Risk for infection care plan is a way for health care workers to mitigate the threat of spreading infectious diseases and reduce the number of patients suffering from such conditions. In order to create a professional care plan, the one should consider its specific structure and all key parts.
Human body and its immune system in particular, is designed in such a way that it does not let different bacteria, fungi or other viruses enter the organism easily. In case some pathogen enters the body it has to cross a couple of protection lines before a person becomes infected. The first line of defense is human skin (its epidermal layer). When this barrier fails to stop virus, it moves further to meet the second defense line. This line consists of different cells, which are aimed at detecting and immediate eliminating the potential threat. However, if the invasion is too strong, human organism cannot always cope with it and a person becomes sick. As a result, proper risk for infection care plan is important to cure the patient and overcome the infection.
Risk for Infection Care Plan
Nursing care plan for risk for infection related to human is very important. It consists of three main parts, which include Assessment, Therapeutic Considerations and Education.
When objective signs of infectionoccur, assessment of a patient is necessary.
Assessment
- Body temperature
Body temperature is one of the most effective measurements to check whether organism is infected. It is important to make sure that the body temperature is at normal level and check it regularly. If a patient undergoes surgery and his body temperature exceeds 100.4°F during the first 48 hours after it, it can be related to post-surgical stress. However, if the temperature fails to reduce after 48 hours, it indicated that the organism is infected.
- Risk factors
Risk for infection care plan foresees assessment of risk factors. For this reason, nurse has to check medical history of a patient to check if some of them are present. In case the patient is vulnerable to some risk factors, the task of a medical workers is to protect the patient from possible infection.
- Multiple elements inspection
Such kind of inspection is aimed at early detection of infection in human organism. Multiple elements include but are not limited to specific odor of the wound, rash, etc. They serve as a sign of possible infection and that is why have to be detected and checked for regularly.
- Checking of nutritional status
It is important for healthcare practitioners to check patients for nutritional status. Such examination includes recording weight, concentration of albumins, etc. Such intervention is especially necessary for low weight individuals, as they may need additional supplementation. Besides, poor nutritional status is a direct way to developing infections.
- Pregnant females assessment
Assessment of pregnant women foresees checking them for raptures in amniotic sac. If the rapture is present in women for a long period of time, it can lead to increased risk of infection development. In its turn, it can hurt not only mother but also an infant.
- Infections prevalence in community
The community a patient is from should also be checked for prevailed infections to help determine the nature of infection a patient may suffer from.
- History of drug and medicine intake
During creating risk for infection nursing diagnosis, it is also important to investigate previous medical history of a patient in relation to medicine and drugs intake. The importance of such intervention is that many medical agents can weaken immune system significantly and make a patient vulnerable for infections.
- Vaccination
It is also important to check a patient for immunity. It can be done by checking if a person received all necessary vaccines for immunization.
- Blood
Changes in blood reports can signify presence of infection in organism. For example, increased number of white bodies in blood is a sign of infection.
Therapeutic Considerations
- Maintaining pathogen-free environment
To reduce risk of infections, it is important to make sure that all the procedures with a patient (for example, changing of dressing) are performed in an aseptic environment.
- Maintain personal hygiene
It is especially applicable for hands washing. Hands washing after visiting toilet and eating is extremely important to protect patients’ organisms from infections. It is estimated that regular hands washing reduces risk of infection entering the body. It is also recommended to use alcohol-based liquids for sanitation.
- Avoid contacts with visitors
Active infection has a possibility spread fast, which is why it is recommended to limit visits to the infected individual.
- Constant fluid intake
In case the water is not forbidden for a patient, it is strongly recommended to drink much fluid (approx. 2000 ml per day). Such intensive water intake reduces the risk of renal infection by increasing the number of urinations per day.
- Deep breathing
Deep breathing is a simple and effective technique while fighting the infection. Spirometer can be used as a supportive tool for this purpose.
- Intake of anti-microbial agents
The patients should be educated on the intake of agents that prevent infections. Some of them may include anti-fungal and anti-biotic.
- Proper environment
Protective environment is important for patients whose number of white cells is lower than 1000mm3. In this case, isolated area will help prevent infection from spreading.
Education
The patients must be educated on the preventive ways aimed at avoiding infections. Some of them may include limited communication with infected individuals, maintaining personal hygiene, using of preventive medical agents, identifying infection and taking preliminary actions to stop it, etc.
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