Introduction
Clostridium difficile (C.diff) is an infection that triggers an immediate development of nausea, diarrhea, and fever in patients. Although the infection can be contracted in a variety of environments, it is commonly known as a nosocomial one (i.e., a hospital-acquired health issue). According to the statistical data provided by the CDC, 1,000,000 instances of C.diff contraction occurred. 29,000 of the identified population died within a month after contracting the infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012).
Since the health problems that the infection triggers immediately affect the patient’s recovery rate significantly, there is a need to introduce efficient methods of managing the threat of C.diff contraction. Although the approach suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) typically implies that a study of the environment in which the infection can be observed should be carried out.
Thus, the factors that contribute to the process of the C.diff contraction can be tracked down successfully. As a result, the patient can be isolated from the negative elements of the environment, which affect the further progress of the problem (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to present a proposal for evidence-based practice (EBP) project about managing and preventing the instances of C.diff contraction.
Background
Despite the fact that the method suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is quite sensible, one must admit that it does not help much as far as the actual prevention is concerned. Instead, the guidelines provide detailed information about the means of addressing the infection after it occurs. One must give researchers credit for determining what treatment strategies can be viewed as the most efficient in managing the problem; however, the prevention stage, which is also crucial to the well-being of the patients, needs to be addressed as well. Furthermore, new approaches toward handling the issue of C.diff have been created lately.
Therefore, there is a need to develop the strategy that will help both manage the C.diff epidemic in the environment of a specific healthcare facility and the prevention of the identified healthcare issue by using available information management approaches (Dubberke et al., 2014).
Clinical Significance
As stressed above, C.diff poses a significant threat to inpatients, blocking their way to a faster recovery. Furthermore, the contraction of the infection is fraught with numerous health complexities. Herein lies the importance of the study: unless appropriate measures are suggested, there will be no opportunity to improve the current healthcare environment and provide patients with better services. It is expected that the results of the research will provide a foil for an in-depth exploration of the options that the use of the proposed strategy will facilitate. In other words, the clinical significance of the research can be considered moderate. It should be borne in mind, though, that the current research will require a follow-up study that will test the efficacy of the suggested method (Lessa, Gould, & Mcdonald, 2012).
Purpose
To what degree will the adoption of rigid hand hygiene principles help prevent the instances of transmitting Clostridium difficile (C.diff) among patients compared with the protocol recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after three midnight stays in the facility and four weeks after the discharge from the hospital?
Population
Inpatients aged 21-45 with a.diff issue are the target population of the study.
Intervention
Acceptance of rigid hand hygiene standards should be viewed as the primary objective for addressing the problem.
Control
The methods suggested by CDC will be compared to the application of hand hygiene is the means of coping with the C.diff contraction.
Outcome
It is expected that the study will shed light on the efficacy of hand hygiene as the means of preventing the further contraction of C.diff by inpatients.
Timeline
It is expected that the effects of the strategy implementation will become apparent in three days after its implementation.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Clostridium difficile Infection. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Tracking Clostridium difficile Infection. Web.
Dubberke, E. R, Carling, P., Carrico, R., Donskey, C. J., Loo, V. G., McDonald, L. C.,… & Gerding, D. N. (2014). Strategies to prevent clostridium difficile infections in acute care hospitals: 2014 update. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 35(6), 628-645.
Lessa, F. C., Gould, C. V., & Mcdonald, C. (2012). Current status of Clostridium difficile infection epidemiology. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 55(2), 65-70. Web.