Influence of Nursing Workload on Quality of Patient Care

Influence of Nursing Workload on Quality of Patient Care

Abstract
Patient safety and maintaining the quality of care is the main aim of the nursing care. Patient
safety has been the main priority for the healthcare system in order to improve the patient
outcomes and for delivering patient centred care. Patient care, patient safety and well-being
can be affected by various factors in the healthcare system. One of the most important factors
that affect patient safety and quality of care is nursing workload. Nursing workload is mainly
associated with the staffing issues that negatively influence patient outcomes. Therefore, this
research will significantly focus on identifying the relationship or the link between nursing
workload and patient safety.

Research Aim
According to the evidences in the study of hospital acquired infections are considered as the
major concern in the New Zealand Hospitals due to their association with antimicrobial
resistance (Pullon et al, 2016). Hospital acquired infections are also considered as the sixth
highest priority category of infectious diseases (Williamson et al, 2014). Hospital acquired
infection mainly occur in the bloodstream, surgical wounds, lungs and urinary tract (Chen,
2018). Such infections significantly affect the health and well-being of the patients and also
increase the hospital stay and financial burden for the patients, families and healthcare
systems (Fernando, Gray, & Gottlieb, 2017). Therefore, Clark, Haisman-Welsh & White
(2018) has also identified that promoting the hand hygiene practice among the health
professionals could be significant in preventing and managing the risk of hospital acquired
infections. Therefore, this research aims towards understanding the significance and
importance of hand hygiene practice among health professionals for managing and
preventing the risk of hospital acquired infections.
Research Question
Primary Research Question:
1. What is the significance of promoting hand hygiene technique among the healthcare
professionals for the management and prevention of hospital acquired infections?
Secondary Questions:
1. What is hospital acquired infections?
2. What is the role of maintaining effective hand hygiene practice among health
professionals to prevent and manage hospital acquired infections?

Literature Review
Healthcare associated infections or hospital acquired infections are the major problem
worldwide and it has been identified that 10% of the total patient admitted to hospitals suffer
from such infections (Freeman et al, 2016). Such infections not only affect the well-being of
the patients but also increase the hospital stay and financial burden of care. Hospital acquired
infections can significantly increase distress, pain and other physical and psychological
consequences that can have long term impact on physical, social and financial condition of
patients (Freeman et al, 2016).
Studies have identified that hand hygiene is the single most important measure to be taken
for preventing the cross-transmission of the microorganism from one person to another. It has
also been identified that transfer of the micro-organism from the hands of the hospital staff is
that major reason behind the transmission of hospital acquired infections (Anitha et al, 2015).
Therefore, hand hyenine is considered as the most significant measure for the prevention of
infections associated with care provided in hospitals. However, a gap in the research has been
identified regarding the practice of hand hygiene in different setting and its impact of patient
well-being (Anitha et al, 2015). Hand hygiene is also important for ensuring the patient’s
safety is maintained and quality of care is delivered (Mehta et al, 2014).
However, McLaws, (2015) has argued that though hand hyenine is considered as the
approach for the prevention of hospital acquired infections, which requires effective
compliance of quality and safety guidelines and standards. A study conducted by Salama et al
(2013) has informed that one of the major reasons behind the increasing incidence of
Nosocomial infections is poor hand hyenine practice among hospital staff (Wearn,
Bhoopatkar & Nakatsuji, 2015). However, most of the studies have identified that
compliance to hand hyenine procedures and standards is very low among the healthcare