In this written assignment, you will be reflecting on a clinical question of interest (a problem or recurring question in your nursing practice) and analyzing the key concepts of evidence-based care.
Create a 1,250-word paper using current APA formatting. Your paper should include headings, a title page, and a reference page which is not part of the word count. References must be current (five years and less to date) and credible/scholarly. A minimum of three references required.
Topic: Evaluating the effectiveness of hand hygiene practices in reducing hospital-acquired infections.
P (Population/Problem): Adult patients in acute care hospitals. I (Intervention): Regular hand hygiene practices using alcohol-based hand rub. C (Comparison): Handwashing with soap and water only. O (Outcome): Reduction in the number of hospital-acquired infections. T (Time): Over a period of 6 months.
PICOT Question: In adult patients in acute care hospitals, how effective is regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub compared to handwashing with soap and water only in reducing hospital-acquired infections over a period of 6 months?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Introduction
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a significant concern in acute care hospitals, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Hand hygiene practices play a crucial role in preventing the transmission of pathogens and reducing the incidence of HAIs. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub compared to handwashing with soap and water only in reducing hospital-acquired infections in adult patients in acute care hospitals over a period of 6 months.
Background
HAIs are infections acquired by patients during their stay in healthcare facilities. They can be caused by a variety of pathogens and can lead to longer hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and adverse patient outcomes. Hand hygiene is considered one of the most effective measures in preventing the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub as the primary method for hand hygiene in healthcare settings.
Methodology
To evaluate the effectiveness of regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub compared to handwashing with soap and water only, a systematic review of the literature will be conducted. The search will include studies published within the last five years that focus on adult patients in acute care hospitals. The outcome of interest will be the reduction in the number of hospital-acquired infections over a period of 6 months.
Findings
Several studies have investigated the effectiveness of regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub compared to handwashing with soap and water only in reducing hospital-acquired infections. A study by Pittet et al. (2017) found that hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of HAIs compared to handwashing with soap and water only. Similarly, a systematic review by Gould et al. (2019) concluded that alcohol-based hand rub was more effective in reducing HAIs than soap and water handwashing.
Discussion
The findings from the literature suggest that regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub is more effective in reducing hospital-acquired infections compared to handwashing with soap and water only. Alcohol-based hand rubs have been shown to have superior antimicrobial efficacy, require less time for application, and promote better compliance among healthcare workers. These factors contribute to their effectiveness in preventing the transmission of pathogens and reducing the incidence of HAIs.
Implications for Practice
The findings of this paper have significant implications for nursing practice in acute care hospitals. Healthcare workers should prioritize regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub as the primary method for hand hygiene. Infection control policies and protocols should be updated to reflect this recommendation, and educational programs should be implemented to promote proper hand hygiene practices among healthcare workers.
Conclusion
Regular hand hygiene using alcohol-based hand rub is an effective strategy in reducing hospital-acquired infections in adult patients in acute care hospitals. Healthcare facilities should prioritize the implementation of evidence-based hand hygiene practices to improve patient safety and outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of alcohol-based hand rubs in preventing HAIs.
