Medical practitioners such as doctors, surgeons, nurses and other healthcare givers have been alarmed by the recent upsurge HAI (Healthcare-Associated Infections). What this means is that patients get infected by other diseases while they are in the hospital to be treated. It is for this reason that hospitals and other healthcare institutions are making deliberate efforts in trying to improve patient safety.
According to statistics from Department of health, the situation is not good at all. The stats state that one out of ten patients admitted to a health facility is likely to contract HAI. This person also stays three times longer in the hospital than an ordinary patient. What it means is that they get to pay more money for their healthcare. Also, staying in hospital longer stops them from attending to their daily chores.
Currently, there is a general trend by most hospitals as well as other healthcare institutions to ensure that their patients are not re-infected while at their facilities. To achieve this, they need to ensure that the environment at their facilities is thoroughly clean and suitable for their patients. When this is done, safety of patients while being treated will be boosted significantly.
Experts have said that an effective way of controlling the HAI is to keep venous Thromboembolism in check. Simply known as VTE, this refers to a condition blood clots tend to form inside veins of patients. The condition, though known to cause discomfort, is not associated with any serious consequences. However, it can be dangerous if not handled correctly, and is touted as being among the main causes of preventable deaths at hospital grounds.
Most health facilities also employ the means of setting goals and timelines in curbing HAI. These goals are crucial since they help medical staffs to stay focused on their main duties. Firstly, the medical practitioners need to agree on their general goals. To be able to sanction a change in design, the goals must be aggressive enough. When these goals are set early, chances are that cases of HAI will be significantly reduced.
Patient education regarding the proper use of blood thinners is also very important in curbing this menace. It is a common practice for patients who have been operated to be given new blood thinner prescriptions. The importance of blood thinners is that they help patients from being attacked with dangerous clots. However, improper use of these can be catastrophic in that they will tend to develop uncontrollable bleeding. When this happens, drug event may follow.
With proper education on how they can correctly use the blood thinners, these cases can be reduced. Teaching is done by way of video lessons coupled with a booklet. These will ensure that patients understand what they will be expecting when they take these medicines.
Shortening the shifts of medical staffs is another simple yet effective way of controlling the healthcare-associated infections. Fatigued medical staffs tend to make more mistakes. There is need to ensure that for those working on thirty-hour shifts, they attend to patients only during 16 hours, sandwiched by a 5-hour sleep period. Following these measures will surely enhance patient safety in healthcare institutions.
According to statistics from Department of health, the situation is not good at all. The stats state that one out of ten patients admitted to a health facility is likely to contract HAI. This person also stays three times longer in the hospital than an ordinary patient. What it means is that they get to pay more money for their healthcare. Also, staying in hospital longer stops them from attending to their daily chores.
Currently, there is a general trend by most hospitals as well as other healthcare institutions to ensure that their patients are not re-infected while at their facilities. To achieve this, they need to ensure that the environment at their facilities is thoroughly clean and suitable for their patients. When this is done, safety of patients while being treated will be boosted significantly.
Experts have said that an effective way of controlling the HAI is to keep venous Thromboembolism in check. Simply known as VTE, this refers to a condition blood clots tend to form inside veins of patients. The condition, though known to cause discomfort, is not associated with any serious consequences. However, it can be dangerous if not handled correctly, and is touted as being among the main causes of preventable deaths at hospital grounds.
Most health facilities also employ the means of setting goals and timelines in curbing HAI. These goals are crucial since they help medical staffs to stay focused on their main duties. Firstly, the medical practitioners need to agree on their general goals. To be able to sanction a change in design, the goals must be aggressive enough. When these goals are set early, chances are that cases of HAI will be significantly reduced.
Patient education regarding the proper use of blood thinners is also very important in curbing this menace. It is a common practice for patients who have been operated to be given new blood thinner prescriptions. The importance of blood thinners is that they help patients from being attacked with dangerous clots. However, improper use of these can be catastrophic in that they will tend to develop uncontrollable bleeding. When this happens, drug event may follow.
With proper education on how they can correctly use the blood thinners, these cases can be reduced. Teaching is done by way of video lessons coupled with a booklet. These will ensure that patients understand what they will be expecting when they take these medicines.
Shortening the shifts of medical staffs is another simple yet effective way of controlling the healthcare-associated infections. Fatigued medical staffs tend to make more mistakes. There is need to ensure that for those working on thirty-hour shifts, they attend to patients only during 16 hours, sandwiched by a 5-hour sleep period. Following these measures will surely enhance patient safety in healthcare institutions.
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