Hospital Acquired Infections: Definition, Incidence, Consequences and Nursing Strategies

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o Introduction 100
In today’s acute healthcare environment, patients are at risk of adverse events such as
Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). Healthcare systems are now handling an increasing
number of patients with complex chronic diseases and also the growing demand for hospital
beds which could compromise patient safety (1). The statistics shown that about 165,000
HAIs were finding in Australian hospitals in 2017 (7). The aim of this assignment provides a
definition for Hospital Acquired Infections, discussing about the unexpected event occurring
in healthcare settings and what HAIs effects to the patient and the patient’s family. Finally,
this assignment explains the two nursing strategies including the patient; their family or the
healthcare systems could apply to avoid HAIs and to provide patient safety.
o Definitions & Incidence 100 200
Hospital acquired infections define as a serious complication develop in first 48 hours
after hospitalization or discharge within 30 day after receiving medical treatment caused by
healthcare management rather than by the underlying disease procedure (3). The source of
infections detected micro-organism which can be found in the healthcare environment or live
typically in human body. According to (4), the healthcare management of HAIs is intensified
by increasing rates of anti-microbial resistance such as overusing of antimicrobials.
Additionally, the multi-resistant organism has a significant developed for transmission and
persistence caused by healthcare workers and the contaminated healthcare environment (4).
There are some common types of HAIs involve infections related to the surgical wounds or
the attachment of medical tools such as intravenous line, urinary tubes or wound drain.
The incidence of HAIs occurs between patient and healthcare workers due to cross-
contaminations; patients are vulnerable to common infections caused by weakened immune
systems and infections develop at the site of surgical procedure or implantable devices
include central line and peripheral line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) and
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catheter associated urinary tract infections (UTI) (3). The reporter mentions that patient have
to experience a large number of HAI associated to CLABSI, with 4,416 occurring in public
hospitals in Australia from 2015 to 2016 (5). Those reporters shown that CLABSI happened
when inserting with the contaminate catheter; the heavy microbial colonisation travel to
patient’s blood stream (5). During hospitalisation, patient received care interventions from
healthcare worker with the contaminate hand include injections (5). The most common
bacteraemia associated CLABSI was Staphylococcus aureus with 0.77 and 1.33 per 10,000
hospitalizations, respectively New South Wale and Queensland hospitals from 2008 to 2012
(6). Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common hospital acquired complication
during hospitalisation in acute healthcare system in Australia with 26.6 percent of all HAIs
cases from 2015 to 2016 (5). For a UTIs to occur, the catheter contaminated with
microorganisms before catheterisation which result of microorganism develop into patient’s
body (5).
o Consequences 480
HAIs are a crucial concern in acute healthcare systems in Australia which effected on
patient, their family and the healthcare organisation, including the risk of morbidity and
mortality rate for patient and the healthcare costs (3). According to (8), Staphylococcus
aureus bloodstream infections (SABSI) associated with HAIs could be complicated
infections, when healthcare provides failure to recognise the patient deterioration result in
bacteria are resistant to common antimicrobials. The data for 96,025 patients from 134
Queensland hospital collected from 2012 to 2016, the rate of patient mortality is 13.3 percent
patient of 999 patient with SABSI of totally 20,390 cases of HAIs (9). The length of stay for
patient with SABSI and methicillin-resistant SABSI are increased with an additional 5.3 and
7.9 days, respectively (9). (10) suggested that the prolonged hospitalisation increase distress
for patient and family member if patient is absent from house and work for extra days in
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