[Patient-oriented hospital hygiene (author's transl)]

Primary objective of patient-oriented hospital hygiene is the reduction in frequency of the five most important nosocomial infections: urinary tract infection, wound infection, respiratory tract infection, sepsis and infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The less the effect of individual measures on the rate of hospital infections, the less important these measures are. Patient-oriented hospital hygiene commences not with expensive renovations, but with measures such as improvement of certain nursing techniques (venous catheters, bladder catheters, tracheal tubes, wound care). The most important measures are hand washing and disinfection. Hygiene committees, hygiene officers and infection control nurses are essential. A large part of the funds for investment in extra staff in a hospital hygiene programme can be obtained by economizing in other areas (e.g. routine floor disinfection).