Literature Review: Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care

Literature Review: Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care 1. Introduction There are a number of measures used to control and prevent infections in the health care sector. Infections associated with the provision of medical care are caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi and can occur anywhere, but in medical institutions they are a more serious problem. One of the most urgent tasks in modern hospitals is the prevention of hospital-acquired infections, which are also called nosocomial infections. nosocomial infections. The specific focus for prevention of nosocomial infections are measures that identify immunodeficiency states, their adequate correction, and the use of prophylactic specific serums, toxoids, and bacteriophages. The rationale for conducting this literature review is to critically analyse the existing literature regarding the control and prevention of infectious diseases in health care settings. This literature review is aimed at synthesising the findings from previous research and providing current evidence on the research problem. The strategic goal of health care settings worldwide is to ensure the quality of medical care and create a safe hospital environment by preventing and controlling the spread of infections. Three themes have been identified for this critical evaluation: surgical site infections, preventive measures for nosocomial infections, and infection control for health care workers. The first theme presents the common pathogens of nosocomial infections, evaluation of time trends in the rates of surgical site infection, and the evidence of the effectiveness of showering or preoperative bathing with antiseptic formulations for preventing surgical site infections. The second theme highlights the potential health concerns that affect the mortality, morbidity, and quality of life of the individuals, and the ways to examine recent procedures for monitoring cleanliness, disinfection, and methods of cleaning. Finally, the third theme discusses infection control procedures for health care workers, as they are at an increased risk of developing nosocomial infections. 2. Critical Analysis of the Literature Surgical Site Infections Modern nosocomial or hospital‐acquired infections in surgical settings are caused by microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, and Candida. Worth, Bull, Spelman, Brett, and Richards (2015) conducted research in Australia that evaluated time trends in the rates of surgical site infection (SSI), along with the SSI pathogens. The researchers performed an observational cohort prospective multicentre study of 81 health care facilities located in Australia that were involved in the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System (VICNISS). Approximately 5123 SSIs were reported by the monitoring of 183,625 procedures. In this research, the most widely found pathogen was S. aureus, while ceftriaxone-resistant Escherichia coli was found to be the leading cause of SSI in surgical settings. Conversely, Webster and Osborne (2015) researched the effectiveness of showering or preoperative bathing with antiseptic formulations for preventing surgical site infections. They used randomised control...