Impact of infection prevention and control quality improvements in haemodialysis facilities: a scoping review

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose significant risks to patients undergoing haemodialysis, necessitating effective infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies. This scoping review aims to summarise and analyse the existing literature on quality improvement (QI) interventions that enhance adherence to infection prevention and control measures in dialysis settings.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar databases, identifying 10 relevant studies published between January 2013 and October 2024. The review was conducted according to an established methodology for scoping studies and followed guidelines. Data extraction and analysis were performed to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of various quality improvement interventions.

31 267 records with 10 studies eligible for final review. Post-intervention evaluation varied considerably across studies. The analysis revealed that diverse QI strategies significantly improved adherence to infection prevention protocols, including staff education, protocol standardisation, and multimodal interventions. However, the evaluation of outcomes differed across different contexts. Common patterns identified included the effectiveness of training programs in enhancing staff knowledge and the importance of leadership support in sustaining IPC practices. Additionally, some studies revealed a significant decrease in infection rates following the interventions, highlighting the effectiveness of structured educational efforts in enhancing patient safety and infection control in clinical settings.

This review provides valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers to reduce HAIs in dialysis environments, thereby improving patient outcomes and promoting safety within healthcare systems. Future research should focus on implementing and evaluating integrated QI models tailored to local contexts in diverse healthcare settings.

Not applicable.