Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health - Short Questions

Question#1

Patient/ problem: Gram-negative bloodstream infections in adults, our organization caters for adults only hence the gram-negative BSIs patients are considered to be adults

Intervention: NSW ministry has contacted and ordered the infectious diseases department to investigate and respond to the problem. Intervention is an initiative against a problem at hand which is why this specific intervention is an accurate one for the problem stated.

Comparison:  there is no comparison to the NSW ministry’s intervention as it covers all the effective strategies to battle the problem. 

Outcome: the investigation’s outcome would reveal the major causes for the spreading of gram-negative BSIs. This outcome will provide the basis for future strategies to tackle the problem.  

Question#2 

WHO guidelines

The WHO guidelines focuses on the hand hygiene in health care. The emphasis is on reducing transmission of pathogenic microorganisms from inside the health care centers. Apart from this the WHO guidelines also provide the recommendations that lead to improved overall practice. The target audience for the WHO guidelines is all places where health care is practiced full time and part time. These guidelines are based on scientific research spanned over years and provides sufficient materials for training while it also guides in strategizing and implementation of a plan. The level of evidence of the WHO guidelines can be accredited to the experts involved in the creation of these guidelines and the grading system that ensures a high level of evidence. (Organization, 2009) 

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)

NICE has created guidelines with cooperation of Health Protection Agency (HPA) to prevent and control infections amongst adults and children. This is a specific guide for members of hospital boards in particular hence the guidelines are management focused. To cater for the evidence NICE has developed healthcare- associated infections surveillance (HACIs) to gather data and monitor the progress against infections. The data is gathered frequently to improve the prevention and control of infectious diseases. NICE is a trust and it considers prevention of infections at all stages of the development of any hospital. The following factors ensure the level of evidence gathered:

• Surveillance
• Collaborative action
• Responsibilities of staff
• Planning , designing and management of hospital facilities
• Admission, discharge and transfer. (NICE, 2019)

Health and Social Care Act 2008

The act provides regulations for using medical instruments and maintaining hygiene so that the patients are not exposed to infections like gram-negative BSIs. This act regulates all healthcare providers and regulates that the staff take precautions to avoid spread of any infection. Registration of the healthcare provider would be refused if they do not take reasonable steps to prevent infections as stated by the act. The healthcare provider would be prosecuted for a breach and there is no need for a warning notice for the impending prosecution. (Commision, 2008)