Preventive Nurse Actions and Risk Factors Associated With Health Care Related Infections: A Narrative Review

Abstract

In Brazil, it is estimated that 3% to 15% of hospitalized patients develop some kind of Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI). The vast majority of HAIs are caused by an imbalance in the relationship between the normal human microbiota and the host's defense mechanisms and can affect both patients and healthcare professionals. Therefore, in this narrative review we sought to identify the main infection risk factors related to healthcare and list the main preventive actions taken by nurses within the hospital environment to avoid HAIs. The different risk factors related to healthcare in hospitalized adult patients found in the selected studies were described according to the sites of infection: urinary tract, primary bloodstream infection, surgical site and respiratory tract. And we list four practices that meet a consensus regarding some basic elements necessary for the prevention of HAIs. We can conclude that nurses' actions are essential for both the detection and prevention and control of HAIs.