Romel Turner

Unit 7 Assignment 1 Portals of Entry

SC2730 Arceo

Nosocomial infections are infections that develop as a result of a stay in hospital or are
produced by microorganisms and viruses acquired during hospitalization. This can be simply
because of an infectious agent present within a patient's body, or exogenous, transmitted from
another source within the hospital (Abbas, 1997). This can also be from patient-to-patient
spread. There may be others involved, which can include staff, students, visitors, and voluntary
workers. Infections that are in the incubation period at the time of admission to hospital are not
classed as nosocomial, but community-acquired infection of patients or staff can be an important
source of nosocomial infection (Abbas, 1997).
Hospital-acquired infections, or nosocomial infections, are one of the leading causes of
death in the United States, killing more Americans than AIDS, breast cancer, or automobile
accidents. In 1995 alone, nosocomial infections contributed to more than 88,000 deaths, one
death every six minutes, and cost $4.5 billion (Weinstein, 1998). Nosocomial infections usually
affect patients who are immunocompromised because of their age, other diseases, medical or
surgical treatments.
Some of the key factors that have led to increasing nosocomial infection rates in
American hospitals include, low hand washing rates by staff between patient contacts, sicker
and more immunocompromised patients in hospitals, infrastructure repairs and renovations to
aging hospitals and new construction on existing campuses creating risk of airborne fungal
diseases caused by dust and spores released during demolition and construction, and increasing
antimicrobial use in hospital and long-term care facilities creating a large reservoir of resistant
microbial strains (Weinstein, 1998).

Romel Turner

Unit 7 Assignment 1 Portals of Entry

SC2730 Arceo

Hand washing is the single most important preventive of nosocomial infections for
patients. Failure to comply with hand hygiene is considered the leading cause of health careassociated infections, contributes to the spread of multi-resistant organisms, and is recognized as
a significant contributor to outbreaks of infection (Biddle, 2009). Every ward at the hospital has
at least 2 sinks with soap on them and an alcohol hand rubs hung on the wall near the sinks. So
everything is easily assessable for the care giver to wash his or her hands.
An estimated 2 million patients develop nosocomial infections in the United States
annually. The increasing number of antimicrobial agent-resistant pathogens and high-risk
patients in hospitals are challenges to progress in preventing and controlling these infections.
While Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus remain the most common pathogens isolated
overall from nosocomial infections, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), organisms
previously considered contaminants in most cultures, are now the predominant pathogens in
bloodstream infections. The growing number of antimicrobial agent-resistant organisms is
troublesome, particularly vancomycin-resistant CoNS and Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa resistant to imipenem (Wisplinghoff, 2009).
Infections are transmitted in the hospital environment through air, surface, and water.
Some key considerations for preventing and controlling the spread of nosocomial infections in
hospitals include an important aspect of reducing infections spread through surface contact
involves providing environmental support for hand washing visible, conveniently placed sinks,
hand washing liquid dispensers, and alcohol rubs. Going to private rooms with individual
bathrooms will also help reduce nosocomial infections.

Romel Turner

Unit 7 Assignment 1 Portals of Entry

SC2730 Arceo

References
Abbas, J., & Whimbey, E. (1997, January 21). Infection control of nosocomial respiratory viral
disease in the immunocompromised host. NCBI. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC88988/
Biddle, C. (2009, June 21). hand hygiene and nosocomial disease transmission in the anesthesia
workstation.. NCBI. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3784937/
Thompson, R., Cabezudo, I., & Wenzel, R. (2010, December 15). Community Strains of
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus as Potential Cause of Healthcare-associated
Infections, Uruguay, 20022004 - Vol. 14 No. 8 - August 2008 - Emerging Infectious
Disease journal - CDC. Community Strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
aureus as Potential Cause of Healthcare-associated Infections, Uruguay, 20022004
- Vol. 14 No. 8 - August 2008 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC. Retrieved
November 6, 2013, from http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/14/8/07-1183_article.htm
Weinstein, J. (1998, February 14). Impact of the Environment on Infections in Healthcare
Facilities. chd. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.healthdesign.org/chd/research/impact-environment-infections-healthcarefacilities?page=4
Wisplinghoff, H., & Bischoff, T. (2009, October 1). Nosocomial bloodstream infections in US
hospitals: analysis of 24,179 cases from a prospective nationwide surveillance study..
NCBI. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC358296/

Romel Turner

Unit 7 Assignment 1 Portals of Entry

SC2730 Arceo