Improving Nurses Hand Hygiene: Work-Based Project

SNPG 905: Minor Project
Project Proposal
Improving nurses Hand Hygiene: work-based project
Autumn Session 2019
PratikshyaBhattarai
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PratikshyaBhattarai, 5605994, Autumn Session 2019

Introduction
Hand hygiene is considered to be the cheapest and simplest element that assists to prevent
infections (Bauer, 2017). Practicing hand hygiene is considered to be the most effective way of
preventing infections. It is very much important to clean hands in order to spread of germs and it
becomes difficult to treat. The spread of germs and infections are considered to be a major
concern because it increases morbidity and mortality among people. The hands of a health
service provider should be kept clean and germ-free because it can be transmitted to the patient
while providing healthcare services (Guidet, Valentin &Flaatten, 2016). Old peoples are more
prone to infections because of low functioning of the immune system. Inappropriate practising of
hand hygiene imposes a significant impact on the quality of care provided to the resident in
nursing homes. The staffs should focus on adopting infection control measures such as washing
hands in order to decrease healthcare-associated infections (Russo, 2009).
The healthcare providers should wash their hands with water and soap as well as use sanitizers to
ensure cleanliness and hygiene within the work process. Clean hands of health workers help to
eliminate the carriage of germ that helps to prevent diseases and infections (Blumstein, 2014).
Appropriate hand hygiene is considered to be an only appropriate, simple and inexpensive way
to minimize the healthcare-associated infections in the health care system. Proper hand hygiene
resists the carriage of pathogens in the hands of health care professionals (Monnet & Sprenger,
2012).
The increase in the infections due to the respiratory and gastro-intestinal eruptions can be seen in
residential aged care (Bosek & Shaner-McRae, 2010). Experience is being shared as a registered
nurse in residential aged care. Health care staffs are the one who first comes in contact with the
elder people while providing them care such as dressing, feeding, toileting, shower etc. They
should have knowledge of the fact that the key to reducing infections is appropriate to hand
hygiene (Bauer, 2017). A project on examining the healthcare-associated infections will be
carried out and the main focus would be on "improving the level of knowledge regarding the
significance of hand hygiene for the healthcare providers through educational interventions in the
aged care facility”. The research will provide significant information and theories about the
topic. The collection of evidence and data will assist to improve the quality of the research topic.
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PratikshyaBhattarai, 5605994, Autumn Session 2019

In 38 hospitals of Australia monthly infection rates were analysed for six different kinds of
healthcare-associated infections. The adoption of National Hand Hygiene Initiatives has assisted
to decrease the increasing rate of infection (Ryan et al., 2015). The National Hand Hygiene
Benchmark was being introduced by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council. The
benchmark was being set to 80% from 2017 onwards. It was being found that hospital staffs have
83 per cent compliance with the hand hygiene practice (HHA, 2019). WHO focuses on health
facilities for preventing the healthcare associated infections through infection prevention and
control action and hand hygiene (WHO, 2019). It is estimated that Sepsis affects more than 30
million patients in each year all over the world. The project will assist to increase the level of
knowledge among health care staffs regarding the importance of hand hygiene practice. Before
providing the information, it is important to examine the level of knowledge of the healthcare
staffs. It is the responsibility of the management team of the healthcare organizations to develop
a guideline and ensure that the staffs are focusing on hand hygiene.
Aim
The aim of the research is to improve hand hygiene practices among the nurses within the
healthcare organization.
Objective
The objective is to provide all the necessary facilities, tools and techniques to the nurses in order
to achieve appropriate hand hygiene practices.
Project design and method
Project setting
A project will conduct in a nursing home and experiences as a healthcare provider. The nursing
home consists of 100 beds which consisted of residents who need adequate healthcare services.
The project will be carried out within a structured framework with the use of appropriate tools
and techniques.
Project Design
The project is to be carried out in a nursing home and experienced is to be shared as a registered
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PratikshyaBhattarai, 5605994, Autumn Session 2019

nurse. The SMART technique (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound)
will be used to develop this project. Infections do breakout in the nursing home due to a lack of
knowledge regarding the significance of hand hygiene. The staffs should comply and follow to
the hand hygiene technique. It is very much important to enhance knowledge and ensure
acquiescence with the hand hygiene practice among the health care staffs of the nursing home
(Longuenesse et al., 2017).
Firstly, the project will be discussed with the manager of the nursing home in order to gain
approval. A printed copy of the project details will be provided to the project manager. The
selection of the participants will be on a voluntary basis. The name of the participants will be
written in paper and signed thereafter.
Intervention
A training session will be carried out in order to teach the nurses about the importance of hand
hygiene. The training session will also be conducted for three hours that will incorporate
lectures, group-discussions, audio-visual demonstration, power-point slides, posters and youtube
videos. The main focus would be on the significance of maintaining hand hygiene. Proper steps
will also be demonstrated to the health care staffs (Stewardson et al., 2015). Hand hygiene
practices will taught to the nurses that can be used in different healthcare service delivery
processes. A post a picture will be provided over the basin showing proper steps of washing
hand. This post will act as a reminder for the health care staffs to wash their hands properly
(Blumstein, 2014). The training session will be conducted on a regular basis and different
educational tools and techniques will also be used for educating the nurses. The nurses would be
able to gather knowledge about how they will manage their works and patients by ensuring hand
hygiene. Books, videos and posters will be provided to the nurses to learn hand hygiene (Pittet,
Boyce & Allegranzi, 2017).
Sample size
The project will be completed in a month (4 week period). Health care staffs will be the
participants in this project and with their consent. There would be around 22 healthcare workers
who will contribute their efforts.
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PratikshyaBhattarai, 5605994, Autumn Session 2019