Hospital infection control program

Executive summary (Benchmark assignment): Hospital infection control program
 
 
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Grand Canyon University
 
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Introduction
Infection control is an integral component of the quality of care in hospital settings, and using evidence based practice is essential to ensure that evaluation of programs is effective. The hospital infection prevention program ensures patient safety and protection of staff and visitors to the hospital. Surveillance, data collection and education are critical components of the infection control program, and to reduce the rates of nosocomial infections this program is necessary to achieve the best results. Nosocomial infections affect patients in the hospital where no such infection was present before admission to hospital, and they may occur because of fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens. This paper highlights on the purpose of the infection control program, its target population, benefits of the program, cost justification and the program’s evaluation.
The purpose of the program or project
   The hospital infection prevention program, intends to reduce the levels of hospital acquired/ nosocomial infections based on the realization that hospital members have a role to play in influencing the prevalence of these infections. The economic implications of reducing hospital-acquired infections are enormous as the program reduces the health care cost, and allows hospital to deal with issues that are more urgent in the hospital. Furthermore, nosocomial infections may also affect hospital staff putting a stain in service delivery. Integration of administrators, physicians, nurses, and infection control staff in the project is a top priority of the project.
 The target population or audience
Nosocomial infections affect all countries, and hospital-acquired infections are some of the leading causes of increased morbidity and death among patients. Thus, the infections impose a heavy burden on public health and patients as well (WHO, 2002). The highest prevalence of nosocomial infections occur in intensive units, orthopedic and surgical wards (WHO, 2002).Reed & Kemmerly (2009), quoted that the CDC  states that approximately 100,00  patients die from nonsocial infections  annually, and this adds up to $ 4.5 billion in healthcare expenses. This project targets hospitalized patients at high risk of acquiring nosocomial infections, and focuses on staff sensitization to reach out to the target population. Even with increased vigilance in patient surveillance, hospital infections still pose a threat to hospitalized patients, patients typically have reduced immunity, and the new infections can prove fatal.
The benefits of the program or project 
   There are numerous benefits to having a hospital infection control program, as patients who acquire infections in the hospital settings prolong their stay. Thus, prevention of the nosocomial infections ensures that the patients are healthier and there is unnecessary uptake of bed space from the patients. Furthermore, this will reduce the need to have therapeutic interventions in preventing the acquisitions of the infections. Thus, the main benefit for the program is cost savings from the program, as resources will be spent on alternative ways. Infection control should have more benefits tha...