Hospital and/or healthcare acquired infections (HAI) are happening more frequently throughout the United States. Virtually unheard of years ago, infections have increased in hospital settings in recent years. If a patient acquires a new infection 48 hours or more after being admitted or within 30 days after leaving the hospital, these infections are labeled HAI. One reason for the increase is that only the sickest people are admitted to the hospital today, and the less ill are cared for through outpatient facilities. This situation provides a breeding ground for microbes from seriously ill patients to spread through healthcare workers and other means. The compromised immune systems of sick patients are fertile grounds for microbes proliferating.
In the United States, it is estimated that five to ten percent of patients admitted to hospitals acquire a new infection during their stay, a figure close to two million people a year. Deaths related to HAI are substantial. In 2002, the Center for Disease Control reported that 98,987 people died from HAIs. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that around 36 percent of the infections are preventable if health care workers would strictly follow guidelines. The infections can be caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses. Hospital workers need to closely follow protocol for sterilizing equipment, hand washing, and other preventative measures before and after patient contact.
Risk factors associated with acquiring hospital associated infections are the following:
- An extended hospital stay
- Compromised immunity system
- Severity of primary illness
- Use of catheters
- Health care workers failure to wash or inadequately wash hands before procedures
- Growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the overuse of antibiotics.
Whenever an invasive procedure is used to enter the patient’s body, the risk of an infection increases. New infections often develop from these procedures:
- Urinary bladder catheterizations cause the most HAIs.
- Respiratory ventilators or intubation can allow microbes to enter the lungs, with pneumonia causing the second most prevalent type of infection.
- Gastric drainage tubes through the mouth or nose.
- Surgery and dressings or drainage from the incision.
- Intravenous (IV) tubes for medication, transfusions, or nutrition.
People who enter hospitals for treatment should be aware of HAIs and the seriousness of acquiring new infections. Kimberly-Clark has created a HAI Watch Web site to be a resource center for information on hospital-acquired infections. They offer guidelines on hand hygiene in healthcare settings and other important tips to follow to reduce the number of infections. Free educational resources on HAIs are offered to healthcare workers in the form of courses and training through the Kimberly-Clark Knowledge Network. More information on this important subject can be found at their Web address: http://www.haiwatchnews.com/
written by, Joy Seeman H.I.C senior writer and editor
© 2009 Hemorrhoid Information Center
Sources:
Estimating Health Care-Associated Infections and Deaths. (2007, March). Retrieved October 20, 2009, from Centers for Disease Control-Research Articles-Public Health Reports: http://www.cdc.gov/
Nosocomial infection. (2009, October 15). Retrieved October 20, 2009, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org
Rizzo, T., & Culvert, L. Lee. (n.d.). Hospital acquired infections. Retrieved October 20, 2009, from Encyclopedia of Surgery: http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/
