Research Problem and Purpose Statements

Research is an important process in healthcare. The focus of this work is to present the research question and statement of purpose. The main goal of a research project is to solve the problem being addressed. To achieve this goal, researchers need to obtain information relevant to the problem and help solve it (National University, 2023). This paper focuses on the background and evidence for specific nosocomial-acquired diseases. Symptoms or infections that occurred during hospitalization.

Background and Evidence

The hospital-acquired infection (HAC) that is the focus of this article is mediastinitis, a surgical site infection after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Also called coronary artery bypass surgery or heart bypass surgery. This procedure is recommended for patients with narrowed or blocked arteries to improve blood flow to the heart (National Institutes of Health, 2022). Approximately 370,000 CABG surgeries are performed annually in US hospitals (Hsu, et al., 2018). Like any procedure, CABG procedures come with risks. One of the main risks is mediastinitis, an infection deep in the chest. The risk of a patient developing mediastinitis is 0. 3-0. 6% (Hsu, et al.2018). Mediastinitis can be caused by surgical reoperation, COPD, obesity, class IV/unstable stable angina, or polytransfusion (Cardiol, 2017). Mediastinitis is associated with high morbidity and mortality, delayed recovery, and prolonged hospital stay, resulting in high hospitalization costs (Cardiol, 2017). Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most costly of all health-acquired diseases, with “an estimated annual cost of $33 billion and an additional 9. 7 days of hospital stay,” increasing hospital costs per admission. An increase of more than $20,000 (for center diseases Control and Prevention, n.d.).

Problem Statement

A research problem statement is the problem or complexity that a team wants to solve. The question the research team is working to address is the severity of mediastinitis that occurs after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. More than 370,000 CABG surgeries are performed annually, and the incidence of mediastinitis is 0.3-0.6%. The risk of developing a deep chest infection is increased in patients with smoking, myocardial infarction, cardiopulmonary bypass, intraoperative red blood cell transfusion, preoperative hospitalization, and prolonged postoperative ventilation (Gao, 2022). Although the situation is improving, problems with hospitalization are increasing the risk of nosocomial infections. The greatest concerns regarding the risk of infection are operating room ventilation, sterilization methods, barriers, surgical technique, and availability of antimicrobial prophylaxis (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unconfirmed). Mediastinitis not only poses serious health concerns for patients. Patients may need to stay in the hospital for longer periods of time, possibly undergoing further surgeries, being transferred to intensive care units, and possibly dying (Hsu, 2018). Patients, as well as hospitals, are suffering badly. The hospital is suffering financially because of her HAC. This infection can result in additional costs of $19,000 to $56,000 per patient diagnosed with mediastinitis (Hsu, 2018).

Purpose Statement

The purpose statement explains the purpose of the research. Goals must address problems and contribute to solutions (National University, 2023). This study aims to reduce the number of coronary artery bypass grafts in postoperative patients. Nosocomial infections account for 0.3-0. 6% of her CABG patients. These infections cause increased mortality and hospitalization costs.

References:

Cardiol, A. (2017). Predictors of Mediastinitis Risk after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Applicability of Score in 1.322 Cases. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5586227/ .

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. (n.d.). Surgical site infection event. National Healthcare Safety Network. https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/pdfs/pscmanual/9pscssicurrent.pdf

Hsu, H. Kawai, A., Wang, R., Jentzsch, M., Rhee, C., Horan, K., Jin, R., Goldmann, D., & Lee, G. (2018). The impact of the medical healthcare-associated condition program on mediastinitis following coronary artery bypass graft. HHS Public Access. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5957779/ .

National Health Institute. (2022). What Is Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting? National Heart, Lungs, and Blood. Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/coronary-artery-bypassgrafting .

National University. (2023). LibGuides: Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Problem Statement. https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=1006886&p=7294692 .

National University. (2023). LibGuides: Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Purpose Statement. https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=1006886&p=7294752 .