INFECTION CONTROL

Infection Control

Infection Control

Introduction

In the last several years, there has been a renewed interest in MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) skin infections not only in the United States, but world-wide. MRSA has existed since the 1960s, but the frequent use and abuse of antibiotics has caused the infection to become more and more difficult to treat. Although studies approximate that 30-50% of the population carry colonies of Staphylococcus aureus on their bodies all of the time, the elderly, children and those who have compromised immune systems are more susceptible to becoming infected. (MRSAresources.com)Colonization of MRSA can normally exist in the nose and on the skin, but there are no signs of illness until infected.

Conversely, when infected, there are signs and symptoms such as redness, that can look like a spider bite, a pimple or a boil and/or swelling with and without pain, which can have pus and could produce fever in severe cases. In addition to other types of infections, the major concern about MRSA is the increased possibility an infection can penetrate the immune system through the skin and cause septicemia, an infection of the blood, which is life-threatening.

There are two types of MRSA infections: Healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) and community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) and both types affect the public in general.

HA-MRSA, in the past 40 years, has been found in small and large hospitals and long-term healthcare facilities. The risk factors associated with HA-MRSA include: prolonged hospitalization or resident of a nursing home, patients undergoing dialysis, indwelling catheters, ICU exposure, prior antimicrobial therapy, surgical procedures, and close proximity to a patient in the hospital colonized with MRSA. (Chavez & Decker, 2008) HA-MRSA can be linked to urinary tract, pneumonia, and surgical wound, septicemia, skin and soft tissue infections.

Principle Of Infection Control

The principle of infection control is something that is becoming increasingly important in hospitals and healthcare settings. This is primarily because of the hardship and suffering it causes to the patient who acquires an infection whilst in hospital and also because of the cost it brings to our already under funded hospitals from increased stays and healthcare workers falling ill.

The author will discuss the principal of infection control and by demonstrating the effectiveness of techniques such as hand washing and universal precautions will determine its relevance. One of the major infections acquired in hospitals, urinary tract infections will also be explored and by referring to relevant research the author will investigate its preventability.

For some infection control is the latest buzzword on hospital wards, however, its significance is somewhat overlooked. Hospital acquired infections (HAI), which are a result of poor infection control account for around 10% in the UK, to date there are no accurate figures for Ireland but it is reckoned to be the same (Rogers, 2000). According to Rizzo (1999), a HAI is usually one that first appears three days after a patient is admitted into hospital.

They are also called nosocomial infections. Germany differs somewhat to the occurrence of HAI's as they have had a holistic strategy ...