Prevenir a infeção em estruturas residenciais

: intervenção de enfermagem de saúde pública

Abstract

Demographic aging is a current phenomenon and the increasing number of elderly individuals leads to an increase in healthcare dependency (Anderson & Durstine, 2019). People with dependency rely on various social responses, often resulting in institutionalization in Residential Structures for Elderly People (RSEP) (Instituto de Segurança Social, 2007). These institutions are a conducive place for the transmission of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI), which are a growing public health problem (DGS, 2017). This intervention project was developed in an RSEP, and the target population selected were Direct Action Aides (DAA). It was supported by the health planning methodology of Imperatori and Giraldes (1993) and the health promotion model of Nola Pender (2019). For the situation diagnosis, meetings were held with experts, current scientific evidence was researched, and the "Perception and knowledge of healthcare professionals about hand hygiene and its implications in HAI" questionnaire was used to collect data, which was analyzed and interpreted through descriptive statistics. Nursing diagnoses were identified as compromised knowledge and perception of DAA regarding the prevention and control of HAI, favoring the risk of cross-infection in institutionalized individuals. Problems were prioritized according to the analysis grid, and objectives, goals, impact indicators, and activities were established. The overall objective was to "contribute to the reduction of HAI in RSEP X by empowering DAA" in infection prevention, promoting health, and preventing disease, with the main intervention strategy being educational. The planned activities were executed, and the activity indicators were achieved. Due to time constraints, it was not possible to evaluate the project's outcome indicators, proposing subsequent evaluation by the nursing team of RSEP X, which will allow for the assessment of its impact, analyze changes in DAA's care intervention, and observe changes in the incidence of HAI diagnoses in RSEP X after one year. The competencies of a community nursing specialist and public health nurse were acquired and developed.

Date of Award	22 May 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Elisa Maria Bernardo Garcia (Supervisor)