Volume : 6, Issue : 6, June - 2017

STUDY OF AWARENESS AND PRACTICES OF INFECTION CONTROL, AMONG HOSPITAL STAFF IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

B. Elakiyarani, N. Junior Sundresh

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Introduction: Hospital-acquired infection also known as nosocomial infection &mdash; is an infection that is contracted from the environment or staff of a healthcare facility. It can be spread in the hospital environment, nursing home environment, rehabilitation facility, clinic, or other clinical settings.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:&#10;0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;&#10;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&#10;&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Aim: To assess the practices for infection control measures and to identify the major factors hampering infection control measures in ICU <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;&#10;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&#10;&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Methods: 30 ICU staffs were accessed using a questionnaire regarding &nbsp;infection control. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;&#10;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&#10;&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Results: 30 participants in the study, 86% of the staff follows all of the steps of hand washing, as stated in WHO guidelines, 74% of the staff said they always wear fresh gloves before patient examination, 53% said that they always dispose off waste in a right colour coded dustbin, ICU has any guidelines/protocols for patient oral health care, 68% of the respondents followed it, 98% of the staff agreed that good catheter care practices help in avoiding various infections in patients. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;&#10;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&#10;&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Conclusion: Good infection control is essential but the complex nature of infection means that it is not always easy to achieve. Continuous training and monitoring will prevent infections.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>