Hand Hygiene
Essential Nursing Skills
Cleanliness Champions Assessment
September 2010
Submission – Monday 9th May 2011
Word Count - 550
This essay will be addressing the first five units of Cleanliness Champions, demonstrating my knowledge and understanding of each unit and how they help prevent infection within clinical practice.
Unit 1 introduces what Cleanliness Champions is giving insight into the programmes aims at protecting both patients and staff from Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI), HAI complicates recovery from illness and trauma, extends hospital stays, delays return to normal activity and increases stress on patients, families and carers (HAI Education 2010). As a cleanliness champion we are expected to contribute to the prevention of infections.
Unit 2 introduces the Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICP’s). It also explains The Chain of Infection which contains six links: * The Infection Agent * Reservoir * Portal of Entry * Mode of Transmission * Portal of Exit * Susceptible Host
The Chain of Infection is crucial in order to prevent or break the chain of infection, by ensuring the Standard Infection Control Precautions are utilised fully within clinical areas, hand washing and wearing protective clothing equipment are also crucial in the prevention of infection. Every year at least 5,000 people die of infections which are caught in hospitals. (www.bbc.co.uk)
Unit 3 A introduces hand hygiene and how it’s vital in preventing infection. It illustrates the importance and procedures of hand hygiene and how they prevent infections from spreading to patients giving an understanding of how hands become contaminated and how easily these are passed on demonstrating that hand hygiene should be performed frequently and regularly. The five important hand hygiene moments are:
* Entering patient zones to protect the patient from other micro-organisms * Entering sites with infectious risk * Entering sites with
Cleanliness Champions Assessment
September 2010
Submission – Monday 9th May 2011
Word Count - 550
This essay will be addressing the first five units of Cleanliness Champions, demonstrating my knowledge and understanding of each unit and how they help prevent infection within clinical practice.
Unit 1 introduces what Cleanliness Champions is giving insight into the programmes aims at protecting both patients and staff from Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI), HAI complicates recovery from illness and trauma, extends hospital stays, delays return to normal activity and increases stress on patients, families and carers (HAI Education 2010). As a cleanliness champion we are expected to contribute to the prevention of infections.
Unit 2 introduces the Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICP’s). It also explains The Chain of Infection which contains six links: * The Infection Agent * Reservoir * Portal of Entry * Mode of Transmission * Portal of Exit * Susceptible Host
The Chain of Infection is crucial in order to prevent or break the chain of infection, by ensuring the Standard Infection Control Precautions are utilised fully within clinical areas, hand washing and wearing protective clothing equipment are also crucial in the prevention of infection. Every year at least 5,000 people die of infections which are caught in hospitals. (www.bbc.co.uk)
Unit 3 A introduces hand hygiene and how it’s vital in preventing infection. It illustrates the importance and procedures of hand hygiene and how they prevent infections from spreading to patients giving an understanding of how hands become contaminated and how easily these are passed on demonstrating that hand hygiene should be performed frequently and regularly. The five important hand hygiene moments are:
* Entering patient zones to protect the patient from other micro-organisms * Entering sites with infectious risk * Entering sites with
References: Endacott, R. Jevon, P. Cooper, S. (2008) Clinical Nursing Skills: Core and Advanced United States, Oxford University Press. Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2010) Guidance on professional conduct: For nursing and midwifery students Richardson, R (2008) Clinical Skills for Student Nurses: Theory, Practice and Reflection Devon, Reflect Press. BBC News Website (2000) [Online] Available: : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/646369.stm [Accessed 06th January 2011] Cleanliness Champions Website (2010) [Online] Available: http://www.hai-champions.nes.scot.nhs.uk [Accessed: 28th December 2010] Nursing and Midwifery Council, (2008) The Code [Online] Available: http://www.nmc-uk.org [Accessed 09th February 2011] NHS Education for Scotland (NES) [Online] Available: http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/initiatives/healthcare-associated-infection/educational-programmes/cleanliness-champions/the-role-of-a-cleanliness-champion [Accessed 09th February 2011] InfectionControlPolicy[Online]Available: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn247.pdf [Accessed 09th February 2010]