Rashmi Thannikkal shortlisted in the British Journal of Nursing Awards 2024
20 March 2024 - A King’s College Hospital Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Nurse Specialist is in the finals for the prestigious British Journal of Nursing (BJN) Awards.
Rashmi Thannikkal has been shortlisted for the ‘Infection Prevention Nurse of the Year 2024,’ in recognition of her work to improve patient hand hygiene. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) bacteria usually lives harmlessly in the gut but can lead to infection if it enters the bloodstream or urinary tract. To help prevent the spread of CPE bacteria, Rashmi led an initiative to supply antimicrobial hand wipes to patients on a liver ward at meal times to break the chain of transmission from a patient’s hand to their mouth.
Rashmi Thannikkal, Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Nurse Specialist at King’s College Hospital, explained: “CPE can cause serious harm to patients with weakened immune systems, and effective hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to prevent the bacteria spreading. By giving this opportunity for patients to clean their hands easily from their bedside, particularly before mealtimes, we saw a clear reduction in CPE cases. Anti-microbial wipes are now used across our hospitals so that all our patients can do their part to keep themselves and others safe from infection.
“This nomination not only highlights a lot of hard work and commitment, but also underscores the collaborative effort of the King’s infection prevention and control team. It serves as a reminder that even small efforts – whether you are a patient or a healthcare professional – can have significant impact.”
Ashley Flores, Director of Infection Prevention at King’s College Hospital, said: “The Infection Prevention and Control team are working with clinical teams to reduce the risk of infections such as CPE, which have developed a resistance to antibiotics. Encouraging patient hand hygiene is an excellent way to involve our patients in these initiatives. This is a fantastic achievement for Rashmi and our infection prevention and control team, who are dedicated to driving forward patient safety.”
The BJN awards celebrate the hard work and dedication of nursing teams and individuals across the country and acknowledge and celebrate the positive impact they have on patients’ lives. Winners of will be announced on 22 March 2024. To find out more, visit https://www.bjnawards.co.uk/