Education is of fundamental importance in the fight against nosocomial infections, experts said during a press conference on the occasion of the announcement of the opening report, the Stop Infection Program.
Nosocomial infections worsen the course of the underlying disease, extend hospital stay, increase treatment costs and increase patient mortality. Most often they concern operated places, respiratory and urinary systems. According to the report, in recent years, in Poland and worldwide, the threat of new and recurring infections, as well as infectious diseases for which there are no effective drugs or vaccines, is increasing.
During a stay in a Polish hospital, 5 to 10 people out of 100 hospitalized may contract an infection, and the direct costs of treating patients with nosocomial infections amount to PLN 800 million per year. There are also indirect costs, the most severe of which are premature deaths.
Nosocomial infections are a big problem not only for patients and medical staff, but also for entire medical facilities. According to the estimates of the Medical Insurance Service Office of the PZU Head Office and PZU Życie, hospital infections are the subject of civil claims against Polish public hospitals in almost one third of cases. The lawsuit may actually threaten the existence of indebted hospitals.
Reducing the number of nosocomial infections not only improves the situation of patients and the safety of medical personnel, but also reduces treatment costs. According to the Polish Society of Hospital Infections, reduction in the frequency of infections by 1%. can reduce treatment costs by as much as 7-10 percent. Building awareness and spreading knowledge about hygiene and infection control in health care can lead to the proper control and combating of nosocomial infections.
Although the relevant acts provide templates for reports on infections and microbes, due to differences in the way they are prepared at the hospital level, it is not possible to compare the situation in selected facilities or to make infection statistics on a city, regional or country scale.
Competent medical personnel and compliance with hygiene rules – washing hands, using surgical masks or disposable gowns – are essential. However, the excess of paperwork, the number of patients and the shortage of personnel make it very difficult to maintain hygiene in practice, said Dr. Małgorzata Bulanda, president of the Polish Society of Hospital Infections. Epidemiological nurses, several hundred of whom have already been trained, are to improve the situation. An epidemiological nurse, like a detective, tracks the sources of infections and suggests preventive measures.
As prof. Stefan Tyski from the National Medicines Institute, nosocomial infections are easier to avoid when the patient stays in the hospital as short as possible. If not, bacteria that are resistant to hospital drugs can displace the mild domestic bacteria from the patient’s body. In elective surgery there are many options to avoid contamination. For example, a patient may be found to be carrying an extremely drug-resistant MRSA and a bactericidal nasal ointment may be applied.
On the other hand, in theory, disposable slippers or aprons made available to visitors in hospitals do not provide protection against infection. First of all, a healthy person admitted to the hospital will rather remove dangerous, drug-resistant strains from there than bring something dangerous on their shoes or clothes. In addition, many people use disposable pads repeatedly, also in other hospitals (PAP).