Microbiologists visiting a hospital in Greenville, NC want to see how effective
ID: 185514 • Letter: M
Question
Microbiologists visiting a hospital in Greenville, NC want to see how effective hand washing with a newly design antibacterial soap is at removing microbes from ER nurses hands. At the beginning of 10 different ER nurses shifts, they have their hands swabbed. Then after each patient interaction their hands are swabbed again after washing with the new soap. The microbes are grown on agar plates and counts are recorded from each individual swab.
1. What is the independent variable? _______________________________________________
2. What is the dependent variable? _________________________________________________
3. What is the control? ___________________________________________________________
4. What are the constants? ________________________________________________________
5. What would your hypothesis be for this particular study?
Explanation / Answer
1) Independent Variable- It is the variable that is changed or controlled in an experiment to test the effects of the dependent variable.
2) Dependent Variable- it is the variable that is to be tested or being tested and measured in an experiment.
3) Control- It is the variable which is maintained constant inorder to test the relation ship of dependent and independent varaibles.
4) Constants- experiments having more than one control is called constant.constants donot change its properties through out the study.
5) Hand hygine is most effective way to prevent the spread of infections.Especially in hospitals there will 1 in 20 patients where hospital acquired infections are transmitted.so prevent hospital staff should stick to primary disinfection method which is a simple hand washing at frequent intervels or before and after patient care.According to me the antibacteral activity of the hand wash can be known after culturing and by knowing the no of colones in the cultured plates.
Definitely the antibacterial soap developed will have 70-80% effectiveness in removing the microbes from the hands of nurses which will play an important role in preventing HAI s.but the actual effectiness of the antibacterial soap can be known after the experimental results.