Hand Washing in Eliminating Healthcare-Associated Infections - Assignment Example

Hand Washing Name Institution Hand washing Undergraduate Learning profile I am Beso, an international student in Australia. Through the undergraduate learning profile, I have been able to learn more and understand my strengths and weaknesses in learning. From the different examinations that I have undertaken, I have benefitted highly from them, since the feedback that I receive is always helpful. I hold a diploma certificate in nursing, and I have attained one-year experience in surgery theatre, when working as a scrub nurse assisting the surgeon with the instruments during surgery. During this period, I learned a lot from the surgeons whom I assisted since I could watch the whole surgery process, and the surgeons were always kind enough to answer any questions that I asked. Nursing is an interesting work that involves helping and assisting patients in need of care, and that I why I chose to study nursing. I like and enjoy talking and caring for the patients since I get happiness and satisfaction. My strength is that I learn through reading and stereotactic style. My weakness is that I do not study a lot, and I go for lectures without any idea about the subject. In order to excel in my course, I have employed various measures to ensure that I meet my ultimate goal of becoming a qualified nurse. I set aside a few hours every day to revise on what we studied, to gain a deeper understanding on the course. I have formulated various strategies of study this semester; I will be studying ahead of the lecture so that I can be able to understand everything, and revising the lecture later. I will make a timetable that will guide me and help me study my subjects well in this semester. I will engage in a lot of research in the library, the learning center and the internet, in order to learn more about my subjects, and to earn evidence based learning. Regards, Beso Student’s interview I interviewed an Australian student, Aied, who is doing his Master degree. He graduated 2 years ago. During the interview, I learnt that he passed his course with high grades, because of the strategies that he had put into place to aid him in learning. The main strategy he applied was to make a study timetable, and include all the subjects. The advantage of making a timetable is that it helps a person cover all the subjects and give them equal and enough time. During the interview, I also leant that reading and studying ahead of the lecture plays a major role in passing and attaining good grades. This is because a person gets a deeper understanding of the subject than when one waits for the lecturer to teach. Another strategy for passing as I leant from the interview is to revise what is taught always, and submitting assignments on time. Having a diary is important, to mark the dates for assignments, tests and examinations. I believe that putting the advice given will eventually help me pass my course. Studying CMS1008 is very useful in my future career as a nurse; since it is helpful in gaining an insight in nursing, and it helped me in attaining the requirements of the course. The interview benefited me a lot, as it supports me in organizing my study, and honed my ability to communicate with other people. This communication skill will help me to communicate properly with my patients and those people under my care, since they require handling with care and affection. Enjoying the course and being positive are the ultimate points in passing this course, as I learnt during the interview. Making a timetable without interest and a positive attitude is futile and a waste of time because a person will be looking for excuses to avoid studying and revising. Discipline is also vital in passing because; a person has to have discipline in order to follow the strategies put in place like studying ahead of the lecture, and following the set timetable. Thesis statement Hand washing using water and soap solution, and applying waterless hand rub helps in eliminating healthcare associated infections. Supporting main points Hand hygiene helps in reducing microorganisms on hands. Hand washing helps in better treatment of patients because there are no risks of contracting HAI. Hand wash is cheap as compared to treating healthcare associated infections. Paragraph Many diseases and infections are as a result of microorganisms on hands. The microorganisms lead to diseases which are transmitted to other patients and health workers. The diseases make it hand to treat the diseases that had led to the patients being admitted (Mathai, et al, 2010). It is said that the hands of healthcare providers are the tools that spread diseases in the fastest ways. The reason behind this is that healthcare providers move from caring from one patient to the other. Therefore, it is important to wash hands so as to kill microorganisms that cause infections (Al-Tawfiq & Pittet, 2013). Microorganisms are highly reduced by help of using water and soap solution to wash hands, and applying waterless hand rubs (Mathai, et al, 2010). The hand washing equipment is cheap as compared to treatment and medicine used to treat the infections contracted as a result of failing to wash hands (Mathai, et al, 2010). Hand wash eliminates all the risks of passing microorganisms to the patients. It is easy to provide washing equipment around the hospitals because it will protect both the patients and the healthcare providers (Mathai, et al, 2010). Hand hygiene through hand washing is the greatest intervention in preventing spread and contraction of HAI (Al-Tawfiq, & Pittet, 2013). There advantages of producing an effective hand hygiene and hand washing campaign so as to ensure that people embrace use of hand washing so as to reduce diseases(Mathai, et al, 2010). It is highly recommended that people use alcohol based products that are cost effective (Mathai, et al, 2010). The costs of providing healthcare to the HAI patients is very expensive as compared the cost people and health institutions would incur when they invest in providing hand wash equipment (Lau, et al, 2014). References Al-Tawfiq, J.A & Pittet, D. (2013). Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance in Healthcare Settings Using Behavior Change Theories: Reflections, Teaching and Learning in Medicine: An International Journal, 25:4, 374-382, Retrieved from: 10.1080/10401334.2013.827575 Lau, et al, (2014). Moment-specific compliance with hand hygiene. The Clinical Teacher. John Wiley & Sons. 11: 159-164. Mathai, et al, (2010). Prevention and control of health care-associated infections. Indian Journal of Microbiology, 28(2). Retrieved From: www.ijmm.org Article Summary The aim of the article, ‘Prevention and control of the effects of Health care Associated Infection (HAI),’ (Mathai, et al, 2010), is to explain and explore the hand hygiene in Australian Hospitals. The article explores the advantages of hand washing in hospitals, and how these practices, reduce the infections associated with health care. The article explains the act of hand cleansing as the act of washing hands by using an antimicrobial or non- antimicrobial soap, or soap solution and water. The article also explains hand cleansing as rubbing hands using an antimicrobial waterless hand rub like alcohol based hand rub. Hand hygiene reduces the presence of microorganisms on hands, when it is performed properly. Healthcare associated infection is an infection that was absent at the time of patient’s admission, but was acquired during the time of healthcare delivery. The article explains the association between healthcare associated infection and hand hygiene as the hands. The hands transfer pathogens from one person, be it a patient or a caregiver, to another and their surroundings when they come into contact. Hand hygiene is explored and a relationship between improved hand hygiene and a reduction in infection rate shown. There evidence documentation in the article from the researches done that there is a reduction in the rates of cross transmission and infection rates in hospitals when there is hand cleaning (Mathai, et al, 2010). Introduction of a hand rub that is alcohol based is the key factor leading to the reduction of healthcare associated infections and improved hygiene. The article advocates for adoption and promotion of hand hygiene in all facilities of health care, as it is the most important practice and intervention measure that prevent healthcare associated infections. Article structure The article appears as a portable document file, found on the website of the Indian Journal of Microbiology. The article contains an abstract explaining the information that is in the whole article. The publishing date of the article is clearly visible at the top of the page, together with the version of the article, hence clearing any confusion. The rationales and intentions of the article are clearly shown right from the clear and visible title. There are body headings in the article, which explain each paragraph, which are short and easily accessible. The article describes studies done by the author, and uses it to back the information given. For instance, the article states and explains the five steps that the health care infections are spread. The data in the article is qualitative in nature, and it highly explains the relationship between healthcare associated infections and hand washing qualitatively. The article provides a detailed conclusion that provides recommendations of washing hands, by the healthcare givers, in health facilities, and the advantages that come along with the recommendations. A references page or a work cited page is present to back up the citations used in the body of the article. The authors have used diagrams to explain their findings and to help the readers to have a deep understanding of the content. Evaluation of authority and currency In order an article to be credible the authority and currency should be very strong. The article is written by Mathai, Allegranzi, Kilpatrick and Pittet a team of highly trained health professional who have years of experience in medical practice and research. The authors have been involved in carrying out so many research projects in the medical field and their work has been published and used by many people. Scientific skills of the authors have been put in use in providing well-structured research to ensure all the information written in the article is accurate. The Indian Journal of microbiology has taken part in providing solutions to many healthcare problems by carrying out all medical research so as to ensure that prevalence of many diseases and infections is eliminated by providing the action that should be taken by medical practitioners and all the citizens. The authors and the Journal collaborate to ensure that information is updated on the websites as they continue to carry out research. The information provided in the article is current because even the sources the information is from are up to date. The authors and their team of researchers ensure that before any information is published and provided to the general public there is a lot of study involved. Evaluation of the article’s accuracy The authors of the article have ensured that the information they have written is credible and helpful to all its readers. The authors of the article have provided references so as to help their readers understand the authenticity of the information they have provided in their work. The information in the articles is taken from many sources that range from 1990’s to date; the authors took these sources to ensure that they provide helpful information that will help in solving the problem of HAI. The information in the article together with the information in the references ensures that the readers understand all the facts and technics on how to reduce and eliminate contraction of HAI. The references have links and there are those provide page numbers so as to supplement the authors’ information. The article provides recommendations on the things that need to be improved and adhered to in order to eliminate HAI. The article has provided evidence to show the importance of embracing hand hygiene. The range of the sources shows how considerate the authors are, on ensuring the information they produce is comprehensive and helpful to the readers. The language used in the article is accurate and there are no mistakes and the language is easy to understand. Before any article is published it is highly reviewed and the authenticity of the information is put to test. The article possesses high level of accuracy because the information is update and there are no mistakes. Read More