Objective: To give students the opportunity to understand the importance of healthcare acquired infections and the impact a healthcare professional has on preventing the spread of these infections. By the end of this assignment, students should be able to compare the different types of healthcare acquired infections and the nursing implications to stop the spread of these organisms.
Infection control prevents or stops the spread of infections in healthcare settings. Healthcare acquired infections are infections that patients can get while receiving medical or surgical treatment. Write a 2–3-page paper describing what a healthcare acquired infection (HAI) is and what population is the most risk for acquiring a HAI. Choose one of the following HAI infections listed below (box 28.3 in Potter & Perry). Describe the chosen HAI and what patient population is susceptible to this infection. Explain the nursing implications that can prevent the spread of the chosen HAI.
Catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)
Central line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI)
Surgical site infection
Respiratory tract infection
Describe the method of transmission of organisms and how this relates to the chosen HAI? Lastly, explain what laboratory tests you would expect to see on a patient with your chosen HAI. Why would you expect to see this? What would you expect the lab value to be and why?