a serious challenge in the provision of healthcare services to patients in hospital settings. Studies indicate that about 80 percent of patients who contract HAIs often succumb to the disease and die while receiving treatment in the hospital (Ivers, et al. 2012). The numbers have since risen up and it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to point to the exact number of patients suffering from HAIs. Nevertheless, existing literature has produced a lot of evidence pointing to the role of hand hygiene practices in reducing the rates of HAIs.

However, compliance rates with hand hygiene practices such as hand washing and gelling remain low, which makes it difficult to prevent HAIs. There is also a gap in available literature concerning the impact of specific hand hygiene programs in reducing the rates of HAIs. This project assesses how reeducation can enhance compliance with hand hygiene in hospital settings thereby reducing the rates of HAIs. Hand hygiene encompasses various technics and practices for cleansing hands before and after treating patients. Several agents such as antiseptic agents, anti-microbial soaps, alcohol-based rubs, plain soaps, and antiseptic agents play a critical role in hand hygiene practices.

The main underlying factor is that compliance with hand hygiene practices reduces the rates of related infections to a greater extent (Ivers, et al. 2012). Read More