Hospital Acquired Infections
Healthcare quality concepts – Hospital/Healthcare Acquired Infections
Write a 2-page APA styled paper on the following:
Discuss Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI).
How can HAI be measured? E.g. rates
What is the standard for acceptable levels of HAI? E.g. Less than X number of cases per year.
In the context of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Six Quality Dimensions, discuss how reducing HAI delivers higher quality healthcare as follows:
1) Patient safety: Care should be as safe for patients in healthcare facilities as in their homes.
2) Effective – Care should apply science and, evidence based medical practices and standards
3) Efficient – Care should be cost-effective, and waste should be removed from the system.
4) Timely – Patients should experience no waits or delays when receiving care and service.
5) Patient Centered – The system of care should revolve around the patient, respect patient preferences, and put the patient in control.
6) Equitable – Unequal treatment should be a fact of the past; disparities should be eradicated.
Answer preview
HAI refers to infections that patients acquire in a hospital when admitted for reasons other than that infection. These conditions are also not incubating at the admission time and can appear after discharge or exist among staff in a facility (Phu et al., 2016). Several factors, including the use of invasive technology, crowding in hospital populations, have increased the level of transmission. Hospitals need to include infection control efforts to reduce the rate of HAIs. The highest risk factors for hospital-acquired infections are in low and medium-income countries, especially in intensive care units. Common and critical HAIs include the catheter-associated urinary tract infection and the ventilator-associated urinary pneumonia arising from various treatment conditions.
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Hospital Acquired Infections
