Clinical Question
In the healthcare field, numerous questions arise across various domains. Determining the specific information we aim to gather depends on the area of interest and whether we seek qualitative or quantitative insights. This paper focuses on the topic of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs). HAIs refer to infections acquired by patients during their stay in a healthcare facility, which they did not have upon admission. These infections typically result from the failure to adhere to proper protocols. HAIs pose significant challenges, not only for patients but also for hospitals and healthcare facilities. The object and discuss the risk factors and prevention methods associated with HAIs.
The PICOT question addressed in this paper is: “What preventive measures can healthcare personnel implement to reduce the occurrence of HAIs? Tropical Biomedicine reveals that HAIs account for (2017). Hospitalized patients suffer from HAIs, with a substantial increase to as high as 51% among patients in the ICU (2017). However, Hospital Infection explores using performance management to enhance HAI reporting (2016). This paper delves into how HAIs can be acquired and highlights preventive strategies to mitigate their occurrence.
NR 449 Evidence-Based Practice Healthcare Associated Infection
Levels of Evidence
To address our group’s question effectively, qualitative and quantitative studies would be valuable sources of evidence. Qualitative studies offer insights that can enhance our understanding of the effectiveness of interventions (Houser, 2018). They allow researchers to identify the specific needs of target populations, such as immunosuppressed individuals, recent surgery patients, or infants. Qualitative studies aid in designing interventions that a healthcare staff. They also shed light on implementation processes, treatment adherence issues, and the impact of interventions in real-world settings (Houser, 2018).
In the context of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), focused on the qualitative aspect of HAIs and how the views and experiences of performance management influenced them. The study found that establishments with established accountability structures experienced decreased infection rates (Brewster, Tarrant, & Dixon-Woods, 2016). However, it also revealed potential drawbacks, such as the risk of tunnel vision and marginalization of other essential issues when using performance management (Brewster, Tarrant, & Dixon-Woods, 2016). Additionally, performance management approaches sometimes fostered a culture of fear, hindered learning, and strained professional relationships. Concerns about potential reprimands or financial consequences for reporting HAI cases might discourage individuals from coming forward or reporting accurately.
NR 449 Evidence-Based Practice Healthcare Associated Infection
On the other hand, quantitative studies provide numerical data and statistics to demonstrate results. They can be instrumental in determining the effects of interventions, measuring relationships between variables, and assessing changes over time (Houser, 2018). In the context of our question, quantitative research can provide strong evidence regarding the impact of specific interventions on reducing the occurrence of HAIs and improving patient outcomes. By incorporating qualitative and quantitative evidence, we can understand the preventive measures that healthcare personnel can employ to decrease the incidence of HAIs.
Search Strategy
To find relevant articles on Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) and their prevention, I utilized two search engines: CINAHL Complete, accessible through our school’s library, and Google Scholar. To optimize my search results, I employed various search terms such as “Healthcare-Associated Infections prevention,” “quantitative or qualitative,” and “hospital-acquired infections.” I also explored synonymous terms to broaden the scope of my search.
NR 449 Evidence-Based Practice Healthcare Associated Infection
I iterated and refined my search terms throughout the search process to generate more relevant articles for my group topic. I set specific limitations for the pieces, including a focus on peer-reviewed publications and a time range of the past five years. These restrictions aimed to exclude older articles that may not reflect current practices and knowledge in HAI prevention. Among the numerous articles I encountered, two were selected for their relevance to my group’s topic and their coverage of both qualitative and quantitative aspects of HAI prevention.
The first article, “Qualitative study of views and experiences of performance management for healthcare-associated infections,” was published in the Journal of Hospital Infection. The second article, “Nosocomial Infections: Epidemiology, prevention, control, and Surveillance,” was from the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. Both pieces were published within the past five years, including up-to-date information and research findings.
These are the links to the articles used for my group topic, excluding our class book reference:
Reference
Brewster, L., Tarrant, C., & Dixon-Woods, M. (2016). Journal of Hospital Infection, 94(1), 41-47. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2016.01.021 Houser, J. (2018). Nursing research: Reading, using, and creating evidence. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. doi:10.1016/j.apjtb.2017.01.019
