Reasons to Stay Out of the Hospital by Jo Ann LeQuang l Health l Hospitals l Health and Safety

Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI)

Hospitals are so laden with germs that there is a whole new category of infection known as HAI or hospital-acquired infection. According to medical writers, an HAI is an infection “promoted by the hospital environment.” This may be because so many germs are in the hospital or it may be a response to caregivers who do not wash their hand or inadequately cleaned equipment or tools. According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, about 99,000 Americans die of these HAI every year. And America is not unique. The United Kingdom reports that 1 in every 16 patients in a hospital in that nation acquires an infection as a result of being at the hospital.

Dysfunction

Here’s a little secret most non-hospital people do not know: hospitals are dysfunctional. From poor communication across disciplines to a “bullying culture,” hospitals are notorious for dysfunction. For instance, a nurse who notices a patient in distress may hesitate before pointing it out to an overbearing physician. It’s been reported that many healthcare professionals bite their tongue if they notice a surgical mistake or a wrong drug, for fear of irritating certain angry physicians. In Great Britain, a study was done in 2013 in which 25% of physicians and 33% of nurses said that bullying in the hospital led them to do things (or not do things) that were bad for their patients.