Current Status and Issues of Infection Control in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Very-low-birthweight infants (VLBWIs) are at increased risk of developing healthcare-acquired infections because of their immunological immaturity and the frequent use of invasive procedures. Healthcare-acquired infections are associated with increased length of stay, mortality, and significant morbidities in VLBWIs. Numerous issues with infection control in Korea's neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have come to light as a result of the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital incident on December 16, 2017, such as the shortages in manpower and facilities and the lack of standardized protocols and systemic supervision by the infection control tower. Although many issues have been improved in recent years, the shortage and considerable center-to-center disparity of manpower, including well-trained neonatal nurses and neonatologists for effective infection control in the NICUs, still remain unresolved. This study reviewed the current status and several issues of infection control in the NICUs in Korea, focusing on structural factors such as the shortage and center-to-center disparity of medical personnel.