Introduction

Epidemiology is applicable to this case study. It details the postulates causal mechanism for this disease in a populace, quantifies as well as develop mechanism for disease control. GHH is in dire need of this discipline because it has become overpowered by E. coli epidemic situated on Ward 10 on its second floor. E. coli remains a bacterium common in intestine of animals and humans whereby it often trigger no harm. Various stains of E coli disease exist some of which trigger food poisoning amongst the young children and elderly persons. Six individuals have contracted the E. coli’s nosocomial infection at GHH.

The role of a social science researcher is to probe the diverse triggers and trends of E. coli alongside with its associated influence on patients. Fathoming issues with litigation which questions the safety procedures and precaution of GHH related to the outbreak of this illness from a patient to another remains significantly imperative to a social science investigator. GHH does not desire encountering a claim of negligence. Thus, contacting CDC and DOH to get the desired info about nosocomial disorder permits the investigator the chance of gaining useful info linked to several means of halting its spread (Ramírez-Estrada, Borgatta & Rello, 2016).

This paper analyzes the records of GHH including the list of latest nosocomial infections that took place in the previous year. It then categorizes a range of parameters in collecting data into info, and determine 6 or more questions for healthcare administrators. Additionally, it identifies a targeted audience at GHH, and subsequently design a plan for implementation anchored on hypothetical meeting with GHH administrators. Further, it recommends 5 or more steps taken in plan for implementation to HOD. Finally, such approved recommendations are used for visible safety protocol design in GHH public areas.

Analyzing GHH Records 

The nosocomial infections remain the infections acquitted in health facility or hospital. To classify an infections as nosocomial, a patient must have been admitted for a reason which is unrelated to the infection. The investigator identified a cause of E. coli outburst as contaminated food from GHH cafeteria. Six known E. coli outbreak were recorded. GHH presently deals with four nosocomial epidemic cases of E. coli on Ward 10 situated on its 2^nd floor. Such 4 cases stood identified and have already been associated with contaminated food from GHH cafeteria and two pending cases have been also acknowledged (Solà, Solé & Ginès, 2016). After the meeting with Joe Wellborn, Chief Administrator, one of the patients might probably have showcased symptoms and signs of previous admission. The discussion parameter are as follows:

• Person: four identified cases
  1. Male, age 23
  2. Female, age 21
  3. Male, age 15
  4. Female, age 42
• Place: GHH, Ward 10, 2^ndfloor
  1. GHH Cafeteria
  2. Other Tampa Bay area’s hospitals
• Time: Within the previous week

Six Questions Proposed

 As GHH’s health healthcare administrator, the duty is to prevent the lawsuits engaging patients. Nonetheless, a plan must exist in case of any arising litigation matters. Therefore, in attempts to prepare for any process of litigation, various questions are developed:

• What is the nosocomial infection control’s primary goal at GHH?
• How shall the GHH implement a plan to accomplish the goal and evade lawsuits against the GHH for nosocomial infections?
• What protocols have to be available to help in the patients with confirmed/ suspected bacterium infections’ management?
• What policies would GHH develop and disseminate to all workforce for implementation?
• Who should become liable in case of negligence?
• How does GHH plan to prevent the hospital from litigations with infections from related to inpatient visits?

Nosocomial infections (NIs) remain characteristically perceived as inevitable hospitalization risks. Nonetheless, where NIs risk materializes, infection stood characteristically benign and curable. Litigations stood infrequently pursued even where consequences of NIs stood severe due to viewpoints that infections acquitted at hospitals remained a common risk that usually materialize irrespective of negligence.  Even where litigations got filed, characteristically, they remain emphasized on infection treatment instead of why and how infection got acquired. Providers and facilities of healthcare have an obligation for patient safe and secure care. Patients who proves they suffered harm due to incompetency of providers to meet desired care standard brings a negligence claim against such providers and health facility.  

Inpatient remain subject to NIs as nearly 1/25 of them get infected irrespective of time. Such NIs cost healthcare billions of dollars annually and further lead to a loss of many lives. Other NIs remain identified as UTI, GI, CVS, SSI, BSI, SST, eye and pneumonia. Infectious illness control amongst the most common epidemiology application in medical society. NIs are increasing and hence it is imperative for providers to offer highest care level and possess desired professional skills for patient health maintenance (Zingg, Holmes, Dettenkofer, Goetting, Secci, Clack & Pittet, 2015).  

Target Audience and Implementation Plan

Healthcare providers, food service workers, administrative staff, administration, risk management, HR, hospital workforce, and stakeholders are the target audience within GHH. Facilities administrators and health providers have distinct chance of decreasing potential NIs. GHH must use knowledge and skills of nursing practice, enhance recovery, as they minimize NIs-associated complications. Poor hand-washing hygiene remains a trigger for enormous NIs. Improved adherence to hand-washing lowers NIs. Increased accessibility of hand-washing areas alongside fungicidal and bactericidal alcohol gels (rapidly dries) use enhances compliance level. Protective garments are essential for exposed providers to body fluids like blood/urine/oropharyngeal-fluids/ sweat while gloves/aprons must be worn during fluid-handling. Utilizing invasive procedures increases NIs exposure and using specific sites (subclavian vein) instead of femoral veins/internal jugular lowers exposure.   

In GHH, strong concerns existed about these target audiences and desired responses/actions to lower NIs. Healthcare providers and facilities encounter vulnerability since people undertaking some services are negligent or not precautionary. Healthcare workers, administration, dieticians, environmental service specialists, alongside maintenance staff assist in keeping successful facility operation. Every occupation runs several systems at GHH during different periods and often remain exposed to NIs alongside patients in case of no compliance/protocol thus creating difficult and hostile environment for both. Thus, a strategic plan must be implemented by healthcare administrators to help combat NIs (Sohail, Rashid, Aslam, Waseem, Shahid, Akram & Rasool, 2016). GHH’s plan showcase the desire of solving NIs epidemic via identification of problem source and effecting changes. These four steps will shape the implementation plan:

• Creating, documenting, and implementing the appropriate material for disease identification and fighting
• Locating the trigger and risk factors affecting NIs’ target audience
• Controlling target places through research, strategies and preventions
• Establishing effective communications between local health departments and government health bodies (O’Driscoll & Crank, 2015)
• Introducing protocols which reach every international and national centers about detected major eruptions or biochemical risk (Khan, Baig & Mehboob, 2017)

The 4 steps pertinent to plan’s implementation:

1. Explaining plan implementation purpose
2. Collecting desired data to back plan

• Identifying target

1. Adherence to the recommended protocol

Suggested Recommendation 

The following five recommendations will help effectively serve the department, and safeguard facility and staff:

• Examining and updating the guidelines and protocol for the safety facility safety
• Reviewing and approving necessary documentation in plan execution
• Introducing  the policy for NIs prevention to providers
• Providing effective communication amongst healthcare workforce about sanitation
• Training and retraining workforce about illness prevention and infectious control

All recommendation will avail desired safeguard from NIs spread and shall protect patients and hospital workforce thus less NIs risks (Kaye & Pogue, 2015).

Safety Protocol Itinerary 

All above-approved recommendations demand a safety protocol itinerary hence, each public access areas of GHH shall include:

• Instructions, reminders and requirements for hand washing (Drysdale, Green & Sande, (2016)
• Labelling of all doors with extremely infectious patients (Garnacho-Montero & Timsit, (2019)
• Wearing safety garments before entering a room.
• All issues must be report immediately (Dryden, Andrasevic, Bassetti,  Bouza, Chastre, Baguneid & Unal, 2015)

Conclusion 

Implementation of the above plan and strict adherence to the recommendations will make GHH a risk-free area for all the target audience and the patients. GHH administration must ensure full compliance to reduce any possibility of the litigation. 

References 

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Sohail, M., Rashid, A., Aslam, B., Waseem, M., Shahid, M., Akram, M., … & Rasool, M. H. (2016). Antimicrobial susceptibility of Acinetobacter clinical isolates and emerging antibiogram trends for nosocomial infection management. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical, 49(3), 300-304.

Solà, E., Solé, C., & Ginès, P. (2016). Management of uninfected and infected ascites in cirrhosis. Liver International, 36, 109-115.

Zingg, W., Holmes, A., Dettenkofer, M., Goetting, T., Secci, F., Clack, L., … & Pittet, D. (2015). Hospital organisation, management, and structure for prevention of health-care-associated infection: a systematic review and expert consensus. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 15(2), 212-224.