M2 Assignment

Infectious diseases still present considerable management challenges to healthcare systems globally. Infectious diseases impact healthcare systems disproportionately, with lower-income countries being more vulnerable to the impacts of these diseases than developed countries. With the increasing emergence of novel infectious pathogens that can cause widespread morbidity and mortality, as seen in pandemics and outbreaks, the world is staring at yet other public health threats that may cause immense global disruptions. Emerging infectious diseases such as the recent COVID-19 are growing public health concerns that present considerable challenges to health care systems. Understanding the transmission pattern of these diseases and causal factors may enable the establishment of a framework to combat these infectious diseases.

The Impact of the Healthcare Professional on Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that people develop when they are in contact with healthcare services in various care facilities. Healthcare professionals are essential in preventing and controlling these infections. Healthcare professionals can utilize several strategies to prevent HAIs. As health educators and advocates, healthcare professionals can effectively minimize HAIs attributable to patient care variables such as antibiotic and invasive medical device use. Healthcare professionals can educate patients on appropriate antibiotic use to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance and the subsequent emergence of superbugs. Healthcare professionals should also comply with the standard sterile techniques when performing invasive procedures on patients. Through patient engagement and education, healthcare professionals can also ensure that their patients adhere to proper hygiene standards such as handwashing (Bearman et al., 2019). These preventive measures by healthcare professionals are pivotal in minimizing the spread of HAIs.

Standard Precaution Guidelines For Infection Control and Prevention

The CDC outlines standard precautions and guidelines for preventing and controlling infectious diseases. These include handwashing, use of personal protective equipment, respiratory hygiene, the safety of sharp instruments used for medical procedures, safe injection practices, sterile instruments, and devices, and cleanliness of the environment in which healthcare procedures are performed (“Standard Precautions”, 2022). Hand hygiene is the most superior measure for preventing and controlling infectious diseases. Handwashing with clean running water and soap is recommended for all patients and healthcare professionals in healthcare facilities. Alcohol-based hand rub may also maintain effectiveness in hand hygiene.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and gloves minimizes exposure to infectious pathogens. PPE maintains significance in breaking the chain of transmission of infectious diseases. Their use has been emphasized in infectious disease outbreaks. Cough etiquette remains an important respiratory hygiene that protects individuals from respiratory infections. Sharp safety minimizes percutaneous injuries and prevents the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. Safe injection practices detail all interventions necessary for ensuring compliance with sterile injection techniques and preventing the transmission of infectious diseases across patients. Environmental cleanliness entails cleaning the environment in which medical procedures are performed. Essentially, it reduces the contamination of surfaces and ensures that medical procedures are carried out safely.

Ways An Infection Might Spread Within A Community Setting

Infections spread within communities in several ways. Infections spread via droplets, direct contact, and transplacental (van Deventer & Hochberg, 2018). Droplet transmission occurs when an individual sneezes, coughs, or talks. Infectious agents are often contained in these droplets, and transmission occurs when these droplets come into contact with the mucosal membranes of a susceptible host. Most respiratory infections spread via droplet transmission. Infectious diseases that can be spread via droplet transmission include viral infections such as influenza and COVID-19 and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis. Infections transmitted by droplet transmission can be slowed or stopped by practicing good respiratory hygiene as cough etiquette, wearing face masks, and minimizing overcrowding. Cough etiquette and face masks prevent the escape of droplets containing infectious pathogens into the air, thus reducing their spread (van Deventer & Hochberg, 2018). Overcrowding, as seen in refugee camps and institutions of incarceration, accelerates the spread of infectious diseases. Reducing overcrowding slows the spread of infectious diseases.

Direct contact transmission occurs when a susceptible host directly contacts infectious pathogens. This can be via inhalation of the pathogen as seen in histoplasmosis or through broken skin as seen in tetanus. Direct contact transmission can be slowed by wearing masks when in proximity to persons infected with pathogens that can be transmitted via inhalation. Putting on a pair of shoes can also prevent an individual from being pierced by sharp objects on the ground that can predispose them to infections. Disinfection of injured areas on the skin can also prevent the transmission of these infections.

Transplacental transmission is a mother-to-child transmission that occurs during pregnancy. This mode of transmission is common in certain infections such as HIV/AIDS, Toxoplasma gondii, and Zika virus. This can be slowed by aggressive treatment of the mother during pregnancy to reduce the pathogen load on the mother (van Deventer & Hochberg, 2018). Careful management of the infant after birth can also reduce the transmission of these diseases.

Impact of The Environment On The Growth And Spread Of Microbes

Environment plays a significant role in infectious disease spread. The human environment can affect pathogen virulence, survival, abundance, and the host’s susceptibility to these pathogens (Lo Iacono & Nichols, 2018). Pathogen abundance and survival are influenced by environmental factors that promote microbial growth, such as temperature, pH, and availability of growth media. This is the case with dirty surfaces and untreated water. Individuals exposed to dirty water and environment become susceptible to infectious pathogens that thrive in such environments. Practicing basic environmental hygiene can drastically reduce infection with these pathogens. Cleaning and disinfection of surfaces eliminate a large proportion of microbes. These methods are important as they eliminate pathogens from the environment that would have otherwise caused the disease to man. In addition, disinfection of water used for cooking and drinking can also reduce the number of microbes, making it safe for human use. Water disinfection is important for eliminating water-borne infectious pathogens such as Vibrio cholerae. Further, clearing vegetation that acts as a breeding ground for vectors carrying microbial pathogens can also significantly reduce the population of these infectious pathogens. Notably, these strategies have remained vital public health measures for minimizing infectious diseases.

Precautions For Preventing The Spread Of Cold/Flu-Like Symptoms

Cold/flu-like symptoms are common presentations in primary healthcare and often indicate upper respiratory infections. The precautions I will take if a patient presents with cold/flu-like symptoms include asking them to maintain social distancing, wear a face mask, wash their hands with soap and running water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub. Respiratory infections are mainly transmitted via droplet transmission. Public health strategies such as wearing face masks and social distancing can prevent droplets when talking, sneezing, and coughing from reaching a susceptible host.

Dealing with Viral Infections

For a patient with a viral infection requesting an antibiotic, the best response is to educate them on rational antibiotic use. In this regard, I will explain to them that the infection they have is caused by a virus and that antibiotics will not be effective in treating them. I will also explain to them that antibiotics are medications that are effective only against bacteria and not viruses, and there is no need to treat viral infections with antibiotics. Additionally, I will explain to them that irrational use of antibiotics can lead to antibacterial-resistant strains of bacteria that are not easy to treat and are expensive to manage (Llor & Bjerrum, 2018). It is therefore important that they do not take antibiotics for viral infections.

Conclusion

Infectious diseases remain a concern to public health. Understanding the transmission pattern of these diseases and causative factors is necessary for their management. Infection prevention and control focuses on measures that effectively minimize the spread of these infections within communities. Healthcare professionals play a vital role in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Of importance in infection control and prevention is the understanding of environmental factors contributing to the spread of these infections and how they can be modified to minimize spread.

References

Bearman, G., Doll, M., Cooper, K., & Stevens, M. (2019). Hospital Infection Prevention: How Much Can We Prevent and How Hard Should We Try?. Current Infectious Disease Reports, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-019-0660-2

Llor, C., & Bjerrum, L. (2018). Antimicrobial resistance: risk associated with antibiotic overuse and initiatives to reduce the problem. Therapeutic Advances In Drug Safety, 5(6), 229-241. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042098614554919

Lo Iacono, G., & Nichols, G. (2018). Modeling the Impact of Environment on Infectious Diseases. Oxford Research Encyclopedia Of Environmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.339

Standard Precautions. CDC.gov. (2022). Retrieved 2 July 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/summary-infection-prevention-practices/standard-precautions.html.

van Seventer, J., & Hochberg, N. (2018). Principles of Infectious Diseases: Transmission, Diagnosis, Prevention, and Control. International Encyclopedia Of Public Health, 22-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-803678-5.00516-6

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This week you have learned about the key factors in preventing the spread of infection, the differences in bacterial and viral infections, the importance of the correct use of antibiotics, and the role of the healthcare professional in these scenarios.

M2 Assignment

For the assignment this week you will write a 1500-1750 word essay that addresses the following prompts:

Reflect on the impact the healthcare professional has on preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Discuss the standard precaution guidelines that should be followed for infection control and prevention.

Describe three ways an infection might spread within a community setting. How could these infections be slowed or stopped?

Explain how the environment impacts the growth and spread of microbes. How can environments be controlled or altered to decrease the growth of microbes? Include at least three elements of the environment that can be controlled. Why is this important in preventing HAIs?

If a patient presents with cold/flu-like symptoms, what precautions should you take to prevent the spread? For this patient, the lab work determines a viral infection. The patient is adamant they are in need of antibiotic treatment. Explain how you would respond to this patient’s request.

Assignment Expectations

Length: 1500 – 1750 words; answers must thoroughly address the questions in a clear, concise manner.

Structure: Include a title page and reference page in APA style. These do not count towards the minimum word count for this assignment.

References: Use the appropriate APA style in-text citations and references for all resources utilized to answer the questions. Include at least three (3) scholarly sources to support your claims.

Format: Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx).

File name: Name your saved file according to your first initial, last name, and the assignment number (for example, “RHall Assignment 1.docx”)

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