NURSING'S ROLE IN THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS (HAIS)

Abstract

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) represent an important public health problem worldwide. As it is a condition associated with increased morbidity and mortality, this type of infection requires control and prevention strategies to be adopted. In this sense, nursing care is an important element in the process of reducing the risks of HAIs, as they share routines that help minimize its causes, in addition to employing aseptic techniques to prevent a high potential for environmental contamination. professional and thus reduce possible infections by microorganisms. Given the importance of these professionals, the present study aimed to investigate the role of the nursing team in preventing and controlling infections related to healthcare, describing the main nursing actions in preventing and controlling these infections. The research was developed through a bibliographical review, with the selection of articles on the topic, whose publication occurred between the years 2019 and 2024. The application of the search criteria allowed the selection of 11 articles, which presented different approaches to the theme. According to these approaches, the group of selected articles can be classified by thematic areas: risk factors for the occurrence of HAIs; prevention measures for the nursing team; nursing practices to reduce risks; importance of the hospital infection control service. From carrying out this review, it was possible to observe that nursing acts directly in the prevention and control of this type of infection, whether through safe care practices, or through surveillance, the implementation of protocols and educational practices aimed at preventing these infections.