Antibiotics essay

Document Type:Essay

Subject Area:Health Care

Document 1

It was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. However, the first antibacterial drug available to the public was Prontosil. This drug was developed in 1930 by Gerhard Domagk. In 1940, a way to purify penicillin was discovered, and it was introduced into antibiotics. The discovery of antibiotic classes during this time also provided more information on the use of antibiotics which has lasted until the modern day. Antibiotics have become less effective as bacteria has grown more resistant to the effects of antibiotics. This is through prolonged use of a drug to treat a specific bacterial infection. The bacteria soon adapt to the drug and grows resistant to the effects of the drug. Antibiotics are being overused due to the ease of procuring hem over the counter without a prescription.

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Many people turn to antibiotics to treat any infection they experience. Some treatment processes such as the use of catheters and surgery often expose the body to numerous risks of infection. Lack of adequate care leads to the introduction of pathogens into the body that leads to the development of new infections. An additional factor is the transfer of diseases, especially communicable diseases, from one patient to another. Healthcare facilities that are not managed efficiently may lead to the transfer of communicable diseases between patients as well as healthcare workers. Patients should be accommodated in a defined setting that eliminates cases of a patient with a communicable disease in the same area as one with another disease. However, all MRSA infections are undesirable due to the difficulty in treating such infections.

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Staphylococcus is a common bacteria that is found on the human body. In most cases, the bacteria does not infect or attack the body as it is dormant. However, when opportunities for the bacteria to be activated inside the human body are present, it leads to infections that require antibiotics as treatment mechanisms. The constant use of antibiotics as a treatment option has led to the development of MRSA which is resistant to most antibiotics. In other cases, these healthcare workers may touch a patient and later touch an item or area within the hospital. When another person touches the same area, the bacteria is transferred to their bodies and can be activated to cause infection. This case is common in healthcare settings where hygiene standards are not adhered to with a strict procedure.

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An alternative transmission avenue within a hospital settings it through the use of equipment that is either shared or not properly sterilized. Shared items such as beds, cutlery, wheelchairs, and other equipment within the hospital can result in transmission of MRSA. 2014, S49). Clostridium difficile, like other bacteria, can be spread within a hospital setting. The infection is growing to become one of the most commonly acquired diseases in a healthcare setting. However, it can also be spread outside the hospital setting due to the presence of various factors. Transmission of the bacterium occurs due to poor hygiene conditions or standards. In addition, they should ensure they have a clean pair of medical hand gloves to be used when examining a patient.

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The hand gloves should be disposed of after examining a patient. The mode of disposal also contributes to the overall hygiene of the healthcare facility. As a result, hospitals have special bins to collect gloves. Healthcare workers are also expected to wash their hands after examining or attending to a patient. Maintain a high level of hygiene in a hospital setting is an expense for the hospital in general. This is because the hospital is expected to acquire adequate staff to provide cleaning services with respect to its size and patient tally. In addition, the equipment used by the healthcare workers adds on the overall operating expense. Tight budgets have forced hospitals to take shortcuts in offering medical care to the community.

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