Healthcare-Associated Infections _ ______________________________________________________________
An effective infection control team is critical to reducing the incidence of HAIs in a healthcare facility. All departments within a healthcare facility should be represented on this team to ensure widespread adherence to prevention measures. The responsibilities of an infection control team are to conduct surveillance of infections; ensure compliance with infection control guidelines, including those for management of drug- resistant organisms; and establish response and control plans for outbreaks and epidemics. Most important is the develop- ment of an organizational culture that fosters a focus on patient safety and emphasizes education on HAIs and infection control for healthcare workers and patients and their families.
CONCLUSION Infections acquired in the healthcare setting raise a great risk for patients, leading to high rates of morbidity and mortality. Many of the deaths caused by HAIs could be prevented by fol- lowing evidence-based guidelines and consensus statements on prevention strategies. Several institutions have implemented campaigns to enhance the quality of health care and patient safety by focusing on measures to reduce the most common HAIs: catheter-associated urinary tract infection, surgical site infection, pneumonia, intravascular device-related bloodstream infection, and C. difficile infection. The single most effective infection control measure is appropriate hand hygiene, and all efforts to reduce the rate of HAIs must focus on enhanc- ing compliance with this measure in conjunction with other prevention strategies. Along with hand hygiene, meticulous attention to aseptic technique when preparing for invasive pro- cedures or using invasive devices is also essential for reducing the prevalence of HAIs. Prevention measures specific for each of the most common types of HAIs have been recommended in evidence-based guidelines and consensus statements ( Table 22 ). The common pathogens, diagnosis, and treatment vary among these infections and even within each type of infection. The CDC has detailed diagnostic criteria for each type of infection, and consensus statements and guidelines have also proposed such criteria. The treatment of HAIs varies according to the pathogen and the anatomic site. The prevailing principle is to use antibiotics judiciously, as the inappropriate use of anti- biotics has led to an increasing number of resistant strains of bacteria. When using empiric antibiotic therapy, physicians should select an antibiotic on the basis of known pathogens in the healthcare facility as a whole, as well as on the specific unit within the facility.
WORKS CITED https://qr2.mobi/HC_Infections
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