Improving Quality of Maternal Care in Health Facilities

While India has made major progress over the past decades to improve the quality of care for women and children, there is still a disparity in proper utilisation of healthcare services. For an expecting mother, the quality of care she receives during and after pregnancy affects not just her health, but also the health of the child. Though there has been an uptick in parents preferring a healthcare organisation for delivery, some facilities still lack the proper quality of care required for the mother. Healthcare professionals such as nurses play a fundamental role in ensuring proper care among women and newborns. 

For expecting mothers, several aspects need to be taken care of to ensure a risk-free delivery and postpartum. Here are some areas that need to be improved to ensure the quality of maternal healthcare. 

 Right Care at the Right Time

For an expecting mother, it is generally advised that before delivery, they should have had at least 8 routine checkups done. This is important for detecting and managing any potential problem and minimising the risk of stillbirth. Any healthcare worker who has attended proper nursing training programs should be able to provide support to women. This includes information related to pregnancy, tips on choosing healthy food and following a healthy lifestyle, educating about family planning, etc. 

Positive Communication with Women

Effective communication is required between healthcare workers and expecting mothers to reduce any tension or anxiety they might have towards pregnancy. To make childbirth a positive experience, they should receive every information about their care as well as feel involved in decisions made regarding the delivery of their newborn. 

Prevent the Risk of Hospital-acquired Infections

Hospital-acquired infections not only increase the cost of care for a mother but also adds to the risk of disease or even death. That is why healthcare workers need to take extra precautions to prevent such an outbreak. Precautionary steps include washing hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol-based sanitizer before examining a patient, safe disposal of infectious waste and disinfecting instruments in the procedure room after every delivery. 

Well-trained Staff Available to Provide Care

Healthcare organisations need to have competent, well-trained staff and skilled professionals that are present in sufficient numbers throughout the day to manage the expected workload and sometimes, even emergency cases. That is why the healthcare workforce needs to focus on professional education that builds on their experience and gets them ready for such eventuality. The Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations or CAHO is an eminent body regulating the healthcare organisations that offers various workshops on such areas. They also provide various training programmes like nursing training programs, hospital training programmes, infection control nurse course, etc. 

Improving the quality of care for expectant mothers is a good indicator to showcase how much we have progressed as a country. This improvement is not only critical for the safety of the women but also crucial for reducing preventable maternal and newborn mortality.

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Need for Accreditations for Healthcare Organisations During the Times of COVID-19

 Healthcare professionals play a major role in maintaining the health and well-being of communities by being on duty 24x7. Earlier, their selfless service and contribution went mostly unnoticed. It took a global pandemic for people to recognise the diligence of the complete healthcare fraternity. While healthcare organisations (HCOs) are serving the nation day and night amid the outbreak of COVID-19, the need for certain accreditations has risen exponentially for them. 

Proper training, certifications and accreditations are necessary for this industry as it holds a direct and major responsibility towards the lives of people. That is why there is a constant need to upgrade and improve the quality of healthcare services in a world which is advancing rapidly. COVID-19 has further raised the demand to elevate the standard of service delivered. This is essential for not only the betterment of patients but also for the growth and safety of HCOs and its staff. 

Why does qualified healthcare staff require further training? 

Learning is a continuous process. Everyday new technology and lifestyle changes are coming up along with new challenges for this industry. There is always a scope of growth and improvement in almost every field, therefore, such training programmes and certifications are necessary to keep up with the modern requirements and enhance one’s professional skills. From doctors and nurses to quality managers of a hospital, everyone can join a relevant programme to unlock huge growth potential. This will also help them in improving the quality and safety of healthcare services they offer during the current global humanitarian crisis of coronavirus. 

What kind of training and certifications programmes are available? 

Short-term online and onsite training programmes are now available across the nation so that healthcare professionals can easily achieve related certification. Training programmes are available on various subject matters like Emergency Department Quality and Patient Safety, Cyber Security in Hospitals, Hospital Infection Control, Laboratory Quality Management System, and Quality Implementation in Hospitals. Programmes related to infection control and cyber-security have become all the more important amid COVID-19 pandemic. Special nursing training programmes are also available for the nursing staff of HCOs. 

How to get a recognised certification? 

Interested healthcare workers can enrol into recognised training programmes offered by CAHO (Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations). It is a not-for-profit organisation which offers training and certifications to doctors, nurses, technicians and administrators for continuous quality improvement. To achieve full accreditation standards, two levels of a programme - basic and advanced, must be completed by an individual. CAHO works in association with NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers) and also supports healthcare organisations with no or entry-level accreditations to go towards the full accreditation standards. 

The COVID-19 outbreak demands for an as high speed of quality improvement in the healthcare sector as that of its spread. Considering this, CAHO has conducted several webinars on topics like operating room challenges during pandemic and communication skills that doctors need during this time. Therefore, healthcare organisations and professionals should seek continuous training for better management and quality improvement.

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The Guide to Becoming an Infection Control Nurse

Even in a sterilised and sanitary environment, a rogue infection can spread quickly and get out of hand. Though it depends on the type of infection and the area which has been infected, if left unchecked, people can become seriously ill and even die. As seen in the current pandemic of Covid-19, it can even transverse state and country boundaries, affecting people all over the world. That is why Infection Control Nurses are important for a healthcare organisation. They are the ones who are trained to prevent dangerous infectious diseases from spreading. 

Infection control nurses are extremely important for an organisation, as their job is to ensure precautions are taken to prevent the virus or bacteria from spreading. Even a small mistake can lead to the infectious agent to spread from a patient to a healthy individual, hence, they play a huge role in containing outbreaks and epidemic. To understand the scope of an infection control nurse, here are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions:

What do Infection Control Nurses do?

The main duty of an infection control nurse is preventing the spread of an infectious agent that can harm society. To do so, they often educate other medical professionals and civilians on the techniques to prevent the spread and protect themselves as well as others from contamination. They also might study the structure of pathogens and viruses in order to determine the best ways to contain or prevent the infection. In the event of an outbreak, they are the ones who isolate infected patients and take steps to contain the infection. 

Where do Infection Control Nurses Work?

There is no special difference between an infection control nurse and other nurses. The only difference is that the former opt for specialised infection control nurse course. Other than that, they work in similar medical facilities, such as hospitals and clinics. They can even become part of government agencies that raise awareness about different infections and their prevention. 

How to become an Infection Control Nurse?

For becoming an infection control nurse, all you have to do is obtain some experience in the nursing field, and then take up a course that will help you secure a specialised position. 

A good option is to check out the infection control nurse course offered by the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations (CAHO), which is a recognised non-profit organisation that aims to improve healthcare quality. With programmes such as fire safety training for hospital staff, basic nursing communication, cybersecurity in hospital, etc., they work to improve the quality and safety of healthcare services provided by the HCOs across the country. 

 

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Dealing with Hospital-acquired Infections

As is most of the world, India too is currently going through a period of transition. In spite of devising various national programmes to keep such diseases under control, infectious diseases are still a major concern in our country. The outbreak of Coronavirus clearly depicts the importance of having a backup plan to counter such diseases. And this also goes for the diseases that were believed to be eliminated previously such as tuberculosis, cholera, dengue, H1N1, Nipah, etc., which are making a comeback in some areas. All of this has led to a sharp rise in the number of patients that require immediate attention in the hospital, thus increasing the pressure on doctors.   

Besides the biggest factor behind this situation being the unsanitary conditions that surround the majority of Indians, there is another factor that affects a lot of citizens i.e. hospital-acquired infections. According to the present scenario,  India has an alarming rate of intensified infections, almost one infection per 4 visits. Plus these infections can be quite serious and difficult to treat, sometimes even more challenging than dealing with ordinary pathogens. 

However, with strict adherence to norms and protocols as well as conducting intensive hospital training programs, it can be ensured that such infections are under control. Health care professionals should observe some basic procedures when dealing with infected patients in hospitals:

1. Always ensure the use of new and sterilised equipment. 
2. Maintaining hygiene is of paramount importance for a hospital. Ensure that it is free of mosquitoes, pests or other insects. 
3. For professionals who need to deal with infected patients on a regular basis, they should make sure to wash the contaminated skin and hands as soon as possible and should wear disposable gloves during the check-up. 
4. Measures such as masks, gloves, gowns etc. should be taken care of in case the health professionals come in direct contact with blood, lesions, tissue fluid, etc. 
5. When providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, ensure that adequate mouth protection is used. 
6. Try to avoid letting the patients go out of their designated rooms. In case they need to go, a professional should always accompany them.  

A good option for healthcare organisations to deal with hospital-acquired infections is to introduce courses that would improve the control skills of the professionals. For example, the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations (CAHO), is a recognised non-profit organisation that strongly believes in promoting, improving, and sharing quality healthcare practices to healthcare professionals across the country. They host various healthcare training programmes such as training to deal with communicable diseases, enhanced clinical communication skills, quality implementation in hospitals and much more. 

 

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A Guide for the Healthcare Providers to Deal with Communicable Diseases

The count of communicable diseases that are plaguing the Indian population is increasing rapidly. This includes the diseases which were believed to be eliminated previously like cholera, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, dengue, West Nile virus, H1N1, and Nipah. This means that the number of patients that hospitals will be attending to would be increased. The reasons behind this situation are unsanitary conditions around the habitat of majority Indians, a weak immune system, and lack of nourishment in the general public.

The rate of infections is intensified with cases of hospital-acquired  infections, which is particularly high in India in relation to developed nations. The rate is alarming at one infection per four hospital visits. Usually, patients are often infected with multi-drug resistant strains of pathogens from hospitals, whose treatment is far more challenging than ordinary pathogens.

Hospital-acquired  infections can only be reduced with strict adherence to norms and protocols, and intensive training programmes for health care professionals, like infection control nurse courses. Having said that, here are some basic procedures to be observed while caring for patients with infectious diseases in hospitals:

1. Include cautious measures by using gloves, masks, eyewear, gowns, etc. especially in the circumstances involving contact with blood, bleeding lesions, tissue fluid, vaginal fluid, semen, etc.
2. Wash contaminated skin as soon as possible, and hands should also be washed after removal of gloves, before attending the next patient.
3. Puncture injuries should be avoided.
4. Mouth protection should be used during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
5. New or sterilised equipment should be used.
6. Hospitals should be kept free of mosquitoes, pests and other vectors.
7. Patients should be taken out of their rooms only if absolutely necessary.
8. Pregnant health care workers should be doubly cautious and observant of all the disease-specific protocols.

Along with infection control nurse courses, healthcare providers should also attend courses that impart communication skills for healthcare professionals. The consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations (CAHO), is one such recognised non-profit organisation that strongly believes in continuously promoting, improving, and sharing the best healthcare practices across platforms. CAHO hosts various healthcare training programmes like fire safety training for hospital staff, training to deal communicable diseases, communication skills for the healthcare professional, cybersecurity training and others for the hospital staff and much more. You can visit their website to know more!

 

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Tips to Enhance Communication Skills of Healthcare Professionals

Being a healthcare professional is not just about curing patients’ ailments. It also involves being compassionate and ensuring smooth communication with them. The modern-day healthcare sector needs to be transparent in all its functionalities and in ways of treating and interacting with patients. 

The standard of care demanded by patients requires you to effectively communicate with them as well as other members of the healthcare team. 

In simpler words,  soft skills like understanding the patient while you encounter them in the waiting room, the examination room, on the telephone, or through email. You should also know how to work efficiently and productively as a member of the healthcare team to ensure the highest level of effectiveness in serving the patients’ needs.  

Various regulatory bodies like the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations recognise the importance of possessing soft skills by healthcare professionals. They conduct various training sessions and workshops to enhance the communication skills for healthcare professionals. Apart from this, other coaching sessions like nurse training programmes, patient care training programme, and fire safety training for hospital staff. If you are a healthcare professional and looking to hone your communication skills then here are some tips for you, have a look! 

Incorporate active listening:

Allow your patients to share their thoughts and feelings as this will provide you with valuable information regarding their lifestyles and other medical histories while making them comfortable. Watch out for your body language while listening to them as non-verbal communication plays a major role in the patient-provider relationship. 

Maintain eye contact:

Maintaining eye contact, nodding appropriately, and empathizing with your patients or their relatives are signs of active interaction. On the other hand, looking around, looking at your watch, making faces or noises are signs that you are not listening and are disinterested in what your patients have to say.

Be accountable:

In case your communication goes wrong, take the responsibility and make sure that you don’t blame your patient even if you feel that you are right. Try to discuss the issue politely and learn to be responsible for your mistakes. The whole idea behind this is to make you analyse your mistakes and eventually learn from them, improving your work in the long-run.

Honesty is the best policy:

Patients always rely on healthcare providers for knowing everything regarding their treatment, diseases and other related information. Be honest while conveying the same. Make sure that you do not hide any data from your patients.

The highest reasons for complaints from the patients is poor communication amid them and healthcare providers. Hence, the need for enhancing communication skills for the healthcare professional is highly important. By using the aforementioned tips, you will be able to master soft skills in no time.

 

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Significance of Training Programmes in Hospitals

Despite being an indispensable part of the economy and society, hospitals are constantly striving hard to match up with the new-age and advanced technology (introduced to offer ease and precise results). For this reason, the healthcare professionals are provided with relevant technical training to improve their skill sets, upgrade their knowledge, perform tasks in a better way, be aware of their future roles and responsibilities. However, apart from enhancing the skill set and knowledge, developing additional abilities like communication skills, interpersonal skills, decision-making skills, etc. should also be ensured for smooth functioning in any healthcare organisation. 

The hospital or nursing training programmes strengthen the employees’ skills and help them improve in the areas they lack in. An effective training programme is the one that spots individual areas of improvement to address them properly. Here are the other important factors that should be integrated into proper implementation of hospital training programmes. 

1. Include programmes for different styles: Training programmes should be weaved in such a way that they fuse diverse learning styles like verbal, visual, etc. While the trainers should use different teaching methods, the trainees should also give their inputs about their preferred learning ways. Furthermore, make sure that you convey information in the language that’s common for all, so that the entire staff can understand properly.

2. Incorporate ‘Learn by Fun’: Try conducting group work, quizzes and other activities to make training sessions more interesting and interactive. Through this, the professionals will not only gain expertise but will also enjoy which will, in turn, hone their interpersonal skills. 

3. Ensure computer-based training schedules: While it’s better to conduct face-to-face training, yet certain sessions can be completed online. Computer-based training is usually convenient for individuals from various locations and schedules. Nonetheless, be prepared for potential technical difficulties. 

4. Take care of the individual’s convenience: Since the healthcare staff has multiple responsibilities, the training schedule should be designed while keeping the same in mind. Flexible timings and convenient locations should be considered while designing the module. 

A well-structured and planned training session offers a stronger understanding of the industry to the staff. It enhances the staff members’ performance while building their confidence. Various bodies like the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations(CAHO) are working towards constantly promoting and improving the quality of the healthcare services, nationwide. And hence, they provide various nursing training programmes to hone the skills of the individuals, in turn, enabling them to rise high in their career.

 

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