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Document Type

DNP - University Access Only

Award Date

2019

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Graduate Nursing

First Advisor

Nicole Gibson

Keywords

ATP monitoring, checklist, cleaning practices, education, emergency department, high-touch surfaces, hospitals, infection control, outpatient

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to affect patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Despite effective prevention methods, many inconsistencies exist in healthcare settings, particularly hospital outpatient areas. This project aimed to improve nursing staff effectiveness with cleaning and disinfecting practices within two hospital outpatient departments through use of an online educational module and modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) high-touch surfaces checklist.
Evidence Summary: While many interventions target the reduction of HAIs, the CDC and numerous previous studies promote the incorporation of a formal infection control program focusing on environmental cleaning effectiveness and ongoing process monitoring.
Gaps: Formal infection control programs in hospital outpatient settings and involvement of nursing staff in targeted cleaning interventions is lacking in current literature. Furthermore, very few studies reflect the use of a high-touch surfaces checklist in conjunction with staff education.
Recommendations for Practice: Recommendations for practice involve modifications in environmental cleaning and disinfecting practices in hospital outpatient settings via staff education, a high-touch surfaces checklist intervention tool, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) monitoring system for continued evaluation and performance feedback.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Infection -- Prevention.
Hospital buildings -- Sanitation.
Hospital buildings -- Disinfection.
Industrial hygiene.
Nurses.
Hospitals -- Safety measures -- Study and teaching.

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

72

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

Copyright © 2019 Olivia J. Brown

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