Infecciones asociadas a la atención en salud en pacientes hospitalizados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are defined as complications arising during the patient's hospitalization period in the intensive care unit owing to the patient's critical condition and the devices used in treatment. Objective: To collect relevant information from a search of scientific papers on healthcare-associated nosocomial infections. Methodology: The research was descriptive, different high-impact scientific databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Redalyc, Scielo, and Researchgate published from 2016 to the present were inquired. A total of 38 field articles, 5 review articles, 1 indexed book, and 6 articles corresponding to the World Health Organization, Ministry of Public Health, and Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security were included. Results: the prevalence of nosocomial infections presented a high percentage in the countries of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador in 2018. Several factors can trigger infections such as advanced age, chronic diseases, and the use of invasive devices; however, certain preventive measures can be applied such as proper handwashing, knowledge of guidelines and protocols for invasive procedures. Conclusion: Patients who are admitted to a hospital unit are at high risk of contracting an HAI; therefore, the entire health care team must follow certain guidelines for the prevention of this adverse event.

Keywords: prevalence, risk factors, causal agent, nursing interventions, nosocomial infections