Clinical Audit Proposal: Infection Control in Medical Wards

This clinical audit proposal, submitted by a student, focuses on improving infection control practices within medical and infectious disease wards. The proposal begins with an introduction to the clinical audit cycle, emphasizing its role in enhancing patient-centered care and outcomes. It identifies the high risk of infections in these wards as the primary issue, setting the stage for a detailed examination of the audit process. The proposal outlines the five key components of the clinical audit cycle: identifying the problem, setting standards, data collection, analysis, and implementation of change. It then delves into the specifics of the proposed audit, including the aim of reducing infection rates among patients and nurses, and the objectives of collecting data and establishing clear criteria. The proposal details the setting, population, sample size, and time period for the audit, as well as inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants. Data collection methods are described, along with plans for data analysis and management. The proposal concludes by emphasizing the importance of implementing changes based on the audit findings to improve infection control practices and enhance patient and healthcare worker safety.

Running Head: PRACTICE EVALUATION STRATERGIES - CLINICAL AUDIT PROPOSAL
PRACTICE EVALUATION STRATERGIES - CLINICAL AUDIT PROPOSAL
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Title of the proposal
The title of the proposal is “infection control in medical and infectious disease ward”.
Introduction:
Clinical audit cycle is a method which is well-defined as "a eminence improvement method
which pursues in order to improve the patient centred care and along with the outcomes of that care with
the help of systematic assessment of care contrary to overt criteria and execution of modification". It is
used to improve the quality of patient care by the help of measuring the outcome or the process. It works
against the standard set on the evidence-based medicine. The essay aims to design a clinical audit cycle
proposal on the infection control in medical and infectious disease ward. Chances of getting infected is
extremely high in infectious ward and medical ward as compared to other places (Mitchell et al., 2017).
Hence, it is necessary to control the infection in medical as well as in the infectious ward. In this essay,
the problem or complication that can be caused in the medical ward or infectious ward is discussed in
detail. The essay also contains the components of the clinical audit cycle such as, identifying the topic,
selecting the standards, data collection, analysing and implementing the change. In the essay audit
proposal is explained such as, Setting, Population and Sample Size, Time Period, Inclusions/Exclusions,
Recruitment of Participants, Data Collection and other factors.
The audit cycle
Clinical audit cycle is defined as the process of which works to improve the health outcomes of the
patient by improving the patient health care (Coyne et al., 2016). The main aim the clinical audit cycle is
to evaluate the incongruities between the actual traditional practice and the standard practice in order to
detect the variations that is needed to increase the quality of patient- care. The audit cycle consist of five
components which are, identifying the topic, selecting the standards, data collection, analysing and

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implementing the change (Chambers & Wakley, 2016). These components aims to improve the patient
health care by excluding the criteria where changes are required. After the changes has been
implemented, it is monitored to evaluate the effectiveness of the clinical audit cycle. The components of
the clinical audit cycle are:
Stage 1: identify the issue or complications
It is the first step of the clinical audit cycle. This step includes the selection of the topic that is to be
audited. It is likely to comprise determining observance to the healthcare methods which produce best
health outcomes for the patients. It depends upon several factors which influences the selection of the
audit such as national standard and the guidelines that exist, specific areas where the actual problems has
been observed, recommendation of the public and patients that can be looked at, clear possible for
enlightening the service delivery, areas consisting high volume, high cost or high risk or high risk,
where improvement can be made (Esposito & Dal Canton, 2014). In this essay, the problem is the
infection which is high in medical wards and infectious ward. It is commonly observed and hence needs
to be controlled.
Stage 2: Setting the standard and criteria:
Audit criteria is defined as the overall criteria of the audit based on which the whole clinical
audit cycle is formulated. The criteria that is considered while setting the standard of the audit is the
outcome or the result of the audit, what are the questions that should be focused while answering the
question. The answer of the audit has to be written in series form which will focus on the audit. The
standard of the audit is measured based on the care that has been provided to the patient (Paton et al.,
2015). A standard has been formulated by considering all the criteria of the audit.

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Stage 3: Data collection:
It is the 3rd step of the clinical audit cycle which deals with the data collection method. The data
that is to be collected should be precise, and should contain all the essential information. Certain
collected details which are audited should be recognised from the beginning. Data collection should
include, The operator group is to be involved, with making any exceptions, several healthcare
professionals should be involved in providing the quality care to the patient, and the time- period, over
which the criteria is to be applied. Sample size is considered and evaluated for statistical value and also
the pragmatically issue of the data collection (Advani et al., 2015). Ethical issue is also to be considered
at the time of data collection such as, the confidentiality and privacy of the patient is respected.
Stage 4: Comparing the performance of the clinical audit cycle with the standard and criteria.
This step deals with analysis of the standard and criteria. Here the result which has been obtained from
the previous experiments are evaluated and compared based on the standard and criteria that has been
formulated for the clinical audit cycle (Ashley et al., 2014).
Stage 5: Implementing the change:
This is the last step of the clinical audit cycle. In this step, the result or change that has been
formulated after comparing it with the standards and criteria are evaluated. The result is then published
and further discussed in order to implement the following change (Advani et al., 2015). Before the
implementation of the change it has to be agreed by each and every member.

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Figure: The clinical audit cycle
Identify the Issue/Problem:
Infection in medical ward ad infectious ward is frequently observed. Patient in infectious ward
suffers from chronic illness, hence nurses working on those areas possess high chances of getting
infected with the severe infectious disease such as, HIV and AIDS Infection prevention and control
(IPC) is a considered as the scientific approach and the practical solution which is designed in order to
prevent the harm or illness caused by the infection to health workers and the patients (Berríos-Torres et
al., 2017). According to Mitchell, et al., (2017), around 165,000 of the Australians get infected each
years by the acquired clinical infections. These infections include, staph, urinary tract, respiratory
infections in patient having high chances of stroke and surgical site can lead to demise. It is commonly
observed in the individual who are either already ill or have weakened immunity. Apart from the patient
it is also commonly observed in the nursing staff who are involved in providing quality car to the patient
suffering from infectious disease (Anderson et al., 2014) Hence by considering the adverse effect of the
hospital acquired infection in the health of patients and the nurses, it is necessary to formulate clinical
audit proposal in order to control the infection caused in medical wards and infectious wards.
IdentifytheissueorcomplicationsSettin gt hestand ar dandcriter ia
Datacolle ctio nAnaly sin g
Impl em entingthe ch ange

5PRACTICE EVALUATION STRATERGIES - CLINICAL AUDIT PROPOSAL
Plan the Audit
Aim
The aim of the audit proposal is to formulate a proposal plan that helps in controlling the rate of
acquired infection in medical wards and infectious wards in patients and in nurses.
Objectives
Rate of acquired infection is extremely high in case of patient and the nurses who works in
infection wards and medical wards. Hence, the main objective is to collect the data from the patient
admitted to medical wards and infectious wards and the nurse who are handling those patients. From of
the data the rate of acquired infection and medical wards among the nurse and the patient.
Criterion/Criteria
Before initiating the audit process, the criteria or the standard are set. Audit criteria is defined as
the overall criteria based on which the whole clinical audit cycle is formulated and standard consists the
outcome of the audit proposal that consists all the criteria. The criteria in the case of audit proposal the
care that has been provided to the patient. In order to do that, it is considered that the respondents should
perform, hand hygiene. Injection safety, personal protective equipment safety, respiratory hygiene, and
waste disposal is to be maintained. Blood and other fluid spillage decontamination of equipment is to be
avoided. The research is performed after maintaining all the criteria (Han et al., 2015).
Standard
The rate of acquired infection is high among the nurses and the patient in medical wards and
infectious wards. The standard in the clinical audit cycle is defined as the outcome of the audit process.
The standard set for the process is the decrease in the rate of acquired clinical infection among patients

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and nurses (working in medical and infectious wards). The rate should be reduced to around 15% of the
total infection at the end of the clinical audit cycle. Stay in hospital should be reduced.
Clinical Audit Design
The clinical audit design is formulated by considering all the criteria and the standards of the audit cycle.
Clinical audit design is formulated to control the infection rate infectious wars and medical wards. The design that
should be used is quantitative and experimental to evaluate the infection control method on reducing the infection
rate (Ingham-Broomfield, 2014)
Setting
The setting used for the completion of the clinical audit cycle is the medical wards and infectious wards
of the hospital. The patient suffering from chronic illness and severe infection are admitted to medical
wards and the infectious wards respectively. Hence, the rate of acquired infection among the nurses and
the patient is high on those wards. Therefore, the health care setting, especially the medical wards and
the infectious wards are most effective in getting the data related to infection control.
Population and Sample Size
In order to conduct the process, the population and the sample size is selected. The population
selected in order to get the data is registered nurse and patient suffering from infectious wards. The
sample size is 100. 100 patient who are admitted in the medical wards and infection wards but are not
infected with any kind infection. 100 nurse who works in medical and infectious wards are also
included.
Time Period
Time period used in the process of clinical audit cycle is 1 year. The criteria is followed appropriately
during the time period of the assignment and should be regularly monitored.

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Inclusions
Patient admitted to medical and infectious wards but are not infected with any severe infection are
selected. The registered nurse who works in medical and infectious wards ad handle the patient suffering
from infectious disease are selected.
Exclusions
The nurse who work in other department apart from infectious and medical are not included in the
process. The patient who are already suffering from severe infectious disease are not selected and also
the patient admitted to any other department are nit selected for the process.
Recruitment of Participants
The participant who are recruited for the process are the nurse who work in the infectious and
medical department as they have high chances of getting infected. The patient who are at close
proximity of the patient suffering from infectious disease also have high chances of getting infected are
also selected as respondent.
Data Collection
The data should be collected on regular basis by conducting survey or interview among the
registered nurse and patient. The health condition should be regularly observed. Different tests should
also performed to evaluate the signs of any infection.

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Data Analysis & Management
The data collected after the completion of the assignment are analyses by comparing with the
previous report of infection in nurses working in medical wards and infectious wards (Treiman, 2014).
The data also represent the equipment that are responsible for causing infection.
Presentation of Results
The result should be presented on the basis of written format and recorded format among the health care
setting (Israel et al., 2019).
Ethical Considerations
Ethical consideration deals with the ethical issue of the patient and the nurses. The
confidentiality of the patient and the nurses should be maintained (Nix et al., 2016). The autonomy of
the patient and nurse participating in the process should be considered. Apart from that, justice should
also be provided in order to ensure equality among the respondents (Connelly, 2014).
Recommendations
From the above audit plan, it should be recommended that, the intervention that is considered as
criteria is useful in reducing the infection rate (Luangasanatip et al., 2015). Hence these intervention
should be continually used in medical and infectious wards to reduce the rate of infection.
Conclusion
From the above assignment it can be concluded that, Chances of getting infected is extremely
high in infectious ward and medical ward as compared to other places. Hence in order to reduce the rate,
clinical audit cycle is used. In the above essay, the components of the clinical audit cycle such as,
identifying the topic, selecting the standards, data collection, analysing and implementing the change. In
the essay the clinical audit plan is formulated which helps in reducing the infection rate. The plan

9PRACTICE EVALUATION STRATERGIES - CLINICAL AUDIT PROPOSAL
includes Setting (medical and infectious wards), Population and Sample Size (nurse and patient) Time Period
(one years) Inclusions/Exclusions, Recruitment of Participants, Data Collection (direct observation, survey and
interview) data analysed , result presentation and recommendation.

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