In this assignment, you will write a critical appraisal that demonstrates comprehension of two qualitative research studies. For this assignment, use the nursing practice problem and two qualitative peer-reviewed research articles you identified in Topic 1 (or two new articles based on instructor feedback in Topic 1). In a 1,000-1,250-word essay, summarize two qualitative studies. In high-exposure populations such as children and healthcare workers (P), what are the individual, organizational, and environmental factors that influence compliance to and the effectiveness of hand hygiene (I) in infection prevention and control (O)? This is not a PICO question. You need a nursing intervention with a specific population and a measurable outcome. You could ask: Will educating healthcare staff about hand hygiene compared to no education result in decreased HAIs in hospitalized patients in 3 months? Please revise Use the “Research Critique Guidelines – Part I” document to organize your essay
Qualitative Research Critique and Ethical Considerations
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) significantly threaten patient safety. HAIs are directly linked to longer lengths of stay, higher cost of care, and higher risks of death and mortality rates (Serra-Burriel et al., 2020). Infection prevention and control (IPC) within hospital settings employs various precautions aimed at preventing HAIs. Hand hygiene is the most essential and effective IPC approach to preventing HAIs. Notably, hand hygiene can effectively prevent the spread of infectious conditions such as influenza, enterovirus, pneumonia, and COVID-19 (Chiu et al., 2020). Nurses and other healthcare workers know the effectiveness and need for maintaining hand hygiene (Van Nguyen et al., 2020). However, adherence to handwashing protocols tends to decrease with time, especially if related interventions are ended (Stangerup et al., 2021). Due to the high risk of exposure to HAI-causing bacteria among healthcare workers and the risk of transferring such bacteria to other patients and workers, as well as cross-contamination, employing strategies that promote adherence to such protocols is important in hospitals. This paper provides a summary and comparison of two articles that can help answer the PICOT question developed and support the nursing problem identified.
Revised PICOT Question
In healthcare workers (P), does hand hygiene education (I) compared to regular hand washing protocols (C) improve adherence to hand hygiene protocols and reduce the rate of hospital-acquired infections (O) over six months?
Background of Studies
The article “Nurses’ Knowledge, Behaviour and Compliance Concerning Hand Hygiene in Nursing Homes: A Cross-Sectional Mixed-Methods Study” by Hammerschmidt and Manser (2019) aimed to explore how individual and organizational factors such as role modeling by nursing managers influence compliance with hand hygiene in nursing home nurses. The study’s objective was to overcome the difficulties of research on hand hygiene in nursing homes due to the specific nature of such care settings and provide deeper insights into the organizational factors that can be considered during initiatives aimed at improving hand hygiene in nursing home settings. The main problem identified in the article is that, despite hand hygiene being a major measure aimed at preventing HAIs, compliance with established hand hygiene protocols remains low in nursing homes. This article is significant in nursing as it provides a better understanding of the influential factors that determine nurses’ knowledge, behavior, and compliance with hand hygiene. It also provides evidence-based guidance to help nursing leaders develop and implement strategies to improve adherence to hand hygiene practices and reduce the risk of HAIs. The article uses research questions focused on nurses’ and nursing managers’ hand hygiene knowledge, practices and compliance, behaviors, and organizational factors influencing hand hygiene behaviors. These questions include “What knowledge do nurses have concerning hygiene management and infection prevention? Which hygiene behaviors do nurses report? What are the perceptions of nurses and nursing managers of organizational structures and processes supporting hand hygiene? and In what way do nurses perceive nursing?”
In the article “Qualitative Assessment of Hand Hygiene Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among Healthcare Workers Prior to the Implementation of the WHO Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy at Faranah Regional Hospital” by Douno et al. (2023), the main purpose was to develop qualitative insights about knowledge, attitudes, and practices on health hygiene among healthcare workers to help with planning and implementing the WHO hand hygiene strategy in Faranah Regional Hospital, Guinea. The main problem identified in the article is the lack of enough qualitative studies exploring healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of hand hygiene. Therefore, the study’s main objective was to fill in the qualitative research gap and provide a foundation for future qualitative studies on the topic. The article is significant to nursing as it was developed through an in-depth assessment of HCWs’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards hand hygiene. It supports the implementation, improvement of, and compliance with the WHO’s hand hygiene. This can help guide the adoption and sustainability of such protocols in similar settings. Although no clear questions were provided, the study observed and interviewed the participants during data collection.
How the Two Articles Support the Chosen Nursing Practice Problem
The two articles’ summaries provide evidence that can help address the nurs