NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS
What Are Nosocomial Infections?
Nosocomial infections are infections are acquired in hospitals and other healthcare facilities such as dental practices and medical day centres. To be classified as a nosocomial case, the patient must have been admitted for reasons other than the infection The patient must also have shown no signs of active or incubating infection.
These infections occur:
- up to 48 hours after hospital admission
- up to 3 days after discharge
- up to 30 days after an operation
- in a healthcare facility when a patient was admitted for reasons other than the infection
The biggest concern for all dental and medical facilities should be the Nosocomial Infected Patient, above all else.
The contraction of the common cold can be used as a case against a dental or medical practice, and even in the hospital environment. It is imperative that all practices and hospitals have the right system in place to provide scientific evidence (through the appropriate monitoring devices), of instruments with a sterility assurance level (SAL).
IMPORTANT: Any blood-borne pathogen such as HIV or Hepatitis Viruses would come from cannulated lumens such as laparoscopes in hospitals or day surgery settings, or from hand piece instruments from a dental surgery.
It is absolutely vital to hold the evidence that these instruments have reached SAL in order to protect your practice from any litigation regarding these matters.
No current industry guidelines have valid information that aligns with the scientific standards for validation of lumens. They only provide general information.
All of the methods required to validate lumens are within the confines of the International Scientific standards which overrule ALL national guidelines. Therefore it is important to reference only the scientific standards for your infection control monitoring.