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Injury Definitions
Hospital Injuries
Most preventable hospital injuries are
infections. Hospital-acquired infections are serious illnesses that can
cause death. Rapid diagnosis and identification of the responsible
microorganism is necessary, so treatment can be started as soon as
possible. Hospital-acquired infections are usually related to a procedure
or treatment used to diagnose or treat the patient's illness or injury. A
large portion of these infections can be prevented by healthcare workers
taking proper precautions when caring for patients.
Hospital-acquired infections can be caused
by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. These microorganisms may already
be present in the patient's body or may come from the environment,
contaminated hospital equipment, healthcare workers, or other patients.
Depending on the causal agents involved, an infection may start in any part
of the body. A localized infection is limited to a specific part of the
body and has local symptoms. For example, if a surgical wound in the
abdomen becomes infected, the area of the wound becomes red, hot, and
painful. A generalized infection is one that enters the bloodstream and
causes general systemic symptoms such as fever, chills, low blood pressure,
or mental confusion.
Hospital-acquired infections may develop
from surgical procedures, catheters placed in the urinary tract or blood
vessels, or from material from the nose or mouth that is inhaled into the
lungs. The most common types of hospital-acquired infections are urinary
tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and surgical wound infections.
Infections are generally treated with antibiotics.
Other common preventable hospital injuries
are due to medication errors, failure to monitor a patient, improper
reading and evaluation of imaging films and laboratory data and other forms
of health care neglect.
For related information
go to: Infection
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