Nosocomial Diseases
This research proposal focuses on the literature available on nosocomial diseases. It elucidates on the methods that can be used to mitigate against the risks of nosocomial infections. According to the available literature, nosocomial infections are more prevalent among nurses than in any other hospital staff as they inter act more with patients without adequate protective equipment than even doctors. However, the prevalence of these infections in nurses can significantly be reduced or even eliminated by implementing comprehensive preventive programs that involve both hospital staff and patients. As such, this paper seeks to determine the modalities of nosocomial infections preventive program.
Nosocomial infections are hospital acquired infections that occur due to the interactions between patients or patients and the hospital staff. Nurses, for example, have numerous encounters with patients that, at times, it becomes impossible for them to observe safety measures fully (Soule 81). These infections include opportunistic fungal and bacterial infections that mainly harm persons with immune-suppressed systems. According to literature, 12% of deaths that occur in the wards result from nosocomial infections that are acquired within the hospital. Nosocomial infections are not only limited to patients but extend to both practicing students and professionals. Although every victim would have his or her own reasons for infection, professional negligence has been found to be the major cause of nosocomial diseases. However, infections are substantially worse for nurses who spent a major part of their daily routine in direct contact with patients. Moreover, the support staff also significantly contribute to these nurses predicament as they are likely to apply little if any precautions. That is why the support staff should never be left out in the implementation of the comprehensive preventive program. (Garner 39).
Calculate the cost of essay
The underlying cause of nosocomial infections is professional negligence of hospital staff who hardly observe the prerequisite hygiene standards. Besides, it has been found that the out-patient means of treatment has significantly contributed to these dangerous trends. (Garner 49). This basically implies that patients who are hospitalized are those who are seriously ill and their immune system cannot mount significant resistance to nosocomial infections. The situation is made worse by the fact that medical personnel like pharmacists and nurses often visit one patient after the other; thus they serve as a direct means of spreading infections. In the United States, the statistics on nosocomial infections is frightening. For instance, rough estimates by the Centers for Disease Control put the number of victims at 1.7 million annually. In the United Kingdom, hospital surveys indicate that nosocomial infections account for up to 25,000 deaths every year. According to Schaberg, these trends are a clear indicator of professional negligence that has become common place in the health care sector. The prevalence of nosocomial infections is primarily determined through hospital surveys.