Traditional Bath Basin To Reduce Infections in Critical Care Patients

Identifying A Researchable Problem: CHG Bathing Versus
Traditional Bath Basin To Reduce Infections in Critical Care Patients
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Identifying A Researchable Problem: CHG Bathing Versus
Traditional Bath Basin To Reduce Infections in Critical Care Patients
Summary
Healthcare facilities are suitable settings for the spread of bacteria, particularly those that are resistant to antimicrobial interventions. A large percentage of Staphylococcus aureus have proven resistant to methicilin, oxacillin and nafcillin. Healthcare-associated infections are common problems in healthcare, and particularly in the critical care facilities. Apparently, these infections will occur in around 20% of all the intensive care unit patients. These infections lead to increased lengths of stay, increasing the healthcare costs and are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates (Climo, Sepkowitz, & Zuccotti, 2009).
In addition, these infections are difficult to treat, but they are preventable. Most of the interventions put forward to reduce the spread of the HAIs include prompt identification, implementation of contact precautions within the hospital or healthcare facility. For critically ill patients, chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing has featured as the most utilized strategy to decrease colonization rates of the infection causing pathogens. CHG is an antiseptic solution, which has been in use since the 1950s because of its comprehensive antiseptic activity. However, other healthcare organizations have preferred the traditional way of bathing, which involves the use of standard soap and water for bathing (Kleinpell, 2012).
Many studies have supported the use of CHG over the traditional bathing, particularly for critically ill patients. In this regard, the evidence suggests that, the antimicrobial activities of CHG can bind to the skin and mucosa proteins; hence, it is an effective antiseptic. Infections, as stated earlier, are significant health problems for both the healthcare field and the nursing practice. In nursing practice, the nursing team should be aware of the factors that may contribute to the development of the hospital associated infections.
Five Questions
1 Are the traditional bath basin potential sources of infections in the intensive care unit?
Certainly, the basins used in bathing of the infected patients may become contaminated. As such, bacteria may be cultured from the patient’s bath basins. There is proof that, water in healthcare settings may harbor microorganisms; hence, the basins may be one of the ways in which bacteria become spread (Johnosn, Lineweaver, & Maze, 2010).
2 Does daily bathing of patients using 2% chlorhexidine-based solution lower the incidences of infection in a medical ICU?
The question posed is researchable in that, it will entail the daily bathing of patients in the ICU with 2% CHG for a given period, for example, two weeks, and then observing if the is further infections or the rates have reduced (Chopra et al., 2013).
3 Does daily bathing of advanced care patients with soap and water lower the incidences of hospital-associated infections?
This question is similar to question number 3, but in this respect, the...