Abstract

Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) are a common preventable adverse event in hospitalized patients associated with increased medical costs, length of stay, and death. Hospitalized patients are at higher risks for acquiring HAIs due to the invasive nature of necessary medical procedures and treatments provided such as the use of central line access, hemodialysis catheters, urinary catheters, mechanical ventilation, and surgical sites. Over the years, hospitals have incorporated practices aimed at reducing the transmission of HAIs among hospitalized patients and there has been considerable progress. A recent study showed that in the United States, there was a 16% rate reduction of a patients’ risk of acquiring HAI in 2015 than in 2011 (Magill et al., 2018). However, due to the negative impact of HAIs on patient outcomes, and their preventable nature, more changes in practice are still needed to address this ongoing patient safety initiative. The skin is known as a major reservoir for common pathogens that contributes to HAIs. The use of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing, a broad-spectrum topical antimicrobial agent, can help reduce the bacterial burden on the skin, therefore reducing HAIs in hospitalized patients (Kim et al., 2016). The goal of this project protocol is to implement daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing in patients with medical devices, in isolation, or who have had surgical procedures in the past 14 days. The aim of the new guideline is to reduce the incidence rate of HAIs in hospitalized patients in the next 30 days, improve patient outcomes, reduce costs associated with HAIs and increase hospital reimbursement.

Date of publication

Fall 4-21-2021

Document Type

MSN Capstone Project (Local Access)

Language

english

Persistent identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10950/3684

Degree

MSN, FNP

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