Increasing rates of Healthcare-Associated Infections such as Surgical Site Infection (SSI) and Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) pose a growing risk to patient well-being and indirectly also increase financial pressure on the healthcare system. However, these infections have remained prevalent and constant due to inconsistent compliance with these evidence-based infection control measures (Buetti et al.,2022).NURS FPX 8030 Assessment 5: Creation of Policy or Procedure These issues will be addressed through this policy initiative by the development of an effective Infection Prevention and Control Policy for Johns Hopkins. It focuses on creating consistent measures and raising the staff’s knowledge regarding infections to decrease hospital infection dissemination and outcome improvements.

Subject/Title of Policy:

Infection Prevention and Control Policy for Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) and Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs).

Purpose

Calderwood et al. (2023) observed that SSIs and CLABSIs are among the most preventable HAIs. However, the key elements of this policy shall support the ideas for the responsibility for the further best practice of the infection prevention process. It therefore entails a constant check and balance, a feedback mechanism and real, time, real-time data integration which will in turn give way for early identification of any manifestation of aberrance from the set standard. This preventative course is to ensure compliance with EBPs not only but also enhances the healthcare worker themselves to take charge of the patient’s health. It promotes expenditure on other developing solutions like antimicrobial products and automatic surveillance that can enhance the infection control scheme. In general, this strategy ahead of the national campaign against HAIs saves patient lives and fosters better performance of the healthcare system.

Population Affected by the Policy

Strategies for SSIs and CLABSIs are directed at a wide community, including patients, and healthcare facilities (Shepard et al., 2020). These policies are very important in preventing hazards of HAIs, which in turn precipitate longer hospitalization, high charges for health care, and high incidences of morbidity and mortality. The main population in focus is patients who are undergoing surgery or those who require central line insertion for different purposes. SSIs influence those persons who have surgery, and, as a consequence, can have such problems as a failure of wound healing, abscess formation, or sepsis. In a like manner, CLABSIs are possible in patients who are bearing central venous catheters (CVCs) which are very risky since they might lead to lethal bloodstream infections. These policies are meant to reduce the risk through epidemiologic methods like aseptic measures, proper hand washing, antimicrobial; precautions, and implementation of standardized and protocol-based central line care. The effect is felt most keenly by such sub-populars as neonates, elderly patients, or, immunosuppressed patients like cancer patients or recipients of organ transplants among others due to the high risk they are exposed to infections.

Policy Statement

In this case, Johns Hopkins is committed to the proposition that the reduction of SSIs and CLABSIs is possible by the formulation of a structured Infection Prevention and Control Policy at Johns Hopkins. Specifically, this policy is directed to the procedures of the admission of the best practices which are important for the conformities of surgeries in surgical and ICU departments with group decent patient safety and low rates (Kubde et al., 2023). It is seen that reflection was made across the teams, motion control practices were set and practice and care quality were improved.

Procedure

In its process, a step-by-step process will be conducted where education on the Infection Prevention and Control Policy will be done first, and then the policy will be executed, monitored, and quality checked. The first phase of the project will be carried out during Weeks 1 to 4 and will include staff education/training to enhance the team’s knowledge and practices regarding infection prevention. A focus will be made on hand washing procedures and sterilization as well as aseptic techniques, usage and disposal of personal protective wear, and correct approaches to insertion and management of central lines. Handouts and audiovisual aids, preparing demonstration kits and teaching aids with the help of which participants will be able to understand the basic principles of infection control, will be prepared and presented by the nurse educators. Branch managers will be responsible for enforcing compliance as all staff must go through the training before the stipulated time.

In Weeks 5 to 8, we are going to implement EBPs during before, during, and after operation care. Surgical health checklists will be applied by the health care teams as an ordinary procedure, and the dressing of the central line as well as its utility specification will be checked every shift. Our team will require autoclaves to sterilize equipment and sterile dressing and essential checklists in Weeks 5-8 to ensure consistency with the new standards. This means issues that relate to the operation theatre and Intensive Care Unit require adherence to these rules with no exception or alteration in an attempt to reduce infections.

Specifically in the third phase, we intend to assess Week 9 to Week 12 results. During this evaluation phase, we also provide real-time staff implementation and protocol usage through comments, feedback reporting, and auditing sessions. Special teams charged with infection control will frequently visit operating rooms and central line insertion sites to ensure compliance with laid down measures. Managers and directors in the organization will immediately do something about observed disparities so that compliance will be observed.

From Weeks 13 to 16, the quality improvement and review phase requires weekly meetings of the quality improvement committee. Every week our team checks infection rates to measure protocol effectiveness and find improvement opportunities. The infection control team looks at the collected information to spot policy improvement needs. Our infection prevention programs succeed better when we review and update them systematically throughout time. The hospital works together to lower infection rates at surgical sites and bloodstreams to improve patient care quality.

Conclusion

Johns Hopkins needs this Infection Prevention and Control Policy to advance patient safety and care standards. The policy follows proven techniques, trains personnel, and checks progress to lower hospital-acquired infections and treatment costs (Gidey et al., 2023). CLABSIs are possible in patients who are bearing central venous catheters (CVCs) which are very risky since they might lead to lethal bloodstream infections. Success in this policy rollout will support lasting infection control efforts at Johns Hopkins and define new healthcare standards for others.

References

Buetti, N., Marschall, J., Drees, M., Fakih, M. G., Hadaway, L., Maragakis, L. L., Monsees, E., Novosad, S., OGrady, N. P., Rupp, M. E., Wolf, J., Yokoe, D., & Mermel, L. A. (2022). Strategies to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections in acute-care hospitals: 2022 update. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 43(5), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2022.87

Calderwood, M. S., Anderson, D. J., Bratzler, D. W., Dellinger, E. P., Garcia, S., Maragakis, L. L., Nyquist, A. C., Perkins, K. M., Preas, M. A., Saiman, L., Schaffzin, J. K., Schweizer, M., Yokoe, D. S., & Kaye, K. S. (2023). Strategies to prevent surgical site infections in acute-care hospitals: 2022 update. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 44(5), 695–720. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2023.67