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Nursing in nosocomial infection control in Spain
C Plitt-Gómez1, R Molina-Quilis, A Ruiz-Bremón
1Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Centre for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Spanish nursing practices for nosocomial infection control (NIC) show progress but require improvement. While many NIC-efficient procedures are implemented, insufficient nurse staffing and a lack of monitoring systems hinder optimal infection control.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Infection Control
- Hospital Management
Background:
- Nosocomial infections (NIs) pose a significant threat in healthcare settings.
- Effective nosocomial infection control (NIC) requires dedicated nursing resources and systematic approaches.
- Understanding current nursing practices in NIC is crucial for identifying areas for improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe current nursing practices in nosocomial infection control (NIC) in Spanish hospitals.
- To assess the allocation of nursing resources, surveillance systems, and educational programs for NIC.
- To identify challenges and opportunities for enhancing nursing's role in NIC in Spain.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study utilizing a questionnaire adapted from the Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC).
- The survey was distributed to Spanish general hospitals (public and private) with over 400 beds, and public health sector hospitals with over 100 beds.
- Analysis focused on nursing staff, surveillance systems, and NIC programs, achieving a 70% response rate.
Main Results:
- The overall ratio of nosocomial infection control nurses (ICNs) was 0.45 per 250 hospital beds, with lower ratios in medium-sized and large hospitals.
- A considerable proportion of hospitals reported a lack of dedicated NIC nurses or insufficient working hours, particularly in smaller facilities.
- While 70-80% of hospitals had implemented NIC-efficient procedures, and teaching was more intensive in medium-sized hospitals, monitoring and quality assessment systems were generally lacking.
Conclusions:
- Nursing in NIC in Spain has developed recently, showing increasing acceptance and international comparability in diffusion levels.
- Significant improvements are needed in nurse staffing ratios and the implementation of robust monitoring and quality assessment systems.
- Enhancing nursing resources and systematic evaluation are essential for optimizing NIC practices in Spanish hospitals.