Hand Hygiene

Abstract

This report is premised on Hand Hygiene whereby it highlights the importance of hand hygiene and at the same time emphasizes on the consequences that individuals are most likely to undergo if they do not develop the habit of washing hands. Furthermore, it also highlights the impact or the effect that organizations are most likely to undergo if there are no hygiene standards set. In order to counteract the problem at an organizational level this report proposes a solution for the organizations with the support of literature review to implement the practice of hand hygiene and ensure that it is effectively and efficiently practiced at an organizational level and also highlights the consequences that employees are most likely to undergo if they are avoided.

Table of content

Abstractii

Introduction1

Problem Identification2

Importance of Problem3

Project Objective3

Solution and Description4

Proposed Solution4

Consistency with Current Research4

Feasibility and Implementation5

Consistency with Resources5

Research Support6

Individual Summaries of Selected Articles6

Resources needed of the Proposed Solution's Implementation13

Methods for Monitoring13

Feasibility14

Theory of Planned Change to Develop the Implementation Plan15

Evaluation Plan16

Outcome Measures16

Evaluation of Data Collection16

Decision Making17

References19

Hand Hygiene

Introduction

On a daily basis, our hands come into contact with nearly everything in the environment around us and they become the perfect carriers of germs, disease and infection consequently. According to a recent study, nearly 100,000 people die in hospitals on a yearly basis because nurses and doctors do not follow proper procedure for hygiene (Haas & Larson, 2008). Unwashed or unsterilized hands tend to promote the spreading of malicious bacteria that weaken the immune system and leave it highly vulnerable to disease. These diseases can range from a common cold to serious and potentially life-threatening respiratory infections such as influenza, pneumonia, Streptococcus, hepatitis A as well as typhoid.

Hand washing provides the single-most effective solution to hand-contacted infections and diseases. It removes most of the bacteria and viruses from your hands and prevents their transfer to the eyes, nose and mouth, and eventually gain an access to the body. Hand washing is said to play a crucial role when it comes to the prevention against germs and diseases and eventually it significantly deteriorates the likelihood of infection.

In the field of nursing and patient care specifically, one cannot simply lay enough emphasis on the importance of hand-washing. In the healthcare setting, hand-washing serves to eliminate or disinfect individuals who have come in contact with pathogenic microorganisms. Hence, a task as simple as hand-washing can help to prevent 100,000 deaths every year. It is important to observe proper hand-washing procedures as doctors and nurses run the risk of carrying diseases from one patient to another.

In order to encourage hygienic practices amidst doctors and nurses, it is imperative that the current policy regarding hand washing is updated and staunchly implemented to make it compulsory for staff to thoroughly wash their hands when it comes to tackling the patients. All levels of staff must be held accountable to encourage hygienic practices.

Phase one of education is updating the current hand hygiene policy and examining where changes can be made to alert staff in relation to the consequences ...