Nosocomial Infection

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION

Infection control measure, nowadays, are widely implemented in every healthcare facility in the country due to the relationship between the patient's safety and nosocomial infection. As these facilities are responsible for ensuring the health and well being of individuals, it is essential to effectively control the spread of infection, most especially those that can be acquired within the hospital setting. Nosocomial infections are infections that are acquired in the hospital or acute care setting in relation to the original condition of the patient. Infections are said to be hospital-acquired if they surface within 48 hours after admission to the hospital unit or within 30 days after the patient has been discharged home. These infections are the most common complications experienced by patients admitted to the hospital, with about 10% of hospitalized patients acquiring some form of nosocomial infection. There are several types of nosocomial infections such as ventilator associated pneumonia, urinary tract infection, bloodstream infection and surgical site infection.

As modern medical practice becomes more advanced, the use of intravascular catheters have become a generic in the field and especially common in the Intensive Care Units where patients are critically ill (Lorente et al 2005). These catheters serve as a means of access to administer high alert medications that need to be given via a large vein, for administering parenteral alimentation and may also serve as a tool to measure the central venous pressure (Byrnes & Coopersmith 2007) Blood stream infections resulting from a central venous access is not a common form of nosocomial infection although this type of infection is the most highly preventable among the different types of nosocomial infections. As with any other type of infection, central venous catheter infections are associated with increased costs and expenditure in health care as patients acquiring this infection often have to increase their hospital stay. In addition, patients who acquire blood stream infections are more at risk of becoming critically ill as compared with patients who do not acquire this type of infection. Some factors that have been identified that contribute to blood stream infections are associated with the expertise and staffing ratio of health care workers to patients. The level of knowledge and training experience of nurses also has an impact on the risks of the patient to acquire a blood stream infection (Robert et al 2000).

Blood stream infections can be prevented through implementing practices that prevent the spread of infection, the most basic of which, is the observation of proper hand-washing techniques. Healthcare workers can also utilize proper personal protection equipments such as masks, gloves and gowns in order to minimize the risk of infection.