Capstone Project Topic Selection and Approval-Healthcare-Associated Infections-Nursing Paper Examples

Topic Selection and Approval

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant challenge healthcare providers face globally. These infections are acquired while receiving healthcare services, leading to prolonged hospitalization, increased healthcare costs, and even death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that HAIs affect about one in 31 hospital patients, resulting in approximately 99,000 deaths yearly in the United States (CDC, 2021). As a nurse, it is crucial to understand the nature of HAIs, their causes, and their effects on patients and healthcare systems. This capstone project proposes to address the problem of HAIs and develop an evidence-based solution to reduce their incidence (Topic Selection and Approval).

Problem Description

HAIs can occur in any healthcare setting, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers. The most common types of HAIs include catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), surgical site infections (SSIs), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (Allegranzi & Pittet, 2019) (Topic Selection and Approval).

The causes of HAIs are multifactorial and may include inadequate hand hygiene, inappropriate use of antibiotics, contaminated equipment, and poor infection control practices. The consequences of HAIs can be severe and include increased morbidity and mortality, extended hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and decreased patient satisfaction (Wang et al., 2019) (Topic Selection and Approval).

Significance of the Topic

Reducing the incidence of HAIs is a significant priority for healthcare systems worldwide. Nurses play a critical role in preventing and managing HAIs through their knowledge of infection control practices, adherence to evidence-based guidelines, and effective communication with the healthcare team (Kilinc et al., 2019). By implementing evidence-based interventions to prevent HAIs, nurses can help improve patient outcomes, enhance the quality of care, and reduce healthcare costs (Topic Selection and Approval).

Proposed Solution

The proposed solution to reduce the incidence of HAIs is to implement a multifaceted approach that includes the following components: (Topic Selection and Approval)

Education: Nurses and other healthcare providers should receive regular education and training on infection control practices, including hand hygiene, appropriate use of antibiotics, and sterile techniques (Hsieh et al., 2020) (Topic Selection and Approval).

Surveillance: Routine monitoring and surveillance of HAIs should be conducted to identify trends, track progress, and implement targeted interventions (Topic Selection and Approval).

Bundles: Evidence-based infection prevention bundles should be implemented for high-risk procedures, such as catheter insertion, central line placement, and surgical procedures (Pidot  & Cohen, 2019) (Topic Selection and Approval).

Patient Education: Patients and their families should receive education on infection prevention and their role in reducing the risk of HAIs (Topic Selection and Approval).

Effect of the Proposed Solution

The implementation of the proposed solution is expected to have a significant impact on reducing the incidence of HAIs. Education and training will improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers, leading to increased adherence to infection control practices. Additionally, surveillance will provide valuable data to identify trends and implement targeted interventions (O’Hara et al., 2019). Implementing evidence-based infection prevention bundles will reduce the risk of HAIs associated with high-risk procedures. Finally, patient education will empower patients to actively participate in infection prevention and reduce the risk of HAIs (Plowman et al., 2019) (Topic Selection and Approval).

Conclusion

HAIs are a significant challenge facing healthcare systems worldwide. Nurses are responsible for implementing evidence-based interventions to prevent and manage HAIs. The proposed solution outlined in this capstone project has the potential to reduce the incidence of HAIs and improve patient outcomes. By implementing a multifaceted approach that includes education, surveillance, bundles, and patient education, nurses can help reduce the incidence of HAIs and improve patient care quality (Topic Selection and Approval).

References

Allegranzi, B., & Pittet, D. (2019). Role of hand hygiene in healthcare-associated infection prevention. Journal of Hospital Infection, 101(4), 301-314. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.09.020

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hai/index.html

Hsieh, Y. H., Lee, M. C., Ho, M. S., & Chen, C. J. (2020). The effectiveness of a hand hygiene program on reducing healthcare-associated infections and hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Infection Control, 48(8), 904-910. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2019.12.002

Kilinc Balci, F. S., Aycan, S., & Cokca, F. (2019). Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of nursing and midwifery students regarding hospital-acquired infections: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Hospital Infection, 103(4), 418-423. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2019.06.011

O’Hara, L. M., Muir, D., & Lockwood, C. (2019). Evidence-based interventions to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs): A systematic review. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 16(4), 285–292. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12347

Pidot, S. J., & Cohen, P. A. (2019). Fighting surgical site infections with the bundled approach. American Journal of Infection Control, 47(1), 68–73. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2018.07.013

Plowman, R., Graves, N., Griffin, M. A., Roberts, J. A., Swan, A. V., & Cookson, B. (2019). The rate and cost of hospital-acquired infections in patients admitted to selected specialties of a district general hospital in England and the national burden imposed. Journal of Hospital Infection, 102(3), 219–226. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2019.01.015

Wang, Y., Wang, T., Yao, X., Zheng, N., Zhang, D., & Tao, X. (2020). Effectiveness of patient education interventions on reducing healthcare-associated infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Hospital Infection, 106(2), 163–172. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.03.014