Nursing Research On Podiatry Infection Control Guideline (Research Paper Sample)

Knowledge level of podiatry staff under the implementation of a new podiatry infection control guideline
Abstract
A podiatrist is charged with responsibilities such as the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the ankle, foot, and other structures of the legs. This implies that podiatrists are prone to infections because they are always exposed to numerous fungi or bacteria when undertaking their daily clinical procedures because they are constantly in contact with the skin of patients. Thus, infection control is a vital practice in podiatry, because it minimizes the probability of infection transmission to podiatrists. This study sought to investigate the effect of the implementation of a new podiatry infection control guideline on the knowledge level of podiatry staff. A quantitative approach through which questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 70 respondents was utilised in the measurement and analysis of knowledge level among the podiatry staff. There was a 90% response rate in this study; 32 podiatrists and 31 podiatry assistants participated. The findings reveal that the demographic characteristics of podiatrists and podiatry assistants were different. In addition, the knowledge level of podiatrists was higher than that of podiatry assistants before and after the implementation of the new podiatry infection control guideline. Nevertheless, the findings revealed that although the knowledge of the podiatry staff increased after the implementation of the guideline, the increase was insignificant. However, the study recommends the implementation of these new guidelines, as they play a vital role in safeguarding the welfare of podiatry staff and patients.
Keywords: Podiatry, infection control, podiatrist, podiatry assistant, implementation, infection control guideline
Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Chapter One: Introduction PAGEREF _Toc440194495 \h 51.1 Research Background PAGEREF _Toc440194496 \h 51.2 Rationale of the Research PAGEREF _Toc440194497 \h 61.3 Research Aim PAGEREF _Toc440194498 \h 71.4 Research Objectives PAGEREF _Toc440194499 \h 71.5 Research Methods PAGEREF _Toc440194500 \h 71.6 Structure of the Research PAGEREF _Toc440194501 \h 7Chapter Two: Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc440194502 \h 82.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc440194503 \h 82.1 Definition of Key Concepts PAGEREF _Toc440194504 \h 82.1.1 Podiatry PAGEREF _Toc440194505 \h 82.1.2 Infection Control PAGEREF _Toc440194506 \h 82.1.3 The Link between Podiatry and Infection Control PAGEREF _Toc440194507 \h 92.2 Significance of Infection Control in the Podiatry Practice PAGEREF _Toc440194508 \h 112.3 Old and Revised Infection Control Guidelines PAGEREF _Toc440194509 \h 112.4 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc440194510 \h 15Chapter Three: Research Methods PAGEREF _Toc440194511 \h 163.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc440194512 \h 163.1 Research Philosophy PAGEREF _Toc440194513 \h 163.2 Research Approach PAGEREF _Toc440194514 \h 163.3 Research Method and Design PAGEREF _Toc440194515 \h 173.4 Sampling PAGEREF _Toc440194516 \h 173.5 Data Collection PAGEREF _Toc440194517 \h 173.6 Data Analysis PAGEREF _Toc440194518 \h 183.7 Ethical Considerations PAGEREF _Toc440194519 \h 183.8 Research Timetable PAGEREF _Toc440194520 \h 183.9 Research Budget PAGEREF _Toc440194521 \h 19Chapter Four: Presentation of Findings and Discussion PAGEREF _Toc440194522 \h 204.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc440194523 \h 204.1 Presentation of Findings PAGEREF _Toc440194524 \h 204.1.1 Demographic Variables PAGEREF _Toc440194525 \h 204.1.2 Statistical Analyses PAGEREF _Toc440194526 \h 324.2 Discussion of Findings PAGEREF _Toc440194527 \h 394.3 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc440194528 \h 41Chapter Five: Summary and Conclusion of the Dissertation PAGEREF _Toc440194529 \h 425.0Introduction PAGEREF _Toc440194530 \h 425.1 Summary of the Study PAGEREF _Toc440194531 \h 425.2 Conclusions and Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc440194532 \h 435.3 Suggestions for Future Research Work PAGEREF _Toc440194533 \h 44References PAGEREF _Toc440194534 \h 45Appendices PAGEREF _Toc440194535 \h 49Appendix 1: Questionnaire PAGEREF _Toc440194536 \h 49
List of Figures
TOC \h \z \c "Figure" Figure 4.1: Gender of the respondents PAGEREF _Toc440194427 \h 20
Figure 4.2: Age of the sampled podiatrists PAGEREF _Toc440194428 \h 21
Figure 4.3: Education level attained by podiatrists PAGEREF _Toc440194429 \h 23
Figure 4.4: Years of experience among the sampled podiatrists PAGEREF _Toc440194430 \h 25
Figure 4.5: Age of the podiatry assistants PAGEREF _Toc440194431 \h 27
Figure 4.6: Education attainment among the sampled podiatry assistants PAGEREF _Toc440194432 \h 28
Figure 4.7: Years of working experience among podiatry assistants PAGEREF _Toc440194433 \h 30
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 Research Background
Menz et al (2008) defined a podiatrist as a medical practitioner who is charged with responsibilities such as the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the ankle, foot, and other structures of the legs. As noted by the Hospital Authority Central Committee on Infectious Diseases (2003), podiatry is perceived as a significant part of medicine, because infection control is an important aspect of healthcare across the world. All humans are vulnerable to infections (Australian Government, 2010); as such, healthcare providers are faced with high risks of contracting infections when attending to affected humans (Australasian Podiatry Council on behalf of the Podiatrist Registration Boards, 2005). According to a study by Aodhán & Breathnach (2013), podiatrists are always exposed to infectious materials including contaminated equipment, medical supplies, or even contaminated environmental surfaces that have been in contact with non-intact skin (Business Support Services Department. 2012). For example, a podiatrist is exposed to blood borne pathogens when handling positive blood tests for viral infections such as HIV, HBV, HCV, and so on.
Foster (2006) further explains that podiatrists are always exposed to numerous fungi or bacteria when undertaking their daily clinical procedures because they are constantly in contact with the skin of patients. Examples of fungal infections that podiatrists deal with include Tinea Pedis, onychomyosis, bone osteomylelitis, and skin with wart or verruca (Braun et al, 2012). As such, the prevention of cross transmission of such infections is an integral part of the podiatry practice. According to Ching et al (2009), the prevention of the cross transmission of pathogens in the podiatry practice is not only crucial in preventing podiatrists, but also in minimizing spread among patients. The majority of clients visiting podiatrists are elderly, and as such, are more vulnerable to infections such as ulcers with MRSA and Tinea Pedis, because they have a much lower immunity compared to the younger clientele (Clean Care is Safer Care Team, 2009). Moreover, the older patients are more susceptible to infections because of their exposure to interventions such as antibioticuse and surgery. Additionally, they are constantly exposed to micro organisms that exist in the hospital environment, among the hospital staff, and also among other patients (Braun et al, 2012).
According to the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (2006), the provision of a safe environment for patients and staff is an imperative practice in every podiatry clinic, especially in the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong. A podiatry infection control guideline, thus, was developed and designed to provide guidelines for podiatrists and facilitate an easier execution of operations in the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. As asserted by Essex Health Protection Unit (2007), infection control guidelines are designed to promote and protect healthcare providers and practitioners by controlling and preventing occupational accidents and diseases. In addition, the aim of infection control guidelines is to foster satisfaction, physical, social well-being of the podiatrists and other healthcare providers who are constantly exposed to infectious diseases (Foster, 2006). In addition, these control guidelines ensure that work becomes well adapted to the physiological and psychological needs of healthcare facilitators (College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, 2006).
Since infection control is an area of continuous evaluation and evolution, it is imperative for podiatrists to base their practice upon updated recommendations and evidence (Health and Safety Panel, 2009). Foster (2006) adds that infection control concepts have changed drastically, especially since the development of new technologies, regulatory changes, and microbial evolution. The previously published infection control guideline that was published in 2006 was only comprised of 11 pages, implying that it was not sufficiently comprehensive and did not account for multiple-resistant diseases such as MRSA and Seasonal H3N2 that were discovered since the development of this guideline. As such, it is important that research continually develops clinical advice on infection control with changing technologies, in order to maximize the protection of healthcare facilitators in their daily activities. This study is conducted to assess the knowledge level of podiatry staff amidst the implementation of a new infection control guideline, in order to evaluate ways through which their protection could be enhanced.
1.2 Rationale of the Research
The ideal situation in infection control entails an updated and comprehensive infection control protocol, which could regulate the standard of care among the staff working in podiatry. In addition, it entails of a highly qualified staff with adequate knowledge about the control of infection rates among patients. The current situation, however, is different from the ideal situation; despite the implementation of a new podiatry control guideline, the health practitioners in the podiatry profession lack suff...