Abstract
The present study was aimed at determining device-associated infection rates, device use rates and the microbiologic profile of nosocomial infections in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) in Bogotá, Colombia. Prospective nosocomial infection surveillance was implemented in a neonatal intensive care unit for 11 months in line with the High Risk Nursery component of the Colombian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance programme. Patient-days, length of stay, device use rates and device-associated nosocomial infection rates were calculated. 1 998 device days were observed among 2 890 patient days during the 11 months' surveillance. Central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection was the most common device-associated infection for all birth-weight categories. 69,2 % and 100 % of all coagulase negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus infections were methicillin resistant strains and all gram negative rods were susceptible to third generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, ciprofloxacin and piperacillin-tazobactam. Device-associated infection and device use rates in the ICU were higher than Colombian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance reports for October 2004 and reports from Colombia and other Latin-American countries. This surveillance identified blood-stream infection as being the most common infection in the ICU in question. Efforts should thus be directed at establishing suitable infection-control practices.
Highlights
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) consists of two rooms; the first includes 15 beds for neonatal medical care and the second is where infected neonates are hospitalised
The NICU staff consists of three assistant nurses, one chief nurse and one paediatrician
A single nurse carried out Nosocomial infection (NI) surveillance in the NICU
Summary
Prospective nosocomial infection surveillance was implemented in a neonatal intensive care unit for 11 months in line with the High Risk Nursery component of the Colombian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance programme. Patientdays, length of stay, device use rates and device-associated nosocomial infection rates were calculated. Results 1 998 device days were observed among 2 890 patient days during the 11 months' surveillance. Central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection was the most common device-associated infection for all birth-weight categories. Device-associated infection and device use rates in the ICU were higher than Colombian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance reports for October 2004 and reports from Colombia and other Latin-American countries. The NICU consists of two rooms; the first includes 15 beds for neonatal medical care and the second is where infected neonates are hospitalised. Guidelines for managing and monitoring medical devices are not available at the unit. A single nurse carried out NI surveillance in the NICU. NI case data is collected daily for the programme but information regarding medical devices has not been collected since the programme began
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
