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Oncologic Critical Care pp 1–13Cite as

Infection Prevention in Critical Care Settings

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Abstract

Healthcare-associated infections are those that occur 48 h after hospital admission and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality, with bloodstream and pulmonary infections carrying the highest mortality rate. These infections have an important impact on quality of care and represent an economic burden to the healthcare system. Infection prevention programs encompass a set of interventions and measures aimed at preventing spread of infections in the healthcare setting. A necessary feature for its success is dedicated leadership, which should include a hospital epidemiologist with background training in infectious diseases, a microbiologist, an infection prevention nurse, pharmacists, director of employee health, and information technicians. Critical care specialists are often key partners in infection prevention, as healthcare-associated infections tend to concentrate in critical care settings. The infection prevention program has several functions, such as surveillance, feedback and education of clinicians using surveillance data, management of isolation, promotion of hand hygiene, and evaluation of its compliance, along with developing protocols for proper insertion and maintenance of medical devices. Continued monitoring of outcomes and performance evaluation of infection prevention procedures is needed to assess the effectiveness of said interventions and to implement changes and adapt them as new surveillance date becomes available.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McGovern Medical School, University of Texas at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Gabriela Corsi-Vasquez

  2. Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner

Authors
  1. Gabriela Corsi-Vasquez
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  2. Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Critical Care, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer C Department of Critical Care, Houston, TX, USA

    Joseph L. Nates

  2. Department of Critical Care, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer C Department of Critical Care, Houston, TX, USA

    Kristen J. Price

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Corsi-Vasquez, G., Ostrosky-Zeichner, L. (2019). Infection Prevention in Critical Care Settings. In: Nates, J., Price, K. (eds) Oncologic Critical Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74698-2_116-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74698-2_116-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74698-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74698-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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