Infection Control Strategies and Practices

This assignment presents a collection of research articles focusing on various aspects of infection control. The papers explore topics such as the effectiveness of hand hygiene protocols, the impact of antibiotic stewardship programs on Clostridium difficile infections, and the role of audits in reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections. Additionally, the collection delves into surgical site infections, the influence of clinical environments on infection prevention practices among nursing students, and the importance of organizational structures in preventing healthcare-associated infections.

Clinical Audit
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Institution Affiliation

Executive Summary
Clinical audit refers to the examining of the healthcare to determine whether the healthcare
services provided are in line with the laid standards. The major component of the audit is to
review the performance to ensure what should be done is done accordingly. In this case, the
major focus of the audit is to evaluate the services given to check if they are up to the expected
standards and at the same time identifying the areas that need improvement. The audit focuses at
improving the quality of healthcare services in order to enhance patient outcome because. In this
case, through the audit, errors and mistakes in the nature of healthcare services can be detected
and appropriate steps taken to enhance patient and clinician safety. Therefore, the decisive aim of
clinical audit is to enhance clinical practice, thus improving the patient outcome.

Contents
Executive Summary ii
1.0 Introduction
2.0 The importance of clinical Audit
2.1 Improved Professional Development
2.2 Improved Professional Development
2.3 Organizational improvement
3.0 Areas of Risk that can be audited
3.1 waste management
3.2 Environmental cleaning
3.3 Hand Hygiene
4.0 Critical Analysis
4.1 policy
4.2 Gloves
4.2.1 Sterile and Non- sterile gloves
4.2.2 Rubber latex
4.2.3 use of gloves

4.3 Aprons
4.4 Protective bibs/covers
4.5 Face and Eye protection
4.6 Respiratory Equipments
5.0 Summary and Conclusion
6.0 References

Clinical Audit
1.0 Introduction
Audit refers to the official examination of the organization’s account by an independent body.
The term audit has been used in both business and economic setting to identify the procedures,
which aim at ensuring the activities carried out by an organization are effective and consistent in
the achievement of the set objectives. Clinical audit is also one of the continuous quality
improvement procedure s, which focus on the explicit aspects or issues of health and clinical
practice. Clinical audit consist of the examination of clinical processes and outcome against the
standards set on the principle of “Evidence- based Medicine.”
2.0 The importance of clinical Audit
2.1 Enhanced Patient Outcome
Clinical audit is a vital methodical examination of the performance of the organization, team, or
individual’s clinical work (Zingg, Holmes, Dettenkofer, & Pittet, 2015). The audit involves the
gathering and measurement of all the clinical activities in order to provide patients an assurance
on the quality of healthcare services they receive. The outcome of the audit is interpreted with
peer review and consultations. In this case, comparisons and analysis using indicators,
performances, outcome parameters, and the set standards become an imperative stimulus in the
identification of learning areas and enhancement of patient safety (Solomkin, 2015).
2.2 Improved Professional Development
Clinical audit enables healthcare providers to gain from peer review from where they can
maintain self-confidence in their abilities. Further, through clinical audit, issues in healthcare can

be identified and appropriate steps taken to enhance on the outcome. Therefore, with clinical
audit, healthcare providers are made aware of their performance and the necessary adjustments to
be made in order to improve on their professional development, which will improve healthcare
delivery (Weiss, Simon, Graf, Oertel & Linsler, 2017).
2.3 Organizational improvement
Clinical audit provides the management with the opportunity to verify the established processes
in order to identify the problematic areas within the organization. In this case, the audit will
examine and assess the clinical practices in order to identify problems within the organization
and the changes that can be made to enhance patient outcome, thus ensuring a continuous
organization improvement (Wilson, Bak & Loveday, 2017)
3.0 Areas of Risk that can be audited
4.1 Waste management
Waste management is imperative for the safety of both the patients and the healthcare providers.
According to Anderson, Dellinger, Greene & Kaye (2014), clinical waste is that which can be
life threatening like used needles and dressings or any other thing that contains drugs, or human
tissues or blood. Waste management should be done on the point of generation, where medical
waste is collected and segregated from the non- hazardous waste. After the segregation, the non-
hazardous waste is transported by special carts to utility rooms where it is recycled while the
hazardous waste is dissolved in special chemicals to avoid harm to the environment and human
health. This waste management protocols should be followed to meet the standards set by the
governing body. In this case, it is important for proper processes to be done effectively in order

to enable the healthcare providers to complete waste management duties while still paying
attention on the patients.
Waste management audit is necessary as it allows the recovery and disposal centre to treat waste
in a proper way, this means a considerable reduction in the harm caused to the environment and
human health during waste recovery processes. Therefore, it is important to conduct a waste
management audit to ensure the compliance with the set standards in order to ensure the “Duty of
Care Obligation” is met (Sinha, Murthy, Morris & Millar, 2016). In this case, failure to conduct a
waste management audit will amount to a breach of Duty of Care obligation, which can lead to
an enforcement action by the regulating body. In this case, the aim of waste management audit is
to determine whether clinical waste is properly disposed off either through a treatment plant or
incineration or as directed by the regulating body.
4.2 Environmental cleaning
Environmental cleaning is important in the reduction of infections. Environmental cleaning can
be done by keeping surfaces clean. Surfaces can be divided as those with minimum hand contact
like ceilings and floor and those surfaces with regular hand contact, which in this case are the
high risk surfaces like the door knobs (Zimmerman, Gilbert, Brown & Shaban, 2016).
Environmental cleaning can be done by cleaning regularly using disinfectants or sanitizer to kill
germs. Clinical audit is essential in ensuring these surfaces are kept clean and disinfected in
order to prevent the spread of infections. In this case, the audit will entail an examination on the
frequency of cleaning and whether the products used for cleaning are resolute by risk analysis
and are reflected in the policies of the healthcare facility. Repeatedly touched surfaces should be
kept clean using detergents. Therefore, auditors should apply a risk assessment approach in order

to identify the often touched surfaces and coordinate with the staff for an appropriate cleaning
strategy (Lawes, Lozano, Sharma, Wares & Gould, 2017).
4.3 Hand Hygiene
Hospital acquired infections are the leading threat to the health of the population. Due to
the frequent contact between the patients and the healthcare provider, infections can be
transmitted from one patient to the other if quality hand hygiene is not maintained. In this case, it
is the duty and responsibility of the healthcare provider to maintain patient safety by practicing a
frequent and effective hand washing practices. MacEachern, Montgomery & Cummings (2017)
states that one of the ways healthcare providers can manage the spread of infections like H1N1
flu is by practicing quality hand hygiene. Healthcare providers need to have a practical voice in
the support of best practices for hand hygiene. The relationship between power and knowledge
helps to employ and implement strategies to prevent infections and enhance patient safety.
Anderson, Dellinger, Greene & Kaye (2014) explains how comprehensive approaches, which
include a combination of written material, education, reminders, interventions, and performance
feedback, can have appositive effect on hand hygiene in the reduction of hospital acquired
infections. It is important for nurses to take leadership roles in healthcare settings, which will
foster an organization culture that reflects and enhances patient safety through a quality and
effective hand washing practices (Engle, Wick, Siebenaler, Czech, Craig & Roach, 2017).
4.0 Critical Analysis
4.1 Policy
Protective equipments should be supplied and made available in all clinical departments. All
staff should wear protective equipment when anticipated that they will be in contact with body

substances. PPE should include aprons, gloves, and masks, which should be used only by
clinicians; however, visitors should wear protective clothing for isolation procedures. The staff
should be trained in the use and removal of PPE as part of the clinical isolation education.
Clinical audit should review PPE and standard precaution compliance.
(Campbell & Gruendler, 2017).
4.2 Gloves
Gloves should be accessible and available in different sizes. Wearing gloves minimizes the
contamination of hands reducing the risk of healthcare provider contacting infections after being
in contact with the patient’s body substance.
4.2.1 Sterile and Non- sterile gloves
Non- sterile gloves are used in situations when there is contact with body substances or blood or
when non-intact skin is probable. On the other hand Sterile gloves are used for surgical
procedures especially in cases where asepsis should be maintained.
(Campbell & Gruendler, 2017).
4.2.2 Rubber latex
Rubber latex is used when the patient or clinician is NRL sensitive to avoid allergies (Solomkin,
2015). Rubber latex are used during medical procedures and examinations to prevent cross-
contamination between the patient and the healthcare provider.
4.2.3 Use of gloves

A different glove should be used once for each patient and the hands disinfected on removal to
avoid the spread of infection from patient to patient or from patient to clinician (Engle, Wick,
Siebenaler, Czech,Craig & Roach, 2017)
4.3 Aprons
Aprons should be used when there is a risk of contamination with body substances, blood or
secretions (Solomkin, 2015). The type of apron used will depend on the degree of risk, which
includes probable contact with infectious substances. Unlike gowns, aprons are used when the
risk of contamination is low.
4.4 Protective bibs/covers
Similarly, covers and bibs used for the care of patients should be decontaminated or disposed off
between each patient to avoid the spread of infection from patient to patient (Campbell &
Gruendler, 2017).
4.5 Face and Eye protection
According to the regulations on Control of Sub-stances Hazardous to Health, eye protection and
facemasks should be worn in high risk areas like operating room where there is a risk of
splashing body fluids, this is imperative in the prevention of the spread of infections and diseases
like HIV from patient to clinician.
4.6 Respiratory Equipments
Respiratory protective gear should be used when or if clinically indicated especially when
handling patients suspected or diagnosed with airborne diseases to avoid inhaling infectious
substances (Anderson, Dellinger, Greene & Kaye, 2014).

Summary and Conclusion
Clinical audits are conducted to emphasize on the discrepancies that might arise between the
standards and the actual performance in order to identify the changes needed to enhance the
quality of health care. In addition, clinical audits are meant to determine whether the nature of
healthcare services provided comply or are in line with the set principles, which allows patient s
and healthcare providers determine the quality of services and also identify areas that need
improvements. In this case, auditors have a major responsibility to examine the healthcare
service to determine whether they meet the quality standards as directed by the regulating bodies.

References
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