Policy review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Policy review - Essay Example 2006: 1). Perioperative environment area is the sterile area that should be free of the infection-causing bacteria. Therefore preventing cross transmission of the MRO must be addressed in all perioperative settings including, day surgery, the surgical ward, the holding area, the surgery suite, and the PACU. It is the responsibility of all healthcare staff to protect themselves and their surgical patients from contracting MRO infections. The Infection Control Policy: Prevention and Management of Multi-Resistant Organisms (MRO), a policy directive of the NSW Department of Health, or PD2007_084 would guide all health workers in the prevention and management of MRO. The content of document, PD2007_084, the NSW Department of Health policy directive which is the Infection Control Policy: Prevention and Management of Multi-Resistant Organism (MRO) outlined the roles and responsibilities of healthcare staffs by highlighting the general and specific measures that should be observed as standar d practices in all healthcare units. The general measures refer to infection control measures, use of antimicrobials, and environmental cleaning. Specific measures included surveillance of MRO, screening patients and healthcare workers for MRO, risk categorisation of patients and healthcare workers for MRSA, decolonisation and clearing a patient of MRSA, and risk categorisation of patient care area. Guidelines on specimen collection, decolonisation protocol for MRSA, and relevant readings are also included in this policy. Lee and Bishop (2002:273-274) stated that nosocomial infections are grouped into two categories: exogenous infections and endogenous infections. Exogenous infections refer to those infections from the hospital environment, staff, other patients and visitors. Endogenous infections are cause by microorganism in the patient’s own normal flora, including hospital strains. Lee and Bishop (2002: 274-275) also stated that the Australian survey showed a higher preva lence of nosocomial infections in large teaching hospitals because they usually have a large reservoir of infection in intensive care unit, specialised burns unit and in transplant operations facilities. In Australia, there has been an increasing awareness of the importance of controlling and managing infection control in the recent years. All staffs are responsible to control hospital infection by observing the infection control policies and guidelines (Lee and Bishops, 2002: 276). Purpose of the Policy The purpose of infection control policy is primarily the prevention and management of MRO in healthcare facilitates so as to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers through the implementation of routine and standard practices of preventing and controlling the risk of transmission and colonisation of infectious agents. This will prevent fatal illness or death from MRO infection, prolonged hospital stays, readmissions, and additional diagnostic and treatment cost associat ed with such infectious contamination. Implementation would thereby improve the delivery of healthcare services and protect the lives of both patients and healthcare workers. The purpose of infection control policy is not only for the prevention and management of multi-resistant organism in the perioperative environment but also in every aspect of the