Process of Nursing Improvement at Veteran Administration (Case Study Sample)

Nursing Process Improvement Research
Student’ Name
Institution Affiliation
There is a need for process improvement at the Veteran Administration Medical Center to reduce cases of post infections following total knee arthroplasty. Currently, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended following a total knee arthroplasty. Numerous studies have shown the use of prophylaxis antibiotic is the most efficient method of reducing post infections in total knee arthroplasty (Kalore, Gioe, & Singh, 2011). In particular, the addition of prophylaxis in the irrigation solution has been found to be more efficient in reducing post infection in total knee arthroplasty. The use of antibiotic-laden cement in reducing post infections is discouraged as the method is ineffective. Use of chlorhexidine is also being encouraged since it gives better results compared to the traditional povidone-iodine in surgical field treatment. Chlorhexidine is considered a better sterilizer in surgical field treatment.
There is greater need to control the hospital environment where the surgical procedure occurs. Research indicates that the operating room environment also determines the incidences of post infection in total knee arthroplasty (Kalore, Gioe, & Singh, 2011). As such, control of the operating room environment is crucial. The number of individuals in the surgical room should be minimal to reduce risks of post infection. Leaving and reentering the room should also be restricted. The hospital can also consider using devices such as laminar flow or ultraviolet light t...