HOSPITAL AQUIRED INFECTION

Prepared by : Neha Jani

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

• Definition: Infections that patients

acquire during the course of receiving
treatment for other conditions within a
healthcare setting
• Healthcare settings:
– Hospitals: acute care facilities, critical
access hospitals
– Long term care facilities (LTCF)
– Outpatient settings: dialysis centers,
ambulatory surgical centers, physician’s
offices
 HAI Burden
What is Known: Acute Care Settings
• 1.7 million infections (5% of all admissions)
– Most (1.3 million) were outside of ICUs

• $28–33 billion in excess costs

• 99,000 associated deaths
• Most common type of infections:
– Bloodstream infections (BSI)
– Urinary tract infections
– Pneumonia
– Surgical site infections
Social Costs of HAIs
 Surgical Procedures Moving from Inpatient to Outpatient Setting

60

50
Procedures (millions)

40

30 All Outpatient
Settings
20

10
Hospital Inpatient
0
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005*
Healthcare-associated Outbreak Investigations
by Healthcare Setting, 2004-2008
Increasing number of
outbreaks associated with
outpatient care
• Wide range of settings
(e.g., ambulatory
surgery, cancer clinics,
pain medicine, dialysis,
long-term care,
physician offices)
• Unsafe injections,
foundation of basic safe
care practices lacking Hospital (27)
Outpatient Setting (12)
LTCF (3)
Community (5)
n = 47, as of April 2008
A Collaborative Approach to
Preventing HAIs
 State of Prevention
Knowledge and Science

• Evidence-based prevention
recommendations
– Major device and procedure associated HAIs
(CLABSI, VAP, CAUTI, SSI)
– Prevention of pathogen transmission (MRSA,
C. difficile)
• Suboptimal adherence to key prevention
recommendations
 Current State of Affairs

• Hand hygiene compliance for healthcare

worker: 40-50%
• Compliance with timing of surgical
prophylaxis was ~40%1
• Many facilities have yet to implement
proven prevention measures:
– Bloodstream infections
– Urinary tract infections
 Basics of a Prevention Collaborative

• Group of healthcare facilities engaged in

a common effort to reduce HAIs
• Members use a common approach
• Discuss progress regularly and share
lessons learned in real time
 Prevention Strategies
• Core Strategies • Supplemental
– High levels of Strategies
scientific evidence – Some scientific
– Demonstrated evidence
feasibility – Variable levels of
feasibility
PREVENTION OF CATHETER-
ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT
INFECTIONS (CAUTI)
OUR
MISSION:
To promote, protect, and
improve the health and safety
of all Hoosiers.
OUR VISION:
Every Hoosier reaches
optimal health regardless
of where they live, learn,
work, or play.
 What is bundle care approach

The care bundle involves grouping

together key elements of care for
procedures to provide a systematic
method to improve and monitor the
delivery of clinical care processes.

In short, care bundles aim to ensure that all

patients consistently receive the best care or
treatment, all the time.
 What is a CAUTI?
According to the CDC, a catheter-
associated urinary tract infection
(CAUTI) can occur when germs
and/or bacteria enter the urinary
tract, involving any of the organs
or structures of the urinary tract,
through the urinary catheter and
cause an infection.
(Including the kidneys,
ureters, bladder, and/or
urethra).
 Appropriate indications for
indwelling catheter in LTC
Inappropriate
catheter uses:
• Acute urinary retention or • Substitute for
bladder outlet obstruction nursing care of the
resident with
• Protection of surgical sites or incontinence
Stage 3 or 4 sacral or perineal • Immobile or
obese resident
wounds in incontinent patients
• Resident or
family
• To improve comfort for end-of- request
life care, if needed
Urinary catheter maintenance

o Attach catheter tubing to leg

with securement device
o Perform hand hygiene prior to and
after catheter contact
o Perform daily perineal care with
soap and water and when soiled
o Review necessity of catheter
regularly and remove promptly
when resident does not meet
approved indications
 Urinary catheter maintenance
oMaintain unobstructed urine flow:
no kinks, twists, or loops in the
tubing
o Keep the collection bag below the
level of the bladder at all times
without ever resting bag on the
floor
o Maintain a closed drainage system
at all times
o Empty bag regularly and keep bag
under ¾ full at all times
o Use individual, labeled collection
container for each
resident
o Do not let drainage spigot touch the
 Long-term care facilities

Review and update facility policies and

procedures and ensure they include:
• That routine changing of indwelling catheter is no longer
supported in Long-term care
• Only change catheter prior to collection of
Urinalysis and Culture and prior to initiating
antimicrobial therapy

• Use aseptic technique when disconnecting/

reconnecting a catheter bag to a leg bag.
• Cleanse connection tubing with an alcohol swab.
• Use a sterile cap to maintain sterility of the system being
disconnected.

• Avoid reflux
 Symptoms of a Urinary Tract
Infection
A CAUTI has similar symptoms to a
typical urinary tract infection (UTI)
which include:
• cloudy urine
• blood in the urine
• strong urine odor
• urine leakage around your catheter
• pressure, pain, or discomfort in your
lower back or stomach
• chills
• fever
• unexplained fatigue
• vomiting
 If you suspect a CAUTI
Discuss with provider if a
urinalysis and culture and
sensitivity is appropriate.
• If so, then attain urine
specimen prior to
antibiotic therapy.
Remember: Do not send a
urinalysis or culture in
asymptomatic residents.

**Follow up on
culture results
for proper antibiotic
use.
 What is ventilator care bundle?

"Ventilator bundle "is a package of evidence -

based interventions that include: (1) Elevation
of patient's head of bed to 30- 45 degrees; (2)
Daily sedation vacation and daily assessment
of readiness to extubation; (3) Peptic ulcer
prophylaxis; (4) Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
prophylaxis.
 risk factors for the development of VAP
• Many risk factors for the development of VAP have been
identified.
• They can be differentiated into modifiable and
nonmodifiable risk factors and into patient-related and
treatment-related risk factors .
• Nonmodifiable patient-related risk factors include male
sex, preexisting pulmonary disease, coma, AIDS, head
trauma, and multiple-organ system failure.
• Nonmodifiable treatment-related risk factors include
the necessity of neurosurgery, monitoring of intracranial
pressure, re intubation, or transportation out of ICU.
 What are the indications of VAP?

• Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurs

in patients that have been on mechanical
ventilation for more than 48 hours. It presents
with clinical signs that include purulent
tracheal discharge, fevers, and respiratory
distress in the presence of microorganisms.
 classifications of VAP
• two classifications of VAP
• VAP is further divided into multidrug resistant
(MDR) VAP and non-MDR VAP. Exposure to
intravenous antibiotics within 90 days is a
predisposing factor to MDR-VAP. Other risk
factors include septic shock, acute respiratory
virus syndrome (ARDS), and acute renal
replacement therapy.
 Diagnosis of VAP

• Diagnosing VAP requires a high clinical

suspicion combined with bedside
examination, radiographic examination, and
microbiologic analysis of respiratory
secretions.
• Aggressive surveillance is vital in
understanding local factors leading to VAP and
the microbiologic milieu of a given unit.
 Why is VAP prevention important?

• Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in a

critically ill patient significantly increases risk
of mortality and, at a minimum, increases
ventilator time, length of stay, and cost of
care. It is a complex condition not only to
diagnose but also to treat, thus prevention is
extremely important.
 Preventive measures
• Healthcare associated infections (HAI), such as
ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), are
the most common and most preventable
complication of a patient’s hospital stay.
• Their frequency and potential adverse effects
increase in critically ill patients because of
impaired physiology, including a blunted
immune response and multi-organ
dysfunction.
 Preventive measures continue…
• 1. Minimize ventilator exposure
• 2. Provide excellent oral hygiene care
• 3. Coordinate care for subglottic
suctioning
• 4. Maintain optimal positioning and
encourage mobility
• 5. Ensure adequate staffing
 Minimize ventilator exposure
• First, you can encourage and advocate for the use of
noninvasive ventilation approaches, such as bi level
positive airway pressure or continuous positive airway
pressure.
• The face masks used with these approaches can be
uncomfortable for patients, but data from a small
randomized clinical trial suggests that similar benefits can
be achieved using a helmet instead.
• In addition to better patient comfort, helmets resulted in
a significantly lower intubation rate compared to face
masks.
 Minimize ventilator exposure
• Second, when mechanical ventilation can’t be avoided, work to
minimize its duration.
• Ventilator weaning protocols or evidence-based care bundles (for
example, the Awakening, Breathing Coordination, Delirium, and
Early mobility (ABCDE) bundle) can be effective in shortening
mechanical ventilation duration.
• Nurse-led and respiratory therapist-led ventilator-weaning
protocols that include daily interruption of sedation and
coordination with a spontaneous breathing trial have been
effective in removing patients from mechanical ventilation quickly
and appropriately.
• If a ventilator-weaning protocol doesn’t exist on your unit, take
the opportunity to design and develop one.
 2. Provide excellent oral hygiene care
• Oral health quickly deteriorates in mechanically
ventilated patients.
• Some patients sustain injuries to the oral
mucosa during the intubation procedure, and
after intubation, patients are prone to dry
mouth.
• These factors, in addition to a severely
compromised immune system, can cause an
increase in bacteria colonization in the oral
mucosa, with the endotracheal tube serving as a
direct route to the lungs.
 2. Provide excellent oral hygiene care…

• Adequate oral care can reduce bacterial

overgrowth and reduce the risk for infection.
In a meta-analysis of more than 18
randomized controlled trials (RCTs), routine
oral care with chlorhexidine reduced the
incidence of VAP.
 3. Coordinate care for subglottic
suctioning

• Aspiration of secretions that accumulate around the

endotracheal tube of mechanically ventilated patients can
lead to VAP.
• Subglottic secretion suctioning can be performed by both
the nurse and respiratory therapist and can aid in prevention.
• A recent meta-analysis of 20 RCTs found that subglottic
suctioning reduced the risk for VAP by 45% compared to
patients who didn’t receive suctioning.
• Coordinating subglottic suctioning when conducting oral care
may be a good mechanism to cluster care and ensure both of
these practices are routinely delivered.
4. Maintain optimal positioning and encourage
mobility

• Proper positioning (keeping the head of the bed

between 30–45 degrees) and encouraging early
mobility of mechanically ventilated patients aid in
the prevention of VAP.
• Gastric reflux and aspiration can also lead to VAP
in mechanically ventilated patients. Keeping the
head of the bed elevated between 30–45 degrees
(semi-recumbent position) is recommended to
reduce reflux and subsequent risk for VAP.
 Maintain optimal positioning and
encourage mobility continue …
• Early mobility can be challenging, but it results in more
ventilator-free days.
• Evidence supports the feasibility of early mobilization for
critically ill patients, even shortly after intubation, as long as
the patient isn’t sedated.
• Early mobility protocols include a progressive approach that
transitions from dangling at the edge of the bed, to standing
at the edge of bed, to marching in place and then, for patients
who can tolerate a higher level of activity, ambulating.
• For the best patient outcomes, coordinate exercise and
mobilization with physical and occupational therapists.
 5. Ensure adequate staffing

• Adequate nurse staffing in the ICU, especially

for mechanically ventilated patients, can help
minimize VAP risk.
• It provides nurses with the time, opportunity,
and resources to implement care practices
that reduce risk, and it allows them to spend
more time with their patients, which may lead
to early identification of VAP and prompt
treatment.
 5. Ensure adequate staffing…
• Healthy work environments and interprofessional
collaboration also have been associated with lowering
the risk for VAP.
• Two studies found that better nurse work
environments, in conjunction with physician staffing,
have implications for VAP risk.
• For example, in open ICUs where patients are managed
by general physicians instead of specially trained critical
care physicians, having better nurse work environments
can reduce VAP rates for mechanically ventilated
patients.
 Surgical Site Infections
• Surgical site infections lead to increased
morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and cost
for many surgical patients each year.
• Education on risk factors and compliance with
prevention measures may lead to decreased
infections in the surgical patient.
• Collaboration between Infection Preventionist
and staff can lead to a shared vision of
increased patient safety.
Signs and Symptoms of Surgical Site
Infection

 Pain, swelling, tenderness,

and/or redness at surgical site
 Fever
 Drainage – purulent
(greenish-yellow) or bad
smelling
 Risk factor for developing SSI
• Duration of scrub
• Skin antisepsis
• Surgical attire
• Sterile draping
• Duration of surgery
• Wound class
• Prophylaxis
• Traffic in the OR
• Temperature and Humidity
• Glucose control of the patient
• Temperature control of the patient
• Foreign materials
• Surgical drains
• Surgical technique
 Other Risk Factors of SSI
• Compromised state of health prior to surgery,
chronic illnesses, unhealthy lifestyle and
advanced age.
• Most infections are caused by germs found on
and in a patient's body that enter surgical site.
• Outside sources of contamination- surgical
personnel, surgical environment, instruments
and air.
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF SSI
• Gloves reduce transmission of pathogens on the hands
but do not provide complete protection. Gloves may
contain small defects.
• When integrity of gloves is compromised, change
immediately.
• Gloves may swell, expand and loosen from absorption of
fluid and fat.
• Use of petroleum-based hand lotions or creams may
adversely affect the integrity of latex gloves.
• The use of gloves does not replace the need for hand
washing and/or hand sanitizer use.
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF SSI…
• Skin Preparation- the goal is to remove as much
potential harmful bacteria as possible.
• Patients are colonized with bacteria, fungi, and viruses
– up to 3 million germs per square centimeter of skin.
• Hand Hygiene : Appropriate surgical techniques- the
types of incisions made, the amount of manipulation
of the tissue required, the amount of time the
procedure takes and the technique used to close the
incision can increase or reduce the risk of infection.
• Avoid flashing of surgical instruments
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF SSI…
• Head Covering – Wear a cap or hood to fully
cover hair on the head and face.
• Hospital provided scrubs.
• Mask- Wear a surgical mask that fully covers the
mouth and nose when entering the OT &
Remove when surgery is complete and discard
in trash.
• Shoe covers
• Eye Shield
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF SSI…
• Give health education on followings :
• Optimize health- Control risk factors such as excess
weight, malnutrition, hypertension, weakened
immune system, smoking, and uncontrolled
diabetes.
• Bathing prior to surgery – A preoperative antiseptic
shower or bath decreases skin microbial colony
counts.
• Assess for other infections- such as UTI, skin
infections, dental infections, etc.
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF SSI…
• Ristrict visitors entry in OT areas which prevent
decontamination .
• Clean OT between each procedure, Terminal cleaning daily is
critical in preventing health care associated infections.
• Dust contains human skin and hair, fabric fibers, pollens, mold,
fungi, glove powder and paper fibers.
• Disinfect non critical equipment
• Equipment should be disassembled, cleaned, disinfected,
cleaned with an EPA-registered disinfectant and dried before
reuse and/or storage.
• Sterilization of Critical equipment/ supplies with High level
disinfection
 Prophylactic prevention of SSI
• For some surgeries, one of the ways to
prevent surgical site infections (SSI) is by
giving patients antibiotics 0 to 60 minutes (for
usual antibiotics) or 0 to 120 minutes
(Vancomycin or Fluroquinolones) before
surgery.
 Post operative Prevention of SSI- Nursing
care
• Maintain Normothermia ( > 96.8 )- Hypothermia
impairs the patient’s immune function and
causes vasoconstriction at the incision site.
• Use proper hand hygiene Maintain sterile
dressing as directed
• Ensure delivery of antibiotics as directed
• Monitor and Maintain adequate blood glucose
control
• Provide balanced nutrition.
 Discharge Instructions
• Dressing maintenance Proper incision care
Symptoms and reporting of SSI
• Hand Hygiene at home- before and after dressing
changes and any contact with the incision site.
• Nutrition guidelines
• Medications
• Blood glucose monitoring
• Bathing instructions
• Follow-up appointments
 Bundle care approaches in prevention of
CLABSI

• Healthcare-associated infections are a leading cause of morbidity and

mortality.
• Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are serious
infections that can lead to increases in the length of hospital stays, case
costs and mortality and morbidity.
• CLABSIs are a global healthcare problem despite the availability of
guidelines, education and equipment to manage it.
• Most of these infections are preventable if evidence-based practices
(including surveillance), insertion and maintenance guidelines are
followed.
• CLABSI is defined as a laboratory-confirmed BSI that occurs when an
eligible BSI organism is identified and a central line is present when the BSI
is laboratory confirmed.
 TYPES OF CLABSI
• Primary BSI : A laboratory-confirmed
bloodstream infection that is not secondary to
an infection at another body site .
• Secondary BSI : A BSI that is thought to be
seeded from a site-specific infection at
another body site.
• CLABSI rate The total no of CLABSIs divided
by the total no of device days × 1000
 Central line-associated bloodstream infection
care bundles
• Central line insertion bundle
• Hand hygiene
• Wash hands or use an alcohol-based, waterless hand cleaner when caring for central lines:
– Before and after palpating the catheter insertion site.
– Before and after inserting, replacing, adjusting or dressing the site.
– During palpation of the insertion site and after application of antiseptic and only if full asepsis is
maintained.
• Complete maximal barrier
• The operator inserting the central venous catheter should adhere to strict aseptic techniques and
wear sterile gloves, gown, surgical cap and surgical mask.
• Chlorhexidine 2% skin antisepsis
• Prepare skin with 2% chlorhexidine in 70% alcohol using swabs and a friction scrub for at least 30
seconds s. Do not wipe or blow dry and allow to dry completely before skin puncture:
– 30 s for a dry site.
– 2 min for a moist site (especially femoral).
• Optimal catheter site selection
• In adult patients, there is some evidence that the subclavian site has a lower risk of catheter-related
blood stream infections. However, there is usually more experience with the internal jugular site. The
subclavian and internal jugulars are the preferred sites for infection-control purposes.
• Use of sterile, single-use jelly.
• Use sterile, single-use jelly for ultrasound-guided insertion s.
 Central line maintenance bundle

• Hand hygiene
• Practice hand hygiene at five moments
– Before touching a patient.
– Before clean/aseptic procedures.
– After body-fluid exposure/risk.
– After touching a patient.
– After touching patient surroundings.
• Aseptic technique for accessing and changing needleless connectors
• Scrub the access port or hub immediately prior to each use with an appropriate
antiseptic.
• Standardized tubing change
• Intravenous medication administration tubing should be changed as per the
recommendation in the local organizations policy.
• Daily review of catheter necessity
• Daily review of line necessity during rounds so that the necessity of the lines can
be determined and unnecessary lines removed.
These bundles are all evidence-based practices with ample
literature supporting them.
In preparation for the introduction of the bundles in practice, all
bedside nurses were educated on the bundle elements.
 Each element of the bundles required several tests of change.
 Compliance with the elements was ensured using an audit form.
Using the IHI’s collaborative model, this initiative comprised a
multidisciplinary team that included nurses, physicians, infection-
control practitioners and QI professionals.
 The team undertook comprehensive case reviews for every
CLABSI incidence that occurred in the CICU to identify and
implement best practices with the aim of reducing CLABSI rates
in the adult, cardiac ICU setting.
• Using the IHI’s collaborative model, this initiative comprised a multidisciplinary team
that included nurses, physicians, infection-control practitioners and QI professionals.
• The team undertook comprehensive case reviews for every CLABSI incidence that
occurred in the CICU to identify and implement best practices with the aim of
reducing CLABSI rates in the adult, cardiac ICU setting.
• After brainstorming and performing a Pareto analysis, we concluded that there were
practice gaps concerning compliance for both the insertion and maintenance bundles.
• This included a lack of awareness regarding the implementation and monitoring of
each component of the bundles.
• We used the Model for Improvement, which is composed of three components, to
structure and guide improvements.
• These components were: set an aim statement, define measures and select small
changes to test.
• We use small Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to test changes in ideas and successful
results were implemented. All key stakeholders assessed the current state of the
CLABSI prevention process bundles and their redesign.
 PDSA 1: CLABSI bundle audit form

• A CLABSI bundle-checklist audit tool was developed

and tested. It included insertion and maintenance
elements and was first tested on one nurse and one
patient during one shift. Once implemented, data were
collected daily using the audit form and weekly
compliance was calculated by a task force and
communicated to the teams. The tool was modified
based on feedback from nurses before it was fully
adopted. Monthly data of the unit CLABSI rates were
communicated to the staff through event calendars
and monthly unit meetings.
 PDSA 2: hand hygiene
• PDSA 2: 1. Formal education on hand hygiene was conducted for all of the
front-line staff working in CICU by an infection-control practitioner. The
practice of hand hygiene at five moments was taught and monitored.
• PDSA 2: 2. Compliance with the five moments of hand hygiene was
monitored by secret observers. Daily compliance data, with individual
names, was displayed on a unit board. Physicians and nurses with the
highest compliance rates were acknowledged. This proved to be a
successful method and the change was adopted.
• PDSA 2: 3. Another test of change included hand-hygiene time, which was
designated as 11 o’clock AM. An announcement was made through an
ASCOM device to ensure the announcement went to all healthcare
workers to remind them to perform this activity. The hand-hygiene
campaign was periodically run in the department to reinforce the
message.
• PDSA 2: 4. Soap or alcohol-based hand-gel dispensers were prominently
placed in or near patient rooms, and universal precautionary equipment
such as gloves were made available near hand-sanitation equipment.
Reminders were posted at the entry and exits to patient rooms.
 PDSA 3: all-inclusive central line kits

• Standard equipment for central line placements were stocked

in a cart or kit to avoid any difficulties with finding necessary
equipment to initiate the bundle elements.
• Teams prepared a list of all the consumable items required
during central line insertions and, with the help of material
management, they prepared kits.
• Theses kit consisted of all the required consumable items for a
central line insertion in a single pack to minimize interruptions
during the procedures.
• The pack was tested on one patient and one doctor during a
single shift. Once feedback was collected, the change was
adopted if it was shown to be successful.
 PDSA 4: maximal barrier precautions

• Proper use of personal protective

equipment during the insertion and care of
central venous catheters (CVCs) was
monitored.
 PDSA 5: use of chlorhexidine skin
antiseptics

• The use of chlorhexidine for skin antisepsis and proper

technique was monitored. The disinfection of hubs and
injection ports with alcohol cap port protectors was also
performed. Chlorhexidine dressing and the daily use of
chlorhexidine bath wipes for cleaning patients on CVCs was
followed.
• The evidence-based practice of pressing a sponge against the
skin and applying chlorhexidine solution using a back-and-
forth friction scrub for at least 30 s was also monitored.
• We reinforced the practice of not wiping or blotting and,
instead, allowed time for the antiseptic solution to completely
dry before puncturing the site (~2 min).
 PDSA 6: physician education on central line
insertion

• The education and training of all physicians was undertaken

through simulation techniques.
• Proper surgical hand scrubs, the principles of aseptic
techniques during insertion, techniques for ultrasound-
guided central line insertion and full maximum barriers
during insertion were the focus of the educational sessions.
• In addition, emphasis was placed on preferred sites of
choice (either the jugular or subclavian for central line
insertion). Ultrasound guidance used to assess and detect
the most suitable vein and replacement of CVCs over the
guide wire was strongly discouraged.
 PDSA 7: bundle element compliance

• Turning the ventilator tubing away from the CVC

site and regular oral suctioning was performed for
patients with large amounts of secretions.
• The regular inspection of sites for any signs and
symptoms of infection was performed, and daily
assessments for the need of a CVC was
implemented.
• Physicians also reassessed patients requiring long-
term central lines and change them to peripherally
inserted central catheter lines.
What is an infection control committee?

• The Committee is an integral component of

the patient safety programme of the health
care facility, and is responsible for establishing
and maintaining infection prevention and
control, its monitoring, surveillance, reporting,
research and education.
Who are the members of hospital infection committee?

• i. Chairperson: Head of the Institute

(preferably)
• ii. Member Secretary: Senior Microbiologist.
• iii. Members:
• Support. Services:
• vi. Infection Control Nurse (s)
• vii. Infection Control officer.
 Surveillance of HAI –infection control team

Role of infection committees in surveillance and processing of

information:
They track nosocomial infections and incidents that have
the potential to cause infections. They review infection
control statistics from the facility in an effort to minimize risk,
identify problem areas, and implement corrective actions.
SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME
 PURPOSE OF HAI SURVEILANCE
• The purpose of HAI surveillance is to provide
data on HAI occurrence for decision-making,
policy and research.
• It helps describe microbiological profiles of
pathogens causing HAI, and, depending on
most frequent infections, it provides critical
information to plan and tailor IPC
interventions.
 Why Is the Infection Control Committee
Important?
• Everyone knows that infection control is the responsibility of all health care
workers.
• Patients and employees are only safe from infectious processes when everyone
follows good infection control techniques.
• The purpose of the Infection Control Committees not to reduce the individual
responsibility that each healthcare provider has, but to provide leadership for all
employees throughout the facility.
• Through policies, procedures, and evaluation processes, the committee acts as a
central clearing house for all infection control information and channels that
information in a manner that will create the safest healthcare environment.
• It also helps to standardize infection control procedures throughout the facility so
that the same level of care is provided in all departments.
• This standardization helps to control and maintain the facility's environment and
ensures that patients receive the same level of infection control in all areas. For
example, the Infection Control Committee may take steps to ensure that the
standard for instruments used in invasive procedures performed outside of the
OT is the same as invasive procedures performed within the OT.