Surveillance System and Prevalence of Healthcare-Associated Infections in a Maternity Hospital

Abstract

Obstetrician-gynaecologist (Ob-Gyn) medical and nursing personnel usually have minimal in action training on infection control (IC). Limited information exists also about the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in maternity hospitals. The aim of this study was to determine in a 30-day survey prevalence of HAIs among hospitalised patients and neonates in a maternity hospital in Athens, Greece, and to offer to the IC office a practical IC manual. Patients hospitalized for more than 24 h in the clinics and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were enrolled. An IC guide was created and distributed to the medical and nursing staff through educational seminars. Through the survey, among Ob-Gyn patients 16 HAIs were recognized during hospitalization and 14 HAIs after patients’ discharge; the overall prevalence of infected patients was 2.9% and the prevalence of HAIs was 3.2%. Among NICU patients, the prevalence of HAIs was 3.9%. The IC manual was found easily implemented in daily use improving staff’s compliance to IC practices. The results of the survey can be used as a baseline for future comparisons between maternity hospitals (benchmarking). The implementation of steady IC guideline protocols for a maternity hospital may update staff education and promote staff compliance on IC practices.