Hospital Associated Infection Surveillance in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Dr. Farooq A Jan, Dr. Rohit Koppala, Dr. Gulnaz Bashir, Dr. Bashir Fomda

Abstract: Introduction: Surveillance for endemic HAIs is important to measure their burden, identify high risk populations and procedures and guide efforts to reduce HAI incidence. Health care workers are critical in implementation of infection prevention and control measures. Appropriate use of disinfectants and cleaning agents helps to prevent cross contamination. Methods: A prospective study was carried out for a period of one and a half year in which the activities of infection control program at SKIMS were studied by observational and record study. The infection control practices were studied for a period of six months by observational study. Results: On reviewing records, it was noted that infection control committee meets every two to three months or as per the need. The minutes of these meetings were perused. It was noted that a schedule for fogging of all patient care areas including OT?s, wards, CSSD etc was being circulated every six months. On the day of fogging the patients would be taken out of wards, thorough cleaning of wards including beds, bedside lockers etc would be carried out by surface disinfectant. This would be followed by fogging with fogging solution. In Intensive care areas thorough cleaning of patient care area would be carried out by detergent which would be followed by surface disinfection of beds, bedside lockers etc by disinfectants. Discussion: Hospitals need to adopt infection control practices to reduce adverse impact on hospitals. The importance of Disinfection practices under supervision of Infection Control Committee has proved effective by improvement in clinical symptoms of patients and sterility of swabs taken post disinfection. Growth of Burkholderia Cepacia complex from fresh ECG gel is alarming. Hospitals need to invest more in infection control processes. Three infection control nurses for 1015 beds is too low whereas the recommendation is one infection control nurse for 100 beds. In this study we can see that more instances of nosocomial infection outbreaks have been reported from intensive care areas rather than wards. Conclusion: There is a robust infection control program at SKIMS, however more infection control nurses need to be there to improve surveillance and post surveillance control measures. Poor nursing ratio in patient care areas needs to be addressed as it negatively effects practices of infection control.

Keywords: health care associated infections, infection control, surveillance, antibiotic resistance, hospital outbreaks

How to Cite?: Dr. Farooq A Jan, Dr. Rohit Koppala, Dr. Gulnaz Bashir, Dr. Bashir Fomda, "Hospital Associated Infection Surveillance in a Tertiary Care Hospital", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 578-583, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251207160423, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251207160423