Introduction
The analysis of a specific clinical problem by evaluating the aspects that it affects and reviewing its implications may allow finding a relevant solution that contributes to increasing patient outcomes in a particular care environment. This paper is aimed at assessing the use of special hygiene protocols to reduce the sepsis rate and other infectious diseases. As stakeholders, hospitalized patients and the nursing staff will be involved.
The proposed topic will be considered by utilizing such a technique as the PICOT question that allows considering the key factors of a specific intervention within the framework of a selected clinical problem. The evaluation of a clinical problem and its analysis for improving patient outcomes are significant steps in nursing interventions.
Evidence-Based Solution and Nursing Intervention
The PICOT question utilized for addressing the clinical problem is as follows:
- P: Hospitalized patients and healthcare workers;
- I: Prevention antibiotics and handwashing strategies;
- C: Continuing normal protocols;
- O: The reduced number of infections and sepsis rate;
- T: 6 months.
Creating appropriate care conditions where patients receive necessary nursing care and can rely on health security is a mandatory medical practice. However, due to some external factors, the treatment regimen may be complicated by attendant problems, in particular, infections due to non-compliance with the rules of hygiene. Sepsis, as a highly undesirable consequence of inadequate control over sanitation standards, is one of the manifestations of unqualified practices in ensuring proper care conditions.
Therefore, the proposed PICOT question touches on this topic and offers to pay attention to special protocols promoting the use of antibiotics to prevent this disease in the hospital environment. Septimus et al. (2017) review a range of programs related to time addressing patient safety issues and protection against sepsis. As the authors note, specific modifications of some antibiotics make it possible to resist the disease and prevent its complications (Septimus et al., 2017). Therefore, the solution to the problem under consideration by the proposed method is an adequate mechanism.
Patient Care, Healthcare Agency, and Nursing Practice
Using an appropriate protocol that stimulates adherence to hygienic standards and antibiotic intake may have a real positive effect on patient well-being. According to the study conducted by Fox et al. (2015), during the time allotted for evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention, a 38% decrease in the rate of infectious diseases was recorded (p. 222). This outcome proves that timely prevention and the interest of nurses in maintaining a healthcare safety policy are the essential components of care.
As an additional justification in support of the relevance of the proposed intervention to nursing practice, the provisions of official documents may be cited. In particular, like Saito, Allegranzi, and Pittet (2018) argue, the program of the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed at reducing the level of infectious diseases in healthcare facilities involves the introduction of a special protocol. This act contains provisions on the importance of timely handwashing among medical personnel and promotes the use of appropriate drugs, including antibiotics, to minimize the risk of diseases among patients. As a result, treatment outcomes may be enhanced significantly through introducing such a protocol into modern care conditions of care and involving all stakeholders, both the nursing staff and hospitalized people.
Conclusion
The considered clinical problem and its analysis through the PICOT issue are the mechanisms for solving the issue of minimizing infections and, in particular, sepsis in healthcare units by using special antibiotics. Assessing the significance of special programs and statistical reports makes it possible to identify improvements in patient outcomes, which is the ultimate goal of such an intervention. Both hospitalized people and nursing personnel should be involved in order to promote the appropriate standards of hygiene and prevention.
References
Fox, C., Wavra, T., Drake, D. A., Mulligan, D., Bennett, Y. P., Nelson, C.,… Bader, M. K. (2015). Use of a patient hand hygiene protocol to reduce hospital-acquired infections and improve nurses’ hand washing. American Journal of Critical Care, 24(3), 216-224. Web.
Saito, H., Allegranzi, B., & Pittet, D. (2018). 2018 WHO hand hygiene campaign: Preventing sepsis in health care and the path to universal health coverage. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 18(5), 490-492. Web.
Septimus, E. J., Coopersmith, C. M., Whittle, J., Hale, C. P., Fishman, N. O., & Kim, T. J. (2017). Sepsis national hospital inpatient quality measure (SEP-1): Multistakeholder work group recommendations for appropriate antibiotics for the treatment of sepsis. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 65(9), 1565-1569. Web.